Melanie O’Grady
Marsfield,NSW
Summary
My core strength is building relationships; seeking strong engagements, and fostering community growth. The focus of my career has been around children and families; demanding acute emotional intelligence and exceptional interpersonal skills; that have been rewarding in leadership roles. Something that I have thoroughly enjoyed in my career is mentoring others; understanding learning styles; and finding ways for others to succeed personally and professionally. I am interested in Stakeholder Engagement, Onboarding and Customer Experience.
I am experienced and passionate about community outreach, event planning, and stakeholder engagement.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
Work History
Community Coordinator
Playgroup NSW
06.2023 - Current
- Company Overview: Playgroup NSW is a Not for Profit Organisation that supports young children, their families and communities
- Liaise with and build relationships with Stakeholders e.g
- Community Health, Libraries, Interagencies, Councils and Volunteers to build new Playgroups and Support existing ones
- Run Playgroup ‘Mini Sessions’ at Child and Family Health Clinics
- Create content and awareness through Social Media Campaigns and communicate with interested parties
- Arrange marketing collateral for new and existing Playgroups
- Playgroup NSW is a Not for Profit Organisation that supports young children, their families and communities
Operations Manager
Explore & Develop
07.2022 - 04.2023
- Company Overview: Explore & Develop is a Early Learning (Long Day care) company consisting of approximately 26 services across Sydney and now breaking into the ACT
- Each of the services are franchises; and are owner run
- Detailed compliance checks in services
- Curriculum/Pedagogical guidance/working on Quality Areas/QIP/Self-Assessment
- Professional Development planning for Educational Leaders and Nominated Supervisors across whole group
- Running zoom meetings facilitating reflective practice and team building/togetherness amongst
- Facilitating ‘cluster meetings’ amongst franchisees
- Providing important sector updates from the Department of Educator, Professional Development opportunities, or other various Government Initiatives
- Answering ‘Support’ Phone to services; troubleshooting various dilemmas (HR issues, Compliance, or providing clarity around regulations)
- Assessment and Rating support to services
- Ordering resources for new services/liaising with broad range of vendors
- Explore & Develop is a Early Learning (Long Day care) company consisting of approximately 26 services across Sydney and now breaking into the ACT
- Each of the services are franchises; and are owner run
Customer Relations Consultant
The Enrolment Hub
02.2017 - 01.2020
- Company Overview: The Enrolment Hub is a Child Care enrolments group; for child care providers to outsource their enrolments; designed to drive improvements in centre occupancy
- Field high volume of calls from enrolled/prospective families across 3 separate clients with a combined centre of over 25 centres
- Waitlist calls/audits – excellent call: conversation rates; utilising previous sales skills acquired in previous similar role
- Ongoing Customer Support
- Centre Director Training on use of CRM program/enrolments software
- The Enrolment Hub is a Child Care enrolments group; for child care providers to outsource their enrolments; designed to drive improvements in centre occupancy
Nominated Supervisor/Director
ToBeMe Early Learning
10.2016 - 01.2017
- Managing integration of new Long Day Care service from start up to opening
- Team recruitment
- Ordering of Centre resources from ground up
- Marketing and promotion
- Marketing copy for documents surrounding family and team communications
- Prepared centre for licensing approval
Nominated Supervisor/Director
Only About Children (Oac)
09.2014 - 10.2016
- Company Overview: Only About Children (Oac) is Australia’s leading premium early childhood learning provider, providing early childhood education and preschool services for over 4500 children
- Located in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane with over 75 centres
- Staff Rostering, prepare and deliver team development plans
- Educational Leader – seeking ways to support and extend practise and pedagogy; as well as fostering critical thinking
- Facilitate and mediate conflict resolution amongst team members
- Encourage professional reflection – ensure that the team are motivated and feel secure to freely examine their practice in a safe, supported and uplifted environment
- Performance management and ongoing training/professional development for team members (Certificate 3, Diploma, B
