Work Type: Fixed-term - Full-time
Salary: $116,413 - $140,849
Grade: AH4
Occupation: Community services
Location: Melbourne - Northern suburbs
Reference: VG/DE/SRS/1953180
About the Program
Help shape a new way of supporting children and families
Thriving Kids is a new system of disability supports that is changing how children and families access support across Victoria.
We're looking for an experienced Access and Pathways Team Leader to join us at this exciting stage of implementation and lead a multidisciplinary team supporting children aged 8 and under experiencing developmental delay or autism and low to moderate support needs to access the most appropriate supports.
The reform will establish a coordinated and accessible model of support, with a strong focus on prevention, early intervention and responding to needs as they emerge.
Thriving Kids will bring together education, health and community services to provide families with accessible and developmentally appropriate support, including information and advice, developmental assessment, support to build parents' and carers' skills and confidence, and targeted, time-limited allied health supports.
This is an opportunity to help shape a new service model and make a meaningful difference to children, families and the professionals who support them.
About the Role
As the Thriving Kids Access and Pathways Team Leader, you will provide operational, professional and people leadership to a team responsible for intake, family engagement, triage, pathway determination and service navigation.
You will lead the consistent and effective operation of these functions, ensuring families receive a welcoming and responsive first point of contact and are supported to access the most appropriate services.
You will:
About You
You are an experienced allied health professional and people leader who brings strong clinical judgement, a collaborative approach and the ability to lead effectively through change. You understand the importance of accessible, family-centred services and can support a team to make consistent, appropriate decisions in a complex service environment.
You will have:
Experience working with children and families across early childhood, education, health or community settings will be highly regarded. Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and managing intake, referral pathways or service d emand will also be an advantage.
About the Team
The Thriving Kids workforce will bring together a range of professional disciplines, including allied health, intake, community development and administration, working collaboratively across education, health and community settings.
The Access and Pathways team is central to helping families navigate this new system of support. Working closely with allied health practitioners and other professionals, the team helps families understand their options, identifies appropriate service pathways and facilitates connections to the supports they need.
As Team Leader, you will play a key role in building the foundations of this new workforce — creating a strong team culture, setting clear expectations, developing capability and supporting professionals to work collaboratively across disciplines.
You'll have the opportunity to shape how the team works, embed the Thriving Kids approach and create an environment where people can learn, innovate and deliver high-quality support to children and families.
Why join Thriving Kids?
This is more than a team leadership role — it's an opportunity to help build something new.
You'll be joining a reform that is changing how children and families access support, with a strong focus on early intervention, practical support and helping children participate and thrive in their everyday environments.
You'll have the opportunity to shape a new service, grow a high-performing team and influence how integrated allied health support is delivered across Victoria.
If you're ready to lead, build and make a difference where it matters, we'd love to hear from you.
About the Department
The Department of Education provides a wide range of learning and development support and services. The department provides policy leadership, plans for the future of education in Victoria and leads key cross-sector collaboration. The department plays an important system steward role by providing support, guidance, oversight and assurance across early childhood and school education systems, as well as directly providing school education and 50 new early learning centres.
Important Information
For more details about this role, please refer to the attached position description.
If you have further questions, please contact Brooke Streatfeild at [email protected].
The Department values diversity and inclusion in all forms - gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. For more information about our work, working for the Department, diversity and inclusion, and our employment conditions, visit our website.
Preferred applicants may be required to complete a police check and may be subject to other pre-employment checks. Information provided to the Department of Education will be treated in the strictest confidence.
If you require any adjustments to ensure your full participation in the recruitment process or if you need the advertisement or any attachments in an accessible format (e.g. large print) due to any viewing difficulties or other accessibility requirements, please get in touch with the contact person listed on this advertisement.
Applications close 11:59 pm Australian Eastern Standard/Daylight Saving Time on 4th November 2026.