Lead a boutique early learning school, and grow with it

The Akidamy School of Early Learning is looking for an experienced early childhood leader to lead our Fremantle school as Assistant Director (internally called our Head of Studios).

What we offer

- An award-based salary for 40 hours a week, set by your experience and qualifications, plus the Australian Government Worker Retention Payment (WRP), currently 15% above award rates (salary of $90,000 + super is inclusive of the WRP)
- A clear pathway to a dedicated Educational Leader or Assistant School Director role as the school grows
- A beautiful, purpose-built school with small group sizes, ample resources and an atelier
- Nutritious vegetarian meals and snacks every day, prepared by our in-house chef
- Professional development funding and ongoing career progression
- Discounted childcare fees
- Financial incentives for eco-friendly commutes, a short walk from Fremantle Station

This is a blended leadership role. You will be the senior leader on site every day, and you will bring together three parts of leading a school:
- School operations: oversight and management of educators and staff, rostering, families, compliance and the Child Care Subsidy (CCS)
- Nominated Supervisor: day-to-day responsibility for meeting the National Law and National Regulations
- Educational Leader (part-time): leading the educational program and reflective practice across our four studios

You report to our School Director, who leads both our Perth and Fremantle schools. As occupancy grows and the school expands, the role will grow too. Over time it will move into either a dedicated Educational Leader role or the primary Assistant School Director role, with oversight and management of all educators and staff at the school. If you are an Assistant Director, Nominated Supervisor or Educational Leader ready for a role that builds all three, we would love to hear from you.

About The Akidamy

The Akidamy has been creating inspiring early learning environments since our first school opened in Perth in 2018. Our Fremantle school opened in 2025 in the Woolstores building on Cantonment Street, about 300m from Fremantle train station, and runs four studios: Nursery, Toddler, Kindergarten Three and Kindergarten Four. We are inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach and the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), and thoughtfully draw on the principles of RIE and Pikler.



We are members of the Reggio Emilia Australia Information Exchange (REAIE) Network Group in Western Australia. At Fremantle, children also enjoy art, yoga and French.

Each studio is led by an experienced Studio Leader, and our educators are permanent members of our team. Many of our team across the organisation have been with us for 3 to 5 years or more and 9 in 10 Akidamy parents say we exceed their expectations (Akidamy parent survey 2025–26).

What you will do

Leading the school

- Take primary responsibility for the day-to-day management and operation of the Fremantle school
- Lead, mentor and support our Early Childhood Teacher, Studio Leaders and educators, building a positive, collaborative and reflective culture
- Oversee staffing, rostering, ratios and administration
- Manage Child Care Subsidy (CCS) administration and enrolments, with a thorough working knowledge of CCS
- Support recruitment, onboarding, induction, performance management and professional development
- Build robust relationships with families, with consistently high standards of communication and service
- Support enrolment growth, family engagement and the ongoing development of the school
- Work closely with the School Director to keep our two schools consistent

Nominated Supervisor

- Act as Nominated Supervisor for the Fremantle school
- Make sure the school meets its obligations under the National Law and National Regulations every day, including supervision, ratios, records and notifications
- Keep children's safety, wellbeing and rights at the centre of every decision

Educational Leader (part-time now, growing with the school)

- Lead the educational program across all four studios, in line with the EYLF and our Reggio Emilia inspired philosophy
- Guide educators through the planning cycle: observation, documentation, reflection and evaluation
- Lead the development and implementation of Fremantle's Quality Improvement Plan (QIP), aligned with the National Quality Standard (NQS)
- Mentor educators in critical reflection and pedagogical documentation, with support from our Perth Pedagogista and School Director





About you

Essential

- Experience in early childhood education and care, ideally in a leadership role such as Assistant Director, Educational Leader, Nominated Supervisor or an equivalent senior role
- An ACECQA approved Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care, or a Bachelor of Early Childhood Teaching (or higher)
- You meet the requirements to be a Nominated Supervisor under the National Regulations
- Proven ability to lead, mentor and develop educators and teachers
- Strong knowledge of the EYLF and the Reggio Emilia approach
- Sound understanding of the NQS, QIPs, the National Law and National Regulations, and CCS
- Experience managing staffing, rostering, compliance and administration
- Excellent communication skills with staff, families and external stakeholders
- The ability to work autonomously, make confident day-to-day decisions and lead the daily operations of a school
- A current WA Working with Children Check, approved first aid, CPR, asthma and anaphylaxis training, and the mandatory child protection and national child safety training (foundation and advanced), or willingness to complete them in the required time

Highly regarded

- A Bachelor of Early Childhood Teaching (or higher)
- Experience as a Nominated Supervisor or designated Educational Leader
- Experience with RIE or Pikler inspired practice

Most importantly, we are looking for someone who genuinely loves early childhood education, is passionate about developing people, and wants to be part of a team that strives for excellence.

The details

- Employment: full-time (40 hours a week), permanent, on site in Fremantle. Part-time and nine-day fortnight arrangements are not available for this role.
- Start date: late November or early December 2026
- Reports to: School Director, Perth and Fremantle
- Working rights: applicants must hold full, unrestricted working rights in Australia. Visa sponsorship is not available.

How to apply

Apply through SEEK with:
- A cover letter outlining your leadership experience, your most significant career achievements, your pedagogical influences, and why you would like to join The Akidamy
- A resume detailing your qualifications, experience and key skills

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. To learn more about us, visit theakidamy.wa.edu.au or follow @theakidamy on Instagram and Facebook.

We look forward to meeting you.

📌 Assistant Director (Fremantle)
🏢 The Akidamy School of Early Learning - Fremantle
📍 Fremantle