Changemaker sought as Goodstart opens COO role for the first time in a decade

Australia’s largest provider of early learning, Goodstart Early Learning, is offering a once in a decade opportunity for a Senior Leader to join the organisation as its next Chief Operating Officer (COO). 

 

As the COO, the incumbent will be responsible for guiding Goodstart towards sector-leading operational performance while advancing the provider’s overarching purpose and mission – to ensure children have the learning, development and wellbeing outcomes they need for school and life.  

 

“Our team, at all levels, is composed of people who put children at the centre of everything they do,” Dr Ros Baxter said. 

 

“We know that having the right people makes all the difference to the families who trust their children to our care, and that’s not something we take lightly. Finding the right person to take on the COO role is something we’re very excited about.”

 

The opportunity to lead and inspire a geographically dispersed team of operational leaders, early learning centre teams, and service professionals across Australia is not one which comes along often. In fact, the COO position with Goodstart is being advertised for the first time in 10 years – a testament to the culture Goodstart has created amongst its executive leadership team. 

 

As a core member of the Senior Leadership team, the COO will report directly to Dr Ros Baxter, Goodstart’s Chief Executive Officer, and will be responsible for leading a team of changemakers, who as a collective deliver high quality and inclusive early learning and care to over 61,400 children across 654 centres Australia wide. 

 

“This truly is a unique opportunity not only to drive change and make a tangible difference to the lives of Australia’s children, but also to contribute to the immense cultural capacity of Goodstart,and challenge yourself as a leader,” Dr Baxter said. 

 

As well as overseeing network operations, the COO will be responsible for overarching support in critical areas relating to quality, compliance, pedagogy and practice, including but not limited to: 

 

• Safety, health and wellbeing 
• Safeguarding 
• Workforce planning 
• Talent acquisition 
• Procurement 

 

Based in Goodstart’s Brisbane Centre Support Office, although exceptional candidates located elsewhere would be considered, the COO role represents a dynamic and influential opportunity for an executive leader to contribute significantly to Goodstart’s strategic objectives and organisational excellence.

 

Applications are open now, and will close at 5pm on Wednesday, 13 December. Click here for more information on the role and to apply.