Version: (using KDE 4.3.2) Installed from: Ubuntu Packages The Settings -> Configure Okular -> General -> View Options -> Center first page option is really a document-specific option (some documents are designed to be read one way or the other), and so should be available on the View dropdown menu rather than as a setting. Ideally it would be persistent for the document; resetting it each use would not be too onerous in my opinion.
I've implemented a change removes the setting from the configuration and adds a new mode called Facing (Center First Page). At the moment the view mode is global and not per file, you might want to open a separate wish for that though i do not promise it will or will not be implemented. Note that this will be in KDE 4.5 not KDE 4.4