Nominated Supervisor

Homeground Early Learning & Kindergarten — Tallai, Gold Coast

Most leadership roles ask you to manage a large service and hope you find time for the children. This one is the other way around.

Homeground Early Learning & Kindergarten is a family-owned, 50-place service in Tallai, near Nerang and Mudgeeraba in the Gold Coast hinterland. We're a small centre by design — small enough that you'll know every child's name, every family's circumstances, and every educator's strengths.

We're looking for our founding Centre Director and Nominated Supervisor to lead the service from day one.

If you're a 2IC, Assistant Director or Educational Leader who's ready to step up but keeps being told you need "director experience" first — we want to meet you.

A 50-place service is the right size to learn to lead in. You'll carry the full responsibility of a Nominated Supervisor, but with a manageable number of rooms, a team you can genuinely know, and owners who are passionate, involved and contactable.

This is a hands-on role. You'll be in the rooms as well as in the office — leading from the floor, not from behind a desk. You'll work in ratio as part of the team, with dedicated non-contact time each week for administration, programming and compliance.

If you're looking for a purely administrative director position, this isn't it. If you want to stay connected to the children while you learn to run a service, it's exactly right.

You'll be building the culture and community rather than inheriting one. That's rare, and it's the fastest way to develop as a leader.

We believe a child who knows they'll be picked up can let go. Everything we do comes back to that — being reliable enough that children feel safe to explore, and being a genuine second home for families in our community.

That belief shapes how we hire and how we operate:

• Educators who stay, because continuity is what makes a child feel secure

• Unhurried settling, however many visits a family needs

• Real materials, real experiences, and time to actually be with children

We're family-owned and directly involved. You'll be dealing with the owner, not a regional manager.

As Centre Director and Nominated Supervisor, you will:

• Hold Nominated Supervisor responsibilities under the Education and Care Services National Law and National Regulations

• Work in ratio alongside your team, with contact hours/days and dedicated non-contact time each week

• Build and lead a team of educators — recruitment, rosters, ratios, development and retention

• Oversee the educational program and our approved kindergarten program, alongside your Educational Leader and ECT

• Lead compliance: policies and procedures, risk assessments, notifications, record-keeping and preparation for Assessment & Rating

• Manage enrolments, occupancy and family relationships, including CCS administration

• Partner with families and the local community to grow the service

• Work with the owners on budgets, staffing costs and service planning

You'll have real autonomy over how the service runs, and direct support from owners who want you to succeed.

Essential

• Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care or higher

• Experience in a leadership role — Nominated Supervisor, Assistant Director, 2IC, Room Leader or Educational Leader

• Comfort working in ratio and leading from the floor

• Current Queensland Working with Children Check (Blue Card)

• National Child Safety Foundation Training completed via Geccko, or completed before commencement (free, and takes a couple of hours)

• Willingness to complete Advanced National Child Safety Training within the required timeframes

• Current First Aid, CPR, Asthma and Anaphylaxis certification (HLTAID012 or equivalent)

• Sound working knowledge of the EYLF V2.0, the NQS and the Exceeding Themes

• Understanding of Child Care Subsidy requirements and enrolment administration

• Genuine commitment to child safety and to upholding children's rights in everyday practice

• Willingness to be nominated as Nominated Supervisor and to provide the required consent

Highly regarded

• Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (ECT qualification)

• Experience with the Queensland Kindergarten Funding Scheme

• Experience opening, relaunching or rebuilding a service

• Familiarity with OWNA or similar childcare management software

• Above-award salary, negotiable based on experience and qualifications

• Dedicated non-contact time each week — protected, not something you fit in around ratios

• A genuine step up for the right person, with mentoring from owners who are actively involved

• Real autonomy — you'll shape the culture, not inherit someone else's

• A small, close-knit team where your decisions have immediate visible impact

• Ongoing professional development, learning and mentoring

• Discounted childcare for your own children

• Convenient hinterland location with easy parking — no city commute

Send your resume and a short cover letter telling us one thing you'd want to get right in your first month.

We'd genuinely like to hear from people who are ready for their first director role, not only from those who've already done it.

Happy to answer questions confidentially through Seek before you apply.

Homeground Early Learning & Kindergarten is committed to child safety and wellbeing. All applicants will be subject to child safety screening, including a current Blue Card.