Work Type: Fixed-term - Full-time
Salary: $113,022 - $136,747
Grade: VPS 5
Occupation: Projects
Location: Melbourne - CBD and Inner Metro suburbs
Reference: VG/DE/VSBA/1880146
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 Victorian School Building Authority
The Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) is part of the Department of Education. Established in 2016, it oversees Victoria's largest school building program since the state introduced free public education in the 1870s.
The VSBA upgrades and expands existing schools and plans, designs and builds new schools to meet enrolment demand. We also support schools to maintain their buildings and grounds by offering expert advice and coordinating maintenance programs and grants.
With Victoria recently introducing two years of funded kindergarten, the VSBA is also working with the early childhood sector on a massive kindergarten construction program.
About the Division
The Strategy and Planning Division is responsible for the VSBA's operating framework, investment strategy, policy setting, asset information management, budget strategy and coordination, along with the delivery of specific school strategies, costings, allocate resources for growth, maintenance, and projects through school application- based programs. The Division also plans and co-ordinates delivery of new early childhood facilities and support for the wider early childhood sector to build, improve and upgrade infrastructure through a number of grants programs, including programs which provide funding to make kindergartens inclusive for children of all abilities.
The Sector Partnerships & Grants branch supports the planning and coordination for the delivery of infrastructure needed for the successful implementation of the Three-Year-Old Kindergarten and Pre-Prep reforms. To support this work, the branch delivers a number of grant programs to the early childhood and non-government schools sectors. Grants are available to the sector to plan and build new kindergartens, as well as maintain, improve and upgrade existing infrastructure. This work is also undertaken in partnership with the sector to develop pipelines of kindergarten capacity-building projects through Building Blocks Partnerships.
The Sector Partnerships & Grants branch also supports the non-government school sector to deliver the 21st century learning facilities that every student deserves. The branch delivers grants to low-fee Catholic and Independent schools to expand and upgrade existing schools, as well as to plan and build new non-government schools across the state.
The Non-Government School Grants Unit sits within the Sector Partnerships Branch. This team manages the effective delivery of our active infrastructure grants programs for non-government schools, including the Non-Government Schools Capital Fund ($400 million) and Victorian Government Building Fund for Non-Government Schools ($450 million). This unit is also responsible for managing our school-based stakeholder relationships with the Catholic and Independent sector bodies, as well as the program administration and assurance work to support the grants programs.
About the Role
Reporting to the Manager of Non-Government School Grants Unit, the Senior Program Advisor will work collaboratively in a team responsible for undertaking work accountabilities across the entire life cycle of the Unit's non-government school grant programs (i.e., from grant round inception, launch, and assessment through to making recommendations on grant approvals, making payments, and monitoring the delivery of those projects which have been awarded grants). In addition to discre te tasks as required, the role involves assessment of grant applications, management of projects and complex issues, , negotiation with stakeholders and peers, preparing program reports and attending site visits.
In addition to discrete tasks as required, the Senior Program Adviser will:
Play a key senior role in the team to deliver high quality outcomes.
Support delivery of non-government school grants programs, including managing project milestones, updating information management systems, and administering, monitoring and reporting on program funding.
The ideal candidate will have a background in developing and coordinating complex grant programs in a government setting.
All VSBA staff have a shared responsibility to meet the same service standards outlined in the VSBA Customer Service Charter. Our goal is to make every interaction with the VSBA a positive one for our customers, colleagues and key partners regardless of our individual role or team.
Attributes
The ideal candidate will have a solid understanding of grant management and the life cycle of the grants programs (i.e., from inception, launch, and assessment through to making recommendations on grant approvals, making payments, and monitoring the delivery of those projects which have been awarded grants, along with strong communication skills and management practices.
Desirable Qualifications and Experience
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 Sinead Mildenhall, A/ Director Sector Partnerships and Grants via (03) 03 7022 0850 or [email protected].
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 Monday 1st September 2025.