Founding Head / School Principal

Role Overview

This is a ground-floor leadership position for a premium, purpose-built early learning institution that has yet to welcome its first children and families. Working directly with the founder and an advisory board, you will shape every part of the experience—from the learning philosophy and staff culture to the way parents feel when they walk through the doors. Your role goes beyond running a centre: you will translate an ambitious vision into a warm, rigorous, and visually serene environment where young children thrive and parents feel deeply supported from the first enquiry onward.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the setup of the centre’s daily operations, pedagogical framework, and safeguarding policies, ensuring every detail reflects a premium, purpose-built standard.
• Coach and mentor your team of early-years educators—turning strong practitioners into confident, consistent communicators who understand the centre’s high expectations for both children and families.
• Design and oversee the learner-parent journey, including orientations, daily updates, parent-teacher conversations, and seamless feedback loops that make families feel genuinely known and valued.
• Create a developmentally rich curriculum that honours each child’s agency and curiosity, while remaining aligned with regulatory requirements and best practice in early childhood education.
• Recruit, onboard, and retain exceptional educators, building a shared team culture grounded in respect, open communication, and continuous professional reflection.
• Collaborate closely with the founder and advisory board to evolve the centre’s strategic direction, sharing insights, operational realities, and opportunities for growth.
• Set and monitor quality standards across safety, nutrition, daily routines, and physical environments—ensuring a calm, beautiful, and purposeful experience for children and adults alike.
• Represent the centre as its public-facing educational leader, hosting tours and community events that convert enquiries into lasting child and family enrolments.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Proven early-years leadership experience at a Senior Educator, Centre Director, or comparable level, with a track record of translating vision into daily practice.
• A demonstrated ability to coach other adults—listening, questioning, and guiding them through change rather than only directing tasks.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, comfortable speaking with founders, regulators, parents, and young children with equal credibility.
• An understanding of premium early learning standards, including curriculum models, developmental milestones, and parent engagement strategies.
• Relevant qualifications in early childhood education or a closely related field (such as a degree or diploma in ECE, child development, or educational leadership).
• Practical experience managing the opening of a new service or leading major change within an established early years environment would be a distinct advantage.
• A genuine talent for building trust with parents, especially when handling questions, concerns, or moments of vulnerability with grace and confidence.

What We Offer / Why Join

This is an uncommon opportunity to leave your fingerprint on a brand-new, premium early learning institution before a single child arrives. You will have the ear of a founder and advisory board who are genuinely open to innovative thinking, and the chance to hire and shape your own team from the ground up. If you are a leader who thrives on creating environments where children feel safe and joyful, educators feel supported and proud, and parents feel entirely confident in the care their child receives—this role offers the platform to do exactly that.