Operations Specialist (Excellence)

Lead with impact. Restore excellence where it matters most.

We’re seeking a hands-on, solutions-focused Operations Excellence Specialist to join our national team — an experienced leader ready to step into services that need urgent support to stabilise quality, compliance, and operations.

This is a specialist, full-time position working across multiple centres on short- to medium-term assignments, directly deployed by the Director of Operations. You’ll act as an operational “fixer” — restoring safe, compliant, and high-quality practice in centres that need immediate expertise and leadership.

The role

In this critical role, you’ll provide on-the-ground leadership, mentoring, and practical support to centre teams and managers. With delegated authority to act immediately where risk is identified, you’ll guide centres through recovery, re-establish standards, and build the capability needed for long-term success.

In this role, you will:

• Enter under-performing or high-risk services to assess and address operational, leadership, and compliance gaps.
• Provide immediate, hands-on assistance in daily practices and staffing to ensure safety and stability.
• Reset and embed quality, compliance, and safety non-negotiables.
• Coach and uplift Centre Managers to sustain compliant, assessment-ready operations.
• Partner with Regional and Centre Managers to design and execute corrective and preventative action plans.
• Validate that centres exit intervention ready to operate independently, without ongoing reliance.

About you

You’re calm under pressure, credible with teams, and confident making decisive calls in complex environments. With a strong background in operational turnaround and compliance management — ideally in early education — you thrive on getting services back on track and empowering leaders to succeed.

To succeed, you’ll bring:

• Proven experience stabilising and improving performance in regulated or multi-site environments (ECEC experience highly regarded).
• Strong working knowledge of the National Quality Framework, National Law, and Regulations.
• Demonstrated ability to coach and build capability in Centre Managers and teams.
• Confidence to act quickly and decisively where child safety or compliance is at risk.
• Exceptional communication, influencing, and problem-solving skills.
• A resilient, agile, and pragmatic mindset — comfortable working autonomously and adapting to different centre contexts.

Why you’ll love working with us

• Make a genuine impact in services where your leadership is needed most.
• Work alongside a passionate national network of early education and operations specialists.
• Enjoy flexibility, variety, and the opportunity to drive visible, lasting improvement.
• Competitive remuneration, travel support, and professional development opportunities.
• A values-led culture where child safety, quality, and people come first.

At Affinity Education Group, every child deserves a centre that’s safe, compliant, and thriving — and every leader deserves the support to get there. If you’re ready to lead change on the front line and help services return to excellence, apply today.