Community Partner Contract Advisor - Thriving Kids

Department of Education; Greater Bendigo; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Department of Education seeks a Community Partner Contract Advisor to manage day-to-day relationships with Thriving Kids partner organisations, ensuring delivery against requirements and performance expectations across Victoria. The role supports contract administration, risk identification and guidance to providers.

Located in Coburg or Bendigo with travel between locations, the role emphasizes building strong partnerships, monitoring performance, and informing commissioning decisions within a

Qualifications

• Experience in contract, performance, commissioning, grants management or a related field.

Responsibilities

• manage day-to-day contractual relationships with commissioned community partner organisations
• monitor provider performance, reporting and compliance, identifying risks, issues and opportunities for improvement
• coordinate contract and performance review, including follow-up of actions and contract administration
• provide clear advice, briefings and reports on provider performance and emerging issues
• connect providers with relevant Department teams and stakeholders when additional advice or support is needed
• contribute to contract establishment, variations and other commissioning activities as Thriving Kids expands.

Skills

Relationship management

Problem solving

Communication

Risk assessment

Organisational skills

Analytical thinking

Collaboration

Job description

About The Program

Help build a new way of supporting children and families

Thriving Kids is a new system of disability supports for children aged 8 years and under with developmental delay or autism and low to moderate support needs.

The reform is creating a more coordinated and accessible approach to support, with a focus on prevention, early intervention and responding to needs as they emerge.

This is an exciting opportunity to help shape how Thriving Kids connects with communities and becomes part of the local support landscape across Victoria.

About The Role

As the Community Partner Contract Advisor, you'll manage relationships with organisations delivering Thriving Kids services and help ensure providers are delivering against agreed requirements and performance expectations.

You Will

• manage day-to-day contractual relationships with commissioned community partner organisations
• monitor provider performance, reporting and compliance, identifying risks, issues and opportunities for improvement
• coordinate contract and performance review, including follow-up of actions and contract administration
• provide clear advice, briefings and reports on provider performance and emerging issues
• connect providers with relevant Department teams and stakeholders when additional advice or support is needed.
• contribute to contract establishment, variations and other commissioning activities as Thriving Kids expands.

This is an opportunity to help establish effective partnerships and ways of working as a new service model is implemented across Victoria.

• This role could be located in Coburg or Bendigo with the requirement to travel between locations. Please indicate your preference in the application form

About You

You're a strong relationship manager and problem solver who can work confidently in a developing environment.

You Will Bring

• experience in contract, performance, commissioning, grants management or a related field
• strong communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work constructively with community organisations and Department colleagues
• sound judgement and the ability to identify, assess and respond to risks, issues and emerging concerns
• strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities, follow through on actions and maintain accurate documentation
• the ability to analyse information, identify what matters and turn it into clear, practical advice for decisionmakers
• a collaborative approach and a willingness to work across teams to find solutions.

You don't need to know everything about Thriving Kids on day one. We're looking for someone who is curious, adaptable and keen to contribute to building something new.

If you enjoy building relationships, navigating complexity, solving problems and seeing your work translate into better services for children and families, we'd love to hear from you.

About The Team

You will be part of a multidisciplinary Thriving Kids team responsible for implementing a new model of support for children and families across Victoria.

Working alongside colleagues across program, access and pathways, allied health, operations and commissioning, you will help build strong relationships with commissioned providers and ensure provider performance, emerging issues and community needs inform implementation.

Together, the team will establish a new model of support that is coordinated, responsive to local needs and focused on achieving better outcomes for children and families.

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 [e-mail] or phone: [phone]

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.