Centre Services Manager / Admin ManagerFirst5Years Early Learning | EmeraldJoin our teamWe're looking for a passionate, highly organised Centre Services Manager / Admin Manager to join First5Years Emerald.This is a key role in our centre, supporting our Centre Director and taking ownership of the business administration, family service and organisational systems that help a busy early learning centre run smoothly.We're looking for someone who loves creating order, enjoys helping people, notices the things others miss and gets real satisfaction from keeping a team organised and on track.This is much more than a traditional administration role.
You'll be an important part of the leadership support structure of the centre and a familiar, trusted point of contact for our families and team.What you'll be responsible forYour role will include:
family accounts, billing, CCS and debtors
centre bookkeeping and Xero administration
enrolments, bookings, waitlists and occupancy
family administration and enquiries
rostering and staffing administration
staff records, onboarding and compliance administration
contractors, maintenance and suppliers
centre systems, registers and documentation
medication management plan administration
Kindy funding and Inclusion Support funding administration
grants and funding records
leadership meeting coordination and follow-up
reporting and governance administration
Centre Director diary and executive support
general centre administration and events
You won't necessarily make every decision, but you will play a key role in making sure things are organised, followed up and brought to completion.How the Centre Director will work with youYou'll work closely with the Centre Director every day.A short daily stand-up will help you both stay aligned on:
staffing and people
family support
accounts and CCS




maintenance and operational matters
compliance and upcoming deadlines
meetings and commitments
matters requiring a decision
the key priorities for the day
A significant part of the role is providing Executive PA-style support to the Centre Director.You'll help manage the Centre Director's calendar, organise meetings, track commitments, maintain action lists and make sure important follow-ups don't disappear into the busyness of the day.You'll be comfortable managing upwards — respectfully reminding, prompting and following up when something needs to be completed.The Centre Director remains responsible for centre leadership, people decisions, educational practice and operational decisions.Your role is to create the organisation and follow-through around them.Who we're looking forFor this role, how you work is just as important as where you've worked before.You'll likely be someone who is:
Exceptionally organised — you naturally create structure and keep track of details.
Proactive — you look ahead rather than waiting to be told what to do.
Strong on follow-through — you keep going until the job is actually finished.
Warm and professional — you communicate confidently with families, team members, suppliers and leaders.
Comfortable with numbers — accounts, invoices, Xero, quotes and financial information don't intimidate you.
Systems-minded — you enjoy technology and finding better ways to organise work.




Calm under pressure — you can handle interruptions without losing sight of your priorities.
Confident managing upwards — you can respectfully hold others accountable to deadlines and commitments.
Discreet and trustworthy — you understand the importance of confidentiality.
A team person — you genuinely enjoy helping others work more efficiently.
We're looking for someone who combines high standards with genuine warmth.Do I need childcare experience?
Childcare or early learning administration experience would be valuable, but it isn't essential.We'd also love to hear from experienced:
Executive Assistants
Office Managers
Practice Managers
Business Administrators
Administration Managers
Finance or Accounts Administrators
School or education administrators
If you're highly organised, capable, great with people and quick to learn new systems, your experience may transfer beautifully into our world.Hours & flexibilityThis is a full-time role.However, we know that finding the right person matters more than having a rigid timetable, and we are very open to discussing flexible working arrangements for the right fit.About First5YearsFirst5Years is a family-owned early learning service with a strong commitment to children, families, our team and the regional communities we are part of.
Our values are to be Passionate, Empowering and Inclusive.We want to create an environment where people feel valued, trusted and empowered to do excellent work, while holding ourselves to high standards in the way we care, communicate and operate.Sound like you?
If you read this and thought, "this is how my brain works", we'd love to hear from you.And if your background isn't traditionally in childcare, please don't let that stop you.
For us, the right capability, attitude and fit matter enormously.

📌 Centre Services Manager / Admin Manager (Melbourne)
🏢 First 5 Years
📍 Melbourne