Centre Manager

This is a rare opportunity to lead a new early learning centre in Rolleston from its earliest stages. The centre is currently being built, and you’ll be involved from the beginning: preparing for opening, meeting compliance and licensing requirements, hiring the team, shaping the culture and building enrolments.

You’ll bring together strong teaching practice and sound commercial leadership, creating a centre where children and whānau feel welcome, staff can do their best work, and occupancy and revenue targets are achieved.

What you’ll lead

• Prepare the centre for opening, including compliance systems, policies, records, staffing plans and operational processes.
• Recruit, induct and build a capable teaching and support team, establishing a positive culture and clear expectations from day one.
• Lead a rich, inclusive curriculum grounded in Te Whāriki and responsive to children, whānau and the local community.
• Coach and support Team Leaders and teachers, maintaining high standards of teaching, care and professional practice.
• Build enrolments through enquiries, centre tours, strong settling experiences and effective relationships with local families and community networks.
• Monitor occupancy, revenue and other commercial targets, taking practical action to support sustainable growth.
• Manage budgets, staffing costs, funding records, purchasing and centre resources within delegated authority.
• Maintain licensing and regulatory compliance, including staffing deployment, ratios, records, safety checks and incident reporting.
• Keep children safe and well, with effective supervision and clear systems for health, safety and child protection.
• Lead team meetings, professional growth, internal evaluation and continuous improvement.
• Build respectful relationships with whānau and respond to questions or concerns promptly and professionally.
• Provide clear reporting and early escalation of significant risks or issues.

What you’ll bring

• A current practising certificate and relevant early childhood education leadership experience.
• A current first-aid qualification required for the role.
• Strong knowledge of Te Whāriki, ECE legislation, licensing criteria and safe operating practice.
• Experience leading, developing and recruiting a team, with the confidence to set expectations and follow through.
• Commercial awareness and the ability to work towards occupancy, revenue and budget targets while protecting quality.
• Strong organisation and problem-solving skills, especially when setting up systems and processes.
• A commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, culturally responsive practice, and recognising children’s identity, language and culture.
• Clear communication and a collaborative approach to working with whānau, staff and external partners.
• If you’re excited by the challenge of creating a new centre’s foundations and leading it into its next stage of growth, we’d like to hear from you.