State Manager WA

Role: State Manager – Western Australia

Location: Perth, WA

Employment Type: Full-time, Permanent

At Goodstart, we’re all about giving children the best possible start in life. As Australia’s largest not-for-profit provider of early learning and care, we support more than 70,000 children across nearly 700 centres, driven by a passionate team committed to making a lasting difference.

We’re looking for an experience and strategic State Manager to lead centre performance, leadership capability and operational excellence across Western Australia.

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, you'll provide leadership and direction across the state, ensuring Centre Directors are empowered to lead high-performing teams that deliver exceptional outcomes for children, families and communities.

Working across all centres in Western Australia, you'll build strong relationships with Centre Directors, develop a deep understanding of centre performance and capability, and translate Goodstart's strategic priorities into meaningful local action. Through coaching, collaboration and strategic leadership, you'll drive continuous improvement, strengthen leadership pipelines and support sustainable performance across the state.

Your Impact:

• Develop and deliver the state strategic plan, annual business plan and budget, ensuring alignment with Goodstart's organisational priorities.
• Maintain a deep understanding of centre performance, operational priorities and leadership capability across Western Australia, using insights to drive informed decision-making and targeted support.
• Enable and empower Centre Directors and their teams to improve quality, people and business performance outcomes across all centres.
• Lead and develop the state leadership team, creating a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement and high performance.
• Strengthen succession planning and talent pipelines to ensure sustainable leadership capability across Centre Director and key leadership roles.
• Identify systemic improvement opportunities and partner with national support teams to design and implement sustainable solutions that improve centre and business performance.
• Provide strategic leadership and targeted support to centres requiring improvement, considering each centre's unique context, challenges and opportunities.
• Support the delivery of high-quality, inclusive early learning programs aligned with the National Quality Framework and Early Years Learning Framework.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with government representatives, regulatory bodies, universities, community organisations and early childhood sector partners.
• Strengthen Goodstart's contribution to sector collaboration, advocacy and public policy across Western Australia.
• Contribute as a member of the Operations Leadership Team by sharing insights, shaping organisational priorities and championing best practice across the organisation.
• Champion Goodstart's commitment to child safety, reconciliation, inclusion and the wellbeing of children, families and Goodstarters

What Goodstart can offer you:

• A competitive remuneration package, including a company car or car allowance Flexible work arrangements giving you choice about when and how work will be done in order to better manage your work and non-work needs
• Salary packaging benefits available through AccessPay (eligibility applies)
• Access to discounted childcare (up to 15%)
• Fitness Passport - access to gyms and pools for you and your family at a heavily discounted price
• Discounted health care and access to employee wellbeing program with BUPA
• Exclusive discounts on travel, gym memberships, Apple and Dell products, and more.
• Free annual flu shot (optional)
• Option to purchase extra leave for even greater work life balance  
• First Nations Support and Cultural Leave
• Work for a company that has an aspiration to be globally recognised for early years practice and learning outcomes
• Gain significant investment in your growth and development with support, tools, training and experiences that will truly enhance the progress and outcomes for children in their earliest years.

You’ll bring to the table:

• At least 5 years' experience in a senior leadership or business management role, ideally leading large, multi-site operations.
• Proven ability to develop and execute strategic plans, manage budgets and deliver sustainable business outcomes.
• Demonstrated success building leadership capability through coaching, talent development and succession planning.
• Strong commercial acumen, with the ability to analyse performance, identify opportunities and implement effective improvement strategies.
• Exceptional stakeholder engagement skills, with experience building trusted relationships across government, community, regulatory and corporate environments.
• Outstanding communication, influencing and change leadership capabilities, with the ability to inspire and align teams around a shared vision.
• A collaborative leadership style and commitment to fostering a culture of accountability, inclusion, continuous improvement and high performance.
• An Early Childhood qualification or Business Management qualification (Desirable)
• Flexibility to undertake regular travel across Western Australia and work outside standard business hours as required.
• Current WA Working with Children Check or willingness to obtain
• Willing to obtain a Certificate of Completion for the National Child Safety Foundation Training, completed via Geccko platform

How to apply

Click ‘Apply Now’ and submit your application.

We review applications as they are submitted. We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible for your best chance to progress to the next stage of the process.

Have a question? Contact our Talent Acquisition Team via email Vinisha -************@goodstart.org.au

At Goodstart we are deeply committed to Reconciliation and encourage Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people to apply. For further information and support email *************@goodstart.org.au

If you are a placement agency or external recruiter, please refrain from submitting resumes to Goodstart unless you have a signed staffing agency agreement with us. Goodstart will not be responsible for or pay any placement fees for candidates submitted by agencies that are not approved suppliers. Any resumes received from agencies or external recruiters without an agreement will be reviewed by Goodstart and may be shared with our internal recruiting team for their reference.

Supporting our people and protecting our children

We’re an equal opportunity employer that is proud of our inclusive and diverse work environment. We know that Goodstarters from diverse cultures, backgrounds and experiences strengthen our teams and help us grow. We’re also deeply committed to Reconciliation and creating an environment where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People feel a strong sense of belonging and connection.

Safety is our priority and we will take any action necessary to ensure that all children can feel safe and be safe, and are safeguarded from abuse, neglect and harm. As a Child Safe Organisation, all of our candidates must have or obtain a valid working with children check along with Certificate of Completion for the National Child Safety Foundation Training, completed via Geccko platform