Rose Phillips appointed as Chief People Officer at Junior Adventures Group

Junior Adventures Group (JAG) has announced the appointment of Rose Phillips as Chief People Officer. In this role, Ms Phillips will lead the global people and culture agenda across JAG’s operations in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

With more than 25 years of leadership experience in human resources transformation, leadership development and purpose‑driven culture change, Ms Phillips brings deep expertise to the organisation. Her values‑driven approach, grounded in the belief that people are an organisation’s greatest asset, aligns strongly with JAG’s mission to deliver high‑quality, inclusive care for more than 90,000 children every day.

Her arrival comes at a time of broader executive movement in the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector, pointing to the growing complexity in leadership, culture and regulatory expectations. Indeed, multiple senior departures in the sector have underscored the pressure on system leadership and governance.

For example, recent high‑profile resignations at one of Australia’s largest providers followed revelations of safety and compliance concerns and testimony to the NSW parliamentary inquiry into the ECEC sector.

Meanwhile, the New South Wales Parliament’s inquiry into the ECEC sector, launched in March 2025 following a national investigation into regulatory failures is casting a long shadow on the industry’s executive leadership, regulatory frameworks and workforce morale. 

Rose’s appointment signals JAG’s commitment to not only operational growth but to cultivating a robust, ethically anchored workforce culture. It identifies a broader shift within the ECEC sector as organisations seek stronger governance, elevated workforce strategies and purposeful leadership heading into 2026.

As Ms Phillips joins the JAG family, the organisation looks ahead to a future where educator wellbeing, leadership stability and culture‑rich environments underpin the delivery of meaningful learning, belonging and joy for children.