Position Title - BAELC - Assistant Director

Department - Bundiyarra Aboriginal Early Learning Centre

Employment Status - Full Time

Closing Date - 30th April 2025

Bundiyarra Aboriginal Community (Aboriginal Corporation) is seeking a passionate and innovative Assistant Director to join their team at the newly funded Bundiyarra Aboriginal Early Learning Centre (BAELC) in Geraldton. The Assistant Director will promote local involvement in the Centre by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and community members to ensure decisions and planning for the cultural and educational integration and access to early childhood education services for children enrolled at the BAELC are consultative and effective. The Assistant Director will work closely with the BAELC & Bundiyarra Staff and Management to ensure the community and families of the children enrolled in the service are engaged with, contributing to and supported by the BAELC Service Delivery Model.

ABOUT CCCFR – BUNDIYARRA ABORIGINAL EARLY LEARNING CENTRE (BAELC)

The vision of the BAELC is to provide all children with a great start by improving their wellbeing prior to school, with a specific focus across culture, healing, education, engagement, collective community collaboration, evaluation and leadership. The BAELC will particularly address the needs specific to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children enrolled in the service and their families to support Educational excellence through a community-led Cultural Framework, Educational Framework and Service Delivery Model using a collective impact approach to determine unique and community-owned goals and strategies to improve the ability of children to achieve a positive transition to school and be immersed in and heal through cultural education.

ABOUT BUNDIYARRA ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY (ABORIGINAL CORPORATION)

Bundiyarra Aboriginal Community (Aboriginal Corporation) is an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation, Aboriginal led, staffed and embedded in the local Aboriginal Communities of the Mid-West, Murchison and Gascoyne. Since Incorporation in 1992, Bundiyarra has set up a modern, professionally run community services and Administration Centre. Bundiyarra employs more than 27 staff in a variety of positions to achieve organisational outcomes.

Bundiyarra’s Vision Statement is an empowered community where Aboriginal cultures are recognised, celebrated, respected and have a valued place in this region.

Our mission is that Bundiyarra will:

Foster strong and rewarding partnerships to enable a range of services and social enterprises which ensure the sustainability of the Corporation.

As a culturally significant site we will enhance cultural connectedness through:

The passing on of knowledge and culture for future generations

Provide a range of learning programs

The evolution and development of various cultural expression and immersion

Work in partnership with our community, elders and traditional owners to ensure all aspects of our services and business follow cultural protocols and allow for cultural responsiveness for our people.

Bundiyarra Values:

Cultural Strength, Awareness and Respect

Mutual Community trust

Transparency and Accountability

Supporting Social and Cultural wellbeing

Leading with Strength, Engagement and Collaboration

Bundiyarra’s dedicated team are working to offer programs and resources that will help improve Social, Cultural, Economic and Community Engagement for Aboriginal people in the Midwest, Murchison and Gascoyne regions engaging with community through place-based service delivery and community collective governance models ensuring that the community inspire, design, drive, maintain, sustain and evaluate services and initiatives throughout our delivery model of engagement.

Bundiyarra is an immersive, rewarding Corporation with many opportunities of growth within and with the Corporation. We pride ourselves on a very family friendly and supportive work environment with many benefits and rewards both professionally and personally and encourage perspective employees to come and learn what we do for our community here at Bundiyarra.

BENEFITS

Minimum 10% above award rate salary

Use of a work vehicle during operational hours

Tax benefits through salary sacrificing options

11.5% Superannuation

Aboriginal Community Support, Engagement Collaboration and Leadership

Flexi Program accrual and allowances

EAP - Employee Assistance Program (mental health support to employees and their immediate family)

Paid professional development

Uniform allowance

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL

A Diploma in early childhood education with 4 or more years’ experience in a similar role.

Demonstrated experience as Assistant Director or Diploma Level Educator in a similar leadership capacity within a childcare setting.

Familiarity with and dedication to the National Quality Framework and Early Years Learning Framework.

Strong organizational and problem-solving capabilities.

Current First Aid, CPR, Allergies and Anaphylaxis training, National Police Clearance and WWCC (or the ability to obtain them).

Demonstrated successful experience in fostering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership in partnership and governance arrangements including experience of health, early childhood and family service providers and the needs of children and families in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

An ability to demonstrate high-level and comprehensive understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues, knowledge and culture, and proven ability to apply this in practice, including supporting and influencing other services in culturally safe practice.

