Director, National Early Childhood Policy | Full-time Temporary

ACT; Canberra; Ibrido; AUD 140.000 - 210.000; Tempo pieno

Vantaggi offerti da questo lavoro

Flexible work arrangements

Hybrid work model

Descrizione del lavoro

ACT Government in Canberra seeks a Director, National Early Childhood Policy to lead national reform efforts within the ACT context. The role involves strategic policy advice to senior executives and the Minister, plus national representation on early childhood education matters.

It requires strong stakeholder engagement and governance oversight across multiple projects. The position is full-time temporary with flexible and ABW arrangements, based in Canberra.

Competenze

• Experience implementing large-scale reforms and national policy projects.
• Proven ability to lead teams and manage competing priorities under pressure.
• Strong interpersonal and representational skills for stakeholder engagement.
• Develop innovative approaches within ACTPS values.

Mansioni

• Lead and manage teams delivering national early childhood policy reform and ACT implementation.
• Provide complex, strategic policy advice to Senior Executive and Minister.
• Represent the ACT Government on early childhood education and care matters locally and nationally.
• Manage policy, financial, governance, and implementation activities of national projects according to best-practice approaches and the Wellbeing Framework.
• Oversee communication plans, stakeholder management, and resource management.
• Manage contractual, financial, and governance arrangements including Deeds of Grant and reporting.
• Demonstrate problem-solving with focus on engagement and inclusion.
• Negotiate and collaborate with diverse community and government stakeholders.
• Provide leadership under the Education Act 2004, the ACT Education and Care Services National Law, and related Acts.

Conoscenze

Leadership

Policy leadership

Communication skills

Stakeholder engagement

Descrizione del lavoro

Director, National Early Childhood Policy
Full-time Temporary

Closes: 10 November 2026

Details:

• Lead and manage team(s) negotiating and delivering national early childhood policy reform, ensuring the Territory’s position is clear, and reform is implemented effectively in the ACT context.
• Provide complex, strategic and policy advice to the Senior Executive and the Minister on matters relating to national early childhood policy.
• Represent the ACT Government and the Directorate on matters relating to early childhood education and care, both locally and nationally.
• Manage and provide advice on policy, financial, governance, and implementation and evaluation activities of national early childhood projects, in line with best-practice approaches and the ACT Government’s Wellbeing Framework.
• Manage and provide advice on communication plans, stakeholder management plans and other managing resources.
• Manage and provide advice on contractual, financial and governance arrangements of early childhood policy and projects, including managing contracts and Deeds of Grant, performance and financial reporting, and data collection activities.
• Demonstrate effective problem-solving skills with a focus on connections, engagement and inclusion.
• Negotiate, liaise and collaborate with a broad range of community and government stakeholders on aspects of early childhood.
• Provide leadership and direction under the Education Act 2004, the Education and Care Services National Law (ACT) Act 2011 and the Children and Young People Act 2008.

We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where people with diverse thoughts, lived experience, and perspectives can thrive and contribute their unique talents to the ACTPS and ACT community. We encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, people with culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, veterans, younger and older workers, and people with diverse genders, sexes and sexualities to apply.

Eligibility/Other requirements:

• Demonstrated experience in implementing large-scale system reforms, policies, and projects, including strong communication skills and the ability to represent the ACT’s views in national forums.
• Demonstrated experience leading teams, including managing own and other’s workloads, competing priorities, working under pressure, and anticipating and mitigating risks.
• Evidence of impact leading engagement and consultation processes that build quality relationships with stakeholders, including highly developed interpersonal and representational skills.
• A record of developing innovative approaches to the implementation of policies and projects, within the context of the ACTPS values and signature behaviours.

Notes: This is a temporary position available immediately until 31 December 2027 with the possibility of extension. Selection may be based on written application and referee reports only.A Merit Pool may be established from this selection process and used to fill vacancies over the next 12 months. This position is designed for flexible work arrangements and activity-based working (ABW). We work in a mixed-mode of at home and at multiple ACT Whole-Of-Government sites. Officers are expected to work flexibly across sites. This position is based in the Directorate’s Education Support Office (ESO) with office-based conditions. This role requires the successful candidate to be based in Canberra due to the nature of the work and the need for regular collaboration with ACT-based stakeholders. Remote working arrangements outside of the ACT and local surrounds will not be considered.

Note: Under the ACTPS employment framework you may be placed in another role where required for the efficient administration of the service.

Where an offer of employment is for a fixed-term period, any related temporary contracts within the Territory will be issued in compliance with the requirements and applicable exceptions outlined in the Fair Work Act.

The ACT public service is committed to closing the gap, underpinned by the belief that when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a genuine say in the design and delivery of policies, programs and services that affect them, better life outcomes are achieved. More information can be found here ACT Closing the Gap Implementation Plan - ACT Government Transparency Portal .

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Note

This is a temporary position available immediately until 31 December 2027 with the possibility of extension.