National Funding Programs Manager

Role: National Funding Programs Manager

Location: Murarrie, Brisbane

Employment Type: Full-time, Permanent

Lead a national funding and grants portfolio, and the team that keeps it moving!

At Goodstart, we’re Australia’s largest not-for-profit provider of early learning and care. Every day, our centres support thousands of children and families across the country. To help us maximise government funding opportunities and deliver on our purpose, we’re looking for an experienced leader to join our Finance team as our National Funding Programs Manager, internally known as Funding and Grants Administration Lead.

Reporting to the Head of Finance and Business Services, you’ll lead a national team and oversee the planning, coordination and delivery of Goodstart’s funding and grants portfolio across Australia. You’ll manage multiple funding initiatives at once, set priorities, navigate competing deadlines and work closely with stakeholders across the business.

This role suits a strategic and operational leader who enjoys bringing structure to complex programs. While an understanding of funding and grants is important, success in this role comes from your ability to lead people, manage projects, improve processes, analyse data and deliver outcomes at scale.

Your Impact:

• Lead and develop a national team of funding and grants professionals, building a high-performing, collaborative and customer-focused culture.
• Oversee the planning, coordination and delivery of Goodstart’s national funding and grants portfolio, ensuring priorities, deadlines and outcomes are achieved.
• Manage multiple funding projects and workstreams at once, bringing structure, accountability and clear direction across a complex stakeholder environment.
• Support strong governance, compliance, reporting and acquittal practices across funding programs in Australia.
• Build strong partnerships with leaders across the business, government agencies and external stakeholders to help maximise funding opportunities and outcomes.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, systems and ways of working so funding programs are delivered efficiently and effectively.
• Provide strategic advice on funding opportunities, risks and priorities that support Goodstart’s purpose and long-term goals.

What Goodstart can offer you:

• 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
• Salary packaging benefits available through AccessPay (eligibility applies)
• 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:

• Proven experience leading and developing high-performing teams in a complex operational, program or service delivery environment.
• Strong program, portfolio or project management capability, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, stakeholders and deadlines simultaneously.
• Experience planning and delivering large-scale initiatives from concept through to implementation, reporting and evaluation.
• Strong financial and analytical capability, including experience working with large datasets, reporting and performance analysis.
• Advanced Excel skills, with the ability to interpret data, identify trends and support decision-making.
• Experience managing funding programs, grant acquittals, compliance requirements or regulated funding environments.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret funding agreements, reporting obligations and governance requirements.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships and influence outcomes across diverse groups.
• Experience working within not-for-profit, education, health, community services or other government-funded sectors will be highly regarded.
• Tertiary qualifications in business, finance, project management, or a related discipline.
• Current Blue Card or willingness to obtain one.
• Willing to obtain a Certificate of Completion for the National Child Safety Foundation Training, completed via Geccko platform

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 vkundoorvala@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 emaildeadlycareers@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 along with Certificate of Completion for the National Child Safety Foundation Training, completed via Geccko platform