Demonstrated successful experience in participating in community development that targets whole of community change for children and families and contributes to improved educational outcomes for young children.

Well-developed verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills including the ability to work effectively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and community groups, work successfully in a small team and maintain broad professional networks.

Knowledge of programs that support culturally appropriate practice in the delivery of an integrated service system across health, education and family services.

Sound knowledge of the relevant legislation and policies of both the national and WA governments in relation to the delivery of integrated services and early childhood programs.

Proficiency in using Microsoft Office 365 programs – particularly Excel, Outlook, and Word. Willingness or experience in managing online early learning centre software.

Demonstrated commitment to ongoing professional development.

A demonstrated capacity to work in a highly functional team environment.

Class C Driver’s License.

You must meet any other conditions required from time to time by Bundiyarra’s funding provider(s) relevant to the performance of your duties.

DESIRABLE

Tertiary qualifications in community development, governance, social work, public health, or education.

Understanding of children’s services, funding, and gaps in current service deliveryenvironment.

Existing relationships with a range of stakeholders in the local and regional area.

Knowledge and experience of the Collective Impact Approach.

SPECIFIC DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Provide robust leadership and guidance to our team of passionate educators and support staff.

Cultivate a safe, supportive, and inclusive learning atmosphere for children.

Design and implement innovative curriculum programs fostering holistic child development.

Foster strong relationships with parents and families, promoting open communication and collaboration.

Assist the Centre Director in managing administrative duties such as budgets, enrolment, and staff development.

Assist the Centre Director to ensure compliance with all relevant regulatory requirements, maintaining exemplary health and safety standards.

Assist the Centre Director to provide general or survey specific feedback to the BAELC staff, parents and caregivers about the access and quality of early childhood education services to Aboriginal sections of the community.

Assist the Centre Director to provide administration support to develop and implement the following:

Child Care Subsidy and Additional Child Care Subsidy applications, compliance, reporting and maintenance.

Enrolment applications and compliance.

Early Childhood Education Approvals

Early Childhood Education Regulations and Laws

Early Childhood Education Frameworks

Early Childhood Education Cultural Frameworks

BAELC’s data collection, collation, interpretation, presentation and storage model is up-to-date with statistical and evaluative data to ensure the sovereignty of data for the centres services and delivery models are compliant, regulated, transferrable and measurable against community, cultural and educational frameworks and assessment models.

Family mentoring and support through the Childcare systems and regulations to ensure children and families are engaged and maintain regular contact.

Liaise and work with Aboriginal agencies and community groups to disseminate relevant BAELC messages to the community.

Develop and maintain statistics database and reporting, application and acquittal requirements for the BAELC in partnership with the Centre Director, Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer, Education Staff and the Administration Officer.

Liaise with the Community Collective Governance Group to plan and maintain deliverable objectives and outcomes for the BAELC.

Assist in creating monthly activity schedules for forward planning.

Assist in the identification of personnel and material BAELC resource needs of communities and assist in determining how needs can be met.

Make recommendations for future programs to Centre Director and Governance Committee.

Handle difficult customer and community enquiries and complaints.

Attend conferences, partnership meetings and early childhood education meetings to ensure the BAELC is provided up to date, sufficient information for the delivery of its services to management and leadership of the BAELC, Team Members, Community, Partners and Clients.

PERFORMANCE GOALS AND MONITORING

All Bundiyarra employees participate in regular Line Management Meetings with the aim of monitoring performance, providing support, and fostering continuous improvement.

All Bundiyarra employees will undertake appraisal processes after a 3 month probation period and then on an annual basis – appraisals are conducted by the relevant Line Manager.

All Bundiyarra programs are required to submit monthly Board Reports and Funding Reports in accordance with service agreement requirements to ensure targeted progress toward KPIs is attained.

Activities conducted within the Bundiyarra Aboriginal Early Learning Centre will be subject to reflection and evaluation upon completion.

To apply for this position, select “Apply” with your current resume along with a cover letter outlining your suitability for the position based on the qualifications and experience shown above and addressing the selection criteria.

Please ensure you allow sufficient time to submit your application, as late applications will not be accepted. If you have any questions regarding submitting your application or would like more information on the recruitment process, please contact our HR Officer on (08) 9920 7900.