- Early Childhood)
- Budget management for food, resources, consumables etc
- Adhere to all compliance and regulations in the National Quality Framework (NQF)
- Plan community events for families
- Conduct orientations/tours for families and cultivate strong partnerships
- Address family grievances
- Only About Children (Oac) is Australia’s leading premium early childhood learning provider, providing early childhood education and preschool services for over 4500 children
- Located in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane with over 75 centres
- Booked 4% per week in casual days for children, raising revenue
- Achieved an 85% retention rate for team, from a 30% starting point
- Built an exceptional sense of family satisfaction, increasing size of waitlist and sibling enrolment
- Through proven change management strategy, successfully achieved improved team morale, professional development and efficiency
Customer Relations Consultant
Only About Children
05.2011 - 08.2014
- Field high volume of calls from existing or prospective families; provide assistance with accounts, enrolments, campus tours, etc
- Use of CRM System and Sales Pipeline – keeping in touch with prospective families as well as communicating with enrolled families
- Identity enrolment availability through use of account management software; place enrolments, and record using spreadsheets with precision
- Manage client accounts, explaining fees, fee declines and government entitlements
- Listen to customer feedback and generate ideas for improving customer relationships and customer experience across all levels of the business
- Handle customer complaints and provide positive, productive and respectful service
- Organise targeted marketing such as open days, advertising across social media, newspapers, cafes and libraries to drive occupancy toward 100%
- Liaise with and train campus directors on enrolment processes, how families are expected to be addressed, the software the company uses, and company policies
- Update online family portal, public website and company intranet website
- Achieved 100% enrolment occupancy across all Oac campuses using organising targeted marketing across required centers
- Built solid relationships with families with children attending our Campuses resulting in high retention rate, and ongoing sibling offers and friend referrals
- Implemented new processes and better communication with families at first enrolment, resulting in happier, long-term clientele
Marketing Coordinator
Only About Children
02.2012 - 11.2012
- Coordinate the copy for the new website, the company brochure, and a 25 page magazine detailing the new brand
- Production of promotional posters, show bags, drinks bottles, stickers, etc
- Direct the content creation of the website, in partnership with company departments
- Art direct all photography for the website and company brochure
- Organise the brand launch event for 500 people
- Coordinate nation-wide post launch awareness campaign at every campus
Education
Identify and Respond to Children and Young People at Risk -
CHCPRT001
01-2025
Certificate IV -
Workplace Training and Assessment
01.2022
Field Manager Bootcamp -
Franchise Management Institute
01.2022
Certificate IV -
Celebrancy
01.2022
Seamann & Slattery Educational Leadership seminars -
01.2014
Bachelor - Early Childhood Studies (Child & Family)
University of Western Sydney
01.2008
Skills
- Team leadership
- Volunteer Management/Engagement
- Stakeholder/Partnership engagement
- Early Childhood expertise (NQF/NQS Delivery)
- Educational leadership
- Conflict resolution
- CRM/Data management
- Oral and writing communication
- Event supervision
- Partnership development
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Multitasking
Timeline
Community Coordinator
Playgroup NSW
06.2023 - Current
Operations Manager
Explore & Develop
07.2022 - 04.2023
Customer Relations Consultant
The Enrolment Hub
02.2017 - 01.2020
Nominated Supervisor/Director
ToBeMe Early Learning
10.2016 - 01.2017
Nominated Supervisor/Director
Only About Children (Oac)
09.2014 - 10.2016
Marketing Coordinator
Only About Children
02.2012 - 11.2012
Customer Relations Consultant
Only About Children
05.2011 - 08.2014
Field Manager Bootcamp -
Franchise Management Institute
Certificate IV -
Celebrancy
Seamann & Slattery Educational Leadership seminars -
Bachelor - Early Childhood Studies (Child & Family)
University of Western Sydney
Identify and Respond to Children and Young People at Risk -
CHCPRT001
Certificate IV -
Workplace Training and Assessment
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