S121-5 Education Lead, Early Childhood

Department for Education

Job reference: 854513

Location: 5025 - FLINDERS PARK, 5096 - PARA HILLS, 5290 - MOUNT GAMBIER, 5540 - PORT PIRIE, 5554 - KADINA

Job status: Long Term Contract

Eligibility: SA Public Sector Employees only

Why work with us

Every child and young person deserves a great education.

We have a strategy that aims to unlock every child’s potential now and into the future, one that in partnership with learners, students, parents and the wider South Australian community will build a world-leading public education system. One that is equitable and prioritises learning and wellbeing.

Together we will make our education system the best it can be.

When our children and young people thrive, so do our communities and our state.

About The Role

The Education Lead, Early Childhood is a key leadership position within the local education team, with significant accountability for driving positive change and fostering continuous improvement across preschools and services for children from birth to age 5 in South Australia. The Education Lead, Early Childhood leads the implementation of strategic priorities for improvement, change and reform in the early years that enable site leaders to achieve impact within their communities. Working collaboratively with the Education Director and Education Lead, Schools and drawing on significant knowledge and experience in early childhood education, pedagogy and curriculum, strategic use of data to drive improvement strategies and people management, the Education Lead, Early Childhood takes ownership of strategic initiatives, to implement the department's vision for all young children to learn and thrive.

The Education Lead, Early Childhood takes a proactive approach and works with leaders to establish and optimise a networked approach across the education ecosystem and is responsible for establishing and leveraging early childhood communities of practice, alliances and corporate divisions, to facilitate collaboration, shared learning, and collective responsibility across sites to enhance outcomes for young children. The Education Lead, Early Childhood provides strategic leadership for the implementation of a range of key state and national reform policies and strategies to modernise preschool delivery including implementation of Royal Commission recommendations regarding 3-year-old preschool, kindy care and integrated hubs. This role is instrumental in being a conduit between sites and the centre by actively engaging in multidirectional feedback loops, supporting the approach to preschool improvement and the implementation of the National Quality Standard and Early Years Learning Framework.

The Education Lead, Early Childhood is responsible for facilitating coaching and mentoring relationships across the system that impact the acceleration of leadership development. Working with leaders and People and Culture, the Education Lead, Early Childhood champions workforce development initiatives aimed at strengthening qualification uplift pathways and leadership pipelines across the system. This includes identifying and supporting emerging and existing preschool staff to upgrade qualifications meet critical workforce demands; and to identify teacher and leaders who show the leadership capability and aspiration to move into higher leadership roles and providing support to accelerate their development.

Qualifications

Essential: A tertiary qualification in education and/or related fields.

Desirable: Tertiary qualifications in Early Childhood education

Special conditions

The successful applicant is required to gain a Department for Human Services (DHS) working with children check (WWCC) prior to being employed which is required to be renewed every five years before expiry.

The incumbent will be required to undertake RRHAN –EC (Responding to Risks of Harm, Abuse and Neglect - Education Care) Facilitator Lead (Masterclass) extended course or the online (Fundamentals) course which will be required to be updated every three years.

For all other Special Conditions please refer to the attached Position Description.

Remuneration

S121-5 $165,103 per annum (1.0 FTE) + superannuation (12%)

Enquiries

Enquiries can be directed to Kylie Andrews, Finance and Workforce Coordinator, via tel: (08) 8226 3264 or email: [email protected]

Application instructions

Applications should be made through the IWorkForSA website.

Applicants are required to submit a CV, the Application Cover Sheet, Employment Declaration, and a cover letter of no more than two pages addressing the key competencies in the attached position description.

Please complete and submit the preference sheet to indicate your preferred location(s).

People of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent and/or those who have a disability are strongly encouraged to apply.

Additional Note

This is a full-time contract role (1.0 FTE), initial 3-year term contract.

Multiple positions are available across the state.

This position operates under conditions similar to those of the Public Sector Act 2009 (PS Act).

Applications close: 20/08/2026 11:30 PM

Attachments

Application Cover Sheet - S121.pdf How to Apply - S121 guidelines.pdf Position description - S121-5 Education Lead Early Childhood.pdf Preference sheet - S121-5 Education Lead, Early Childhood.pdf VL233 Pre-employment declaration.pdf

Flexibility Statement

The South Australian public sector promotes diversity and flexible ways of working including part-time. Applicants are encouraged to discuss the flexible working arrangements for this role.