Department Manager - Community & Early Childhood

_{01st September, 2026}

The opportunity

This is a senior education leadership role for an experienced VET manager ready to lead a large and diverse portfolio across Community and Early Childhood.

You will lead four coordinators and a broader teaching workforce of approximately 50 to 60 staff, providing clear direction while creating an inclusive, respectful and high-performing environment.

Combining people leadership with operational and strategic responsibility, you will play an important role in strengthening VET quality, driving continuous improvement, building industry connections and identifying opportunities for future growth.

What you will be responsible for

• Lead, coach and develop four coordinators and a large team of educators and professional staff.
• Build an engaged, high-performing culture where people are supported to take ownership and deliver strong outcomes.
• Strengthen VET quality, compliance, validation and continuous improvement across the portfolio.
• Oversee workforce planning, scheduling, course performance, resources and budgets.
• Drive practical improvements to systems, processes and program delivery.
• Use data, industry insight and stakeholder feedback to identify opportunities for improvement and growth.
• Develop strong relationships with industry, community, government and internal stakeholders.
• Provide visible and consistent leadership across both Box Hill and Lilydale campuses.

What we are looking for

• Strong senior leadership experience within vocational education and training, with TAFE or comparable education management experience highly regarded.
• Proven experience leading large or complex teams, ideally through coordinators, team leaders or other leaders.
• An inclusive and respectful leadership style, with the confidence to make decisions, provide direction and support strong performance.
• Strong practical knowledge of VET compliance, quality standards and competency-based training and assessment.
• Demonstrated operational capability, with the ability to manage competing priorities and turn plans into action.
• A proactive mindset and the ability to identify opportunities for improvement, innovation and growth.
• Strong relationship-building skills with the ability to work effectively across industry, education and internal stakeholder groups.
• A relevant degree or approved AQF Level 6 or above qualification related to Vocational Education.

Highly regarded

• Relevant qualifications in Community Services, Mental Health, Early Childhood Education or Education Support
• Experience in Community Services and/or Early Childhood.
• Established industry relationships or the ability to quickly build a strong network across the portfolio.
• Experience leading multi campus teams or portfolios across different learner cohorts.

Location

The portfolio operates across Box Hill and Lilydale, with regular presence at both campuses an important part of the role. As a visible leadership position, there will be a strong on-campus focus, particularly while establishing relationships with the team, with some flexibility available over time.

What the role offers

• The opportunity to make a genuine impact across a large and important education portfolio.
• Broad exposure across people leadership, VET quality, operations, industry engagement and growth.
• The scope to influence how the portfolio evolves and performs into the future.

How to apply

If you are an experienced VET leader who enjoys developing people, improving performance and turning ideas into action, we would love to hear from you. Please submit your resume and a brief cover letter outlining your leadership experience and VET background.