Head of Operations

Gardenia Early Learning is seeking an experienced and values-driven Head of Operations to join our leadership team and support the continued success of our centres. Working closely with the General Manager of Operations, this role will provide leadership, guidance and support to our Centre Directors while ensuring our services deliver high-quality early childhood education and strong outcomes under the National Quality Standard. This is an exciting newly created leadership role, developed in response to new centres joining Gardenia in 2026 and our ongoing commitment to ensuring our teams receive the support they need to succeed. The Head of Operations will also work closely with and provide leadership to our Head of Curriculum, ensuring strong alignment between operational leadership, pedagogy and educational practice across our centres. Key Responsibilities – Support and mentor Centre Directors and leadership teams – – Drive strong quality outcomes across all areas of the National Quality Standard – – Support services through Assessment & Rating preparation – – Strengthen centre leadership capability and team performance – – Identify opportunities to improve centre operations, culture and quality outcomes – – Provide leadership and guidance to the Head of Curriculum – – Work collaboratively with the Head of Curriculum to strengthen educational practice – – Ensure strong implementation of inquiry-based curriculum approaches – – Partner with the General Manager of Operations to support strategic goals across the organisation – – Champion Gardenia’s philosophy and commitment to high-quality early childhood education About You We are looking for an experienced early childhood leader who is passionate about supporting centres to deliver exceptional outcomes for children. You will bring: – Experience overseeing or supporting multiple early childhood services – – Strong working knowledge of the National Quality Framework and National Quality Standard – – Demonstrated success supporting services to achieve Meeting or Exceeding NQS – – Experience mentoring and supporting Centre Directors and leadership teams – – A strong understanding of inquiry-based curriculum and contemporary early childhood pedagogy – – The ability to influence, guide and support leaders across multiple centres – – A genuine passion for high-quality early childhood education – – A relevant degree in early childhood education, leadership, or a related field will be highly regarded; however, we also value extensive sector experience. As this role requires regular travel between our centres, applicants must hold a valid driver’s licence and have access to a reliable vehicle. About Gardenia Early Learning Gardenia Early Learning is a family-owned early childhood provider committed to delivering high-quality education and care for children, families and the community. Our Approved Providers bring over 30 years of combined experience in the early childhood sector, and our leadership team is deeply committed to supporting educators, centre leaders and teams to succeed. As Gardenia continues to grow, we remain focused on building services where strong leadership, thoughtful pedagogy and supportive teams create exceptional outcomes for children. Why Join Gardenia Early Learning At Gardenia Early Learning, we are committed to creating environments where children, educators and leaders thrive. This role offers the opportunity to work closely with the General Manager of Operations and Head of Curriculum to influence leadership, quality practice and educational outcomes across our services. As Gardenia continues to grow, we are investing in strong leadership structures that ensure our centres and teams are supported to succeed.