Role: NQS Partner Lead

Location: National – Any Capital City Location

Employment Type: Permanent Full time

Are you a quality leader who lives and breathes the National Quality Framework?

This is a opportunity to lead a national team shaping how quality is assessed, assured and strengthened across our centres. As NQS Partner Lead, you’ll set the standard for internal Assessment & Rating assurance—driving consistency, credibility and confidence in NQS judgements nationwide. Working at the intersection of practice, regulation and insight, you’ll play a pivotal role in lifting quality outcomes for children, families and teams across Australia.

Your Impact:

In this role, your influence will be felt nationally. You will:

• Lead and grow a high-performing national team of NQS Partners, building their capability, confidence and professional judgement through coaching, reflective supervision and calibration.
• Deliver a robust internal NQS A&R Assurance Program, ensuring visits are completed to schedule, evidence is strong, reporting is timely, and expectations are consistently met across all states.
• Embed national consistency and regulatory alignment, working closely with the NQS Quality & Moderation Lead to strengthen moderation, calibration and quality assurance practices that mirror external regulatory approaches.
• Provide meaningful insights and trend analysis, identifying emerging risks, strengths and opportunities to inform targeted support, decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Partner with state and national teams, ensuring visibility of findings, shared understanding of quality expectations, and practical guidance that supports centres on their quality journey.
• Steward resources responsibly, managing travel, resourcing and operational budgets to maximise impact while maintaining efficiency and compliance.

Through your leadership, you’ll strengthen confidence in internal assessment processes, elevate quality practice, and ensure Goodstart continues to demonstrate integrity, consistency and excellence in how we assess and support quality outcomes.

What Goodstart can offer you:

• Hybrid/Flexible work arrangements giving you choice about when and how work will be done in order to better manage your work and non-work needs (as approved by management)
• Salary Packaging benefits which reduce your taxable income to increase take home pay
• Access to discounted childcare (up to 15%)
•  Fitness Passport - access to gyms and pools for you and your family at a heavily discounted price
• Discounted health care and access to employee wellbeing program with BUPA
• Exclusive discounts on travel, gym memberships, Apple and Dell products, and more.
• Free annual flu shot (optional)
• Option to purchase extra leave for even greater work life balance  
• First Nations Support and Cultural Leave
• Work for a company that has an aspiration to be globally recognised for early years practice and learning outcomes
• Gain significant investment in your growth and development with support, tools, training and experiences that will truly enhance the progress and outcomes for children in their earliest years.

You’ll bring to the table:

Essential

• Qualification in Early Childhood Education
• Extensive experience within the ECEC sector with deep NQF, NQS, Law & Regulations knowledge
• Proven leadership experience leading and coaching teams across multiple locations
• Strong experience in Assessment & Rating (internal or external) and applying NQS judgements
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex priorities and deliver high-quality outcomes
• Strong written and verbal communication with high-quality reporting capability
• Sound analytical skills with the ability to identify trends and risks
• Strong understanding of child safeguarding and approved provider obligations

• Current Working with Children Check for relevant state/territory

Desirable

• Experience in internal assurance, quality audits or compliance programs
• Background in regulatory, quality, pedagogical or operational leadership roles
• Experience working with or alongside regulatory bodies
• Capability-building or professional learning design experience
• Experience using digital assurance or reporting systems

How to apply

Click ‘Apply Now’ and submit your application.

We review applications as they are submitted. We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible for your best chance to progress to the next stage of the process.

Have a question? Contact our Talent Acquisition Team via email recruitment@goodstart.org.au

At Goodstart we are deeply committed to Reconciliation and encourage Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people to apply. For further information and support email deadlycareers@goodstart.org.au

If you are a placement agency or external recruiter, please refrain from submitting resumes to Goodstart unless you have a signed staffing agency agreement with us. Goodstart will not be responsible for or pay any placement fees for candidates submitted by agencies that are not approved suppliers. Any resumes received from agencies or external recruiters without an agreement will be reviewed by Goodstart and may be shared with our internal recruiting team for their reference.

Supporting our people and protecting our children

We’re an equal opportunity employer that is proud of our inclusive and diverse work environment. We know that Goodstarters from diverse cultures, backgrounds and experiences strengthen our teams and help us grow. We’re also deeply committed to Reconciliation and creating an environment where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People feel a strong sense of belonging and connection.

Safety is our priority and we will take any action necessary to ensure that all children can feel safe and be safe, and are safeguarded from abuse, neglect and harm. As a Child Safe Organisation, all of our candidates must have or obtain a valid working with children check.

Posting Notes: AUSTRALIA || Australia || Australia (AU) || | || Diploma - Children's Services or equiv || Full-Time