Lead with purpose. Shape the future of early education.

We’re seeking an experienced and inspiring Regional Manager to lead a high-performing portfolio of 15–20 early education centres — supporting around 500–800 educators.

This is a pivotal leadership opportunity for a commercially astute, people-first leader passionate about unlocking potential in others and delivering exceptional outcomes for children, families, and teams.

The role

As a key link between strategy and centre operations, you’ll empower Centre Managers to deliver exceptional quality, safety, and performance. Partnering closely with the Director of Operations and functional experts across People & Culture, Quality, Risk, Finance, and Education, you’ll drive regional excellence across every dimension — child-first practice, compliance, culture, and operational outcomes.

In this role, you will:

• Lead, coach, and develop Centre Managers to build capability, engagement, and performance.
• Uplift quality and compliance to ensure all centres achieve Meeting or Exceeding NQS ratings.
• Champion a child-safe, inclusive, and high-performing culture built on trust and empowerment.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to deliver Affinity’s transformation and continuous improvement agenda.
• Use data and insights to identify opportunities, mitigate risk, and strengthen operational outcomes.
• Build engagement and confidence with families, regulators, and communities across your region.

About you

You’re a confident, values-driven leader with a genuine passion for early education and operational excellence. With a proven ability to lead through others, you bring strong commercial acumen, deep understanding of compliance frameworks, and a belief that culture drives results.

To succeed, you’ll bring:

• 7+ years’ experience in regional or multi-site leadership (education, retail, health, or similar service sectors).
• Proven success managing a portfolio of 10+ sites.
• Strong understanding of the National Quality Framework (NQF), National Quality Standards (NQS), and the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF).
• Demonstrated capability in leading large teams (500+) and improving quality, compliance, and engagement outcomes.
• Exceptional coaching, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Qualifications in Business, Management, or a related field (Diploma or higher preferred).
• Current Working with Children Check and National Police Check.

Why you’ll love working with us

• Opportunities for professional growth and career progression.
• Supportive, flexible working culture focused on balance and wellbeing.
• Discounts on childcare fees and access to health, wellbeing, and lifestyle benefits.
• A values-driven organisation where children and people come first.

At Affinity Education, we’re united by our mission to ensure every child thrives in a safe, nurturing, high-quality learning environment. If you’re ready to lead transformation and build exceptional teams, apply today and be part of shaping the future of early education.