Work Type: Ongoing - Full-time
Salary: $113,022 - $136,747
Grade: VPS 5
Occupation: Early childhood
Location: Melbourne - CBD and Inner Metro suburbs
Reference: VG/DE/ECE/1875532
About the Department
The role of the Department of Education is to support Victorians to build prosperous, socially engaged, happy and healthy lives. It does this by supporting lifelong learning and healthy development, strengthening families and helping to equip people with the skills and knowledge for a 21st century economy and society.
About the Division
The Early Learning Practice and Participation (ELPAP) Division guides, supports and inspires high quality educational practice that improves the learning and development outcomes of Victoria's young children in government funded early learning programs. The work of the Division is also underpinned by the central precondition that all children can access, be included and engage in early learning. It leads operational policy and program development to deliver high quality, inclusive kindergarten programs and supports participation for children that experience vulnerability and disadvantage that have the most to gain from early learning.
ELPAP is responsible for the delivery of professional practice supports and quality initiatives for kindergarten and Pre-Prep aligned to the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF) and National Quality Framework (NQF), working with the VCAA. There is a particular focus on delivering practice quality enablers that improve workforce retention and recognition. ELPAP leads the development and implementation of participation and inclusion supports for all children, including implementation of needs-based funding for kindergartens.
The Division is comprised of two branches – Early Learning Participation Branch and Professional Practice Branch, each of which carry responsibility for policy development, program delivery, monitoring and evaluation, and stakeholder engagement to support access to high quality kindergarten programs. Both Branches contribute advice and expertise to the development and implementation of major policy and funding reform projects for early learning programs, including Three-Year-Old Kindergarten and Best Start, Best Life. This role sits within the Professional Practice Branch.
This role is in the Assessment for Learning Unit, in the Professional Practice Branch. The unit leads high quality assessment practices in kindergarten for Victorian, and as an exemplar for other jurisdictions, supports and promotes quality transitions between services and on to school, and engages our departmental regional offices to facilitate their service-level support of these aims.
About the Role
Reporting to the Manager, Assessment for Learning Unit, the Senior Program Officer is responsible for:
To be successful in this role, you will work collabora tively with the executive team and within the unit, as well as a range of internal and external stakeholders including departmental regional offices and program suppliers.
This position suits a highly capable and experienced VPS5, ideally with demonstrated success in being a collaborative and inclusive member of a high functioning team, delivering complex multi-faceted programs within government, delivering complex programs on-time within government, a flexible and responsive approach to any setbacks, and someone who is open-minded and applies a growth mind-set to problem solving.
Other responsibilities include:
Attributes
This is more than a senior program advisor role—it's an opportunity to lead change, shape practice, and influence the future of early years education in Victoria.
Qualifications and Experience
The successful applicant will be required to provide a current Working With Children Check.
How to Apply
Applications should include:
Further Information
For more details regarding this position please see attached position description for the capabilities to address in application.
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 the Department website and our Diversity and Inclusion page
Applicants requiring adjustments can contact the nominated contact person.
Information about the Department of Education's operations and employment conditions can be located at www.education.vic.gov.au.
For further information pertaining to the role, please contact Nicola Rodger – Manager via (03) 7022 2612 or [email protected] (email preferred).
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.
Please let us know via phone or email if you require any adjustments to ensure your full participation in the recruitment process or if you need the ad or any attachments in an accessible format (e.g. large print) due to any viewing difficulties or other accessibility requirements.
Applications close 11:59pm on 05/08/2025.