Cuddly Bear Child Care & Kindergarten | Heathmont, Melbourne VIC

$40.57–$52.50 per hour + superannuation | Permanent full-time

Lead educational practice across five rooms | Two off-floor leadership days | Monthly RDO available

Lead learning. Develop educators. Make a lasting difference.

Cuddly Bear Child Care & Kindergarten is an award-winning, family-owned early learning service in Heathmont.

Rated Victoria’s #1 Childcare Centre by KindiCare in 2024, recognised as a Maroondah Business Excellence Awards finalist in 2023 and 2025, and rated Exceeding across all seven National Quality Standard Quality Areas, we are committed to exceptional outcomes for children, families, educators and our wider community.

We’re looking for an experienced, knowledgeable and approachable Educational Leader who can inspire educators, strengthen educational practice and turn great ideas into measurable improvements across our service.

This is a hands‑on leadership position for someone who enjoys being alongside educators and children—not simply reviewing programs from an office.

About the philosophy: Our Community at Our Core

Our philosophy is informed by Urie Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory. We recognise that children develop through their relationships with families, educators and the wider community. Our mantra, “Our Community is Our Family,” reflects our commitment to strong partnerships, belonging and shared responsibility for children’s wellbeing.

We are Reggio Emilia-inspired and see children as capable, curious and active participants in their learning. We embrace the Hundred Languages of Children, recognising the many ways children communicate, explore and express their thinking through art,



movement, music, construction, dramatic play, nature and more.

Our educational program brings together child‑led inquiry and purposeful intentional teaching. Educators observe children’s interests, collaborate with families, create meaningful learning goals and extend children’s thinking through play, conversation and investigation.

Our indoor–outdoor program, Bush Kinder experiences, open‑ended resources and thoughtfully designed environments encourage children to explore, connect with Country, take developmentally appropriate risks and develop a sense of belonging in their community.

Our vision is to become a Lighthouse childcare centre: a service that continues to learn, improve and share effective practice with the wider early childhood community.

We want an Educational Leader who can bring this philosophy to life across every room.

About the role

This is a permanent full time position, combining dedicated educational leadership time with practical, on‑floor mentoring.

Your usual week will include:

- Two days off the floor for educational audits, mentoring, program reviews, reporting and continuous improvement.
- Three days on the floor working alongside educators to model practice, strengthen learning environments and support children’s learning and wellbeing.





You will work 38 hours per week on average, and the individual is required to have full roster flexibility between 6:45 am and 6:30 pm, Monday to Friday. You will work rostered shifts within these hours, not the entire opening‑to‑closing period. A monthly RDO arrangement is available.

Working closely with the Centre Director, Assistant Director and Room Leaders, you will

- Lead a structured cycle of educational audits, room goals, mentoring and follow‑up across our five rooms.
- Strengthen educators’ understanding and application of the EYLF, VEYLDF, educational theory and our service philosophy.
- Support meaningful planning, intentional teaching, educational documentation and critical reflection.
- Model high‑quality interactions and support educators to create engaging, inclusive learning environments.
- Guide the development, implementation and review of individual behaviour guidance plans in partnership with children, families and educators.
- Strengthen children’s participation, community‑based learning and connections between the indoor, outdoor and Bush Kinder programs.
- Prepare accurate reports, audit findings, Quality Improvement Plan contributions and information for VECRA and other relevant bodies.
- Support child‑safe practice, educator capability and continuous improvement across all seven NQS Quality Areas.

About you — our five key selection criteria

1. Qualifications, educational leadership and proven improvement outcomes

You hold a suitable, recognised early childhood qualification and have substantial relevant experience in educational leadership. You can demonst

📌 Educational Leader (Melbourne)
🏢 Cuddly Bear
📍 Melbourne