Chief of Education, People & Compliance - Shine Bright

• Executive oversight of education service delivery, people and compliance across a growing regional organisation
• Strengthen risk, governance and assurance while supporting approximately 500 people across a multi-site network
• Join a strong, purpose-led organisation with significant growth ambitions and genuine future CEO succession potential

Lead service delivery, risk and organisational assurance as Shine Bright enters its next phase of growth and maturity.

About the organisation

Shine Bright is a leading not-for-profit provider of early years education and care, with deep community roots across central and northern Victoria. Across 44 services and a network of approximately 500 early learning professionals, Shine Bright combines evidence-based teaching practice with genuine care to help children thrive at kindergarten, at school and throughout life.

At the heart of the organisation is a simple belief that every moment matters. The Shine Bright Way brings this to life through strong relationships with children and families, professional practice, curiosity, collaboration and a commitment to creating safe and nurturing environments.

Shine Bright is now entering an important next phase. Following a period of organisational renewal and strengthened leadership capability, the focus is shifting towards sustainable growth, greater organisational maturity and the systems and governance required to support both. With further services already in the pipeline and significant opportunity emerging through Victoria's Best Start, Best Life reforms, Shine Bright is well positioned to extend its impact across regional communities.

About the Role

Reporting directly to the CEO, the Chief of Education, People & Compliance is a newly created executive role with oversight of the core functions that support Shine Bright's service-delivery network. With oversight of the Pedagogy, People & Culture and Quality & Compliance teams, you will lead a large and diverse operational structure supporting employees across Shine Bright's growing regional footprint.

At its core, this is an operational leadership and organisational assurance role - you will work alongside capable functional leaders, bringing executive oversight and the broader organisational perspective needed to ensure Shine Bright's strong frontline performance is supported by appropriate systems, governance and accountability.

You will help translate increasingly complex regulatory and legislative obligations into practical frameworks, controls and ways of working, providing the CEO and Board with greater visibility and assurance as the organisation continues to mature and grow.

Key priorities will include:

• Provide executive oversight of Shine Bright's service-delivery infrastructure, leading through the senior leaders responsible for pedagogy, people and culture, and quality and compliance.
• Strengthen enterprise risk, governance and compliance, ensuring effective frameworks, controls, reporting and assurance are embedded across the organisation.
• Build organisational capability and accountability, strengthening systems, policy discipline, information flow and the connection between frontline operations, executive leadership and the Board.
• Support sustainable growth and organisational maturity, ensuring Shine Bright can expand its services and workforce without compromising quality, safety, culture or community connection.

About You

This opportunity will suit an experienced leader with experience in complex, multi-site or distributed service-delivery operations, ideally within human services or another highly regulated environment.

You do not need to be an early childhood specialist - we will be open to considering experience across areas such as community services, health, disability, local government, statutory organisations or other regulated service environments. You will bring enough depth in risk, compliance and governance to identify gaps, ask the right questions and strengthen organisational assurance.

We will be looking for:

• Executive or senior leadership experience across complex service delivery, with the ability to lead through capable functional leaders and influence a geographically dispersed organisation.
• Strong governance, risk and compliance capability, including experience interpreting regulatory obligations and translating them into practical organisational frameworks and controls.
• Sound people and organisational leadership, with the judgement to support senior leaders across workforce strategy, complex people matters and organisational change.
• A confident, pragmatic and constructively challenging leadership style, able to bring external thinking, influence established stakeholders and respectfully challenge the CEO and Board when required.

This is an excellent opportunity to join an organisation with strong services, sound financial foundations and significant growth potential to help build the organisational maturity required for what comes next.

To view the Success Profile for this opportunity, please copy and paste the following link into your browser: https://tinyurl.com/tfjec9rs

To apply, please click 'apply now' and upload your CV and Cover Letter. For any questions not outlined in the PD and for a confidential discussion, please contact Alex Mummé on 0474 434 868 or Kate Chase on 0412 254 802.

Davidson acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we work and live. We are also committed to equal opportunity and strive to promote diversity, inclusion, belonging, flexibility, and accessibility in all that we do.

Should you require assistance in your interactions with us or through a recruitment process, please let us know so we can provide adjustments for you.

Applications close on 22nd November 2026.