Practice Manager in Wollongong, Australia

Practice Manager

• Permanent, Full Time

• 38 hours per week

• Monday to Friday

Working at Big Fat Smile, there’s a lot to smile about. The trust you’ll be given in exchange for your expertise. The freedom you’ll be given to make a difference and enrich the lives and minds of our children and families in their communities.

As a practice manager, you will support, guide and coach Centre Directors to drive quality and lead their continuous improvement journey. You will meet each Centre Director where they are in terms of their capability and experience to support their growth and development.

You will achieve this through a ‘coaching with accountability’ approach you engage in observing, coaching and scaffolding the internal operations of a service (interactions, relationships, quality, environments, inclusion) in partnership with the Centre Director.

Your success in this role will be evident through the growth and development of highly capable and competent Centre Directors and the provision of high-quality pedagogy and practice in day-to-day delivery across all centres.

Big smiles and bigger opportunities

We’re Big Fat Smile. A not-for-profit that plays a pivotal role in the lives of thousands of children and families across Australia. We’re early education enthusiasts, with 40+ community preschools, long day care centres, out of school hours care and vacation care, and a variety of community and inclusion programs. Each one dedicated to giving every child the best start in life. And each well-respected for the work it does.

What your work will involve

• Support, guide and coach Centre Directors through regular observational visits, coaching sessions and professional development.

• Document goals, action plans and commitments by Centre Directors to support ongoing coaching conversations and accountability approach

• Monitor and guide the centre in critically reflecting on current practices against the National Quality Framework, best practices and current research to support ongoing quality uplift

• Ensure Centre Directors have an active and current self-assessment document that reflects the agreed focus areas for quality uplift across the centres

• Sharing your strong understanding of pedagogy and practice across the Birth -12 learning environments.

What you need to succeed

• Tertiary Qualifications: Bachelor of Education or similar ACECQA Recognised Early Childhood Teacher Level Qualification

• Extensive knowledge of Education and Care Services, National Regulations and National Quality Framework

• Demonstrated ability to positively share and nurture growth mindsets and a culture of continuous improvement and learning

• Experience using reflective practices to promote growth and adapting thinking in self and others

• Cleared Valid for paid work, working with Children’s Check (WWCC)

• A valid driver’s licence

There are lots of reasons why a role with us is rewarding

• You will feel supported by a Total Well-being Platform that gives you access to self-assessments, articles, toolkits, podcasts, perks and savings, and other resources

• You will have the financial peace of mind with 60% discount on early learning and care and out of school hours care services

• You can save money with discounts Good Guys, Illawarra Dragons, Illawarra Credit Union and more

• You can focus on what matters most because you have support from head office specialists and expertise, such as inclusion professionals and pedagogy and practice.

How to apply

Please send us:

• A copy of your resume

• A cover letter that outlines why you are a good fit for the role

Join us and you’ll be smiling too, when you make more of a difference.

Safeguarding children is embedded in all we do. Through our Child Safe Framework and Values, we are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all children entrusted to our care.