Initial Assessment Officer - Fixed Term - Ballarat

Victorian Government; Ballarat; On-site; AUD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Social Services Regulator in Victoria is seeking an Initial Assessment Officer on a fixed term basis until 18 October 2028. The role involves conducting preliminary assessments of WWC Check and NDIS Worker Screening applications, applying expert knowledge, and providing legislative support to the operations team.

It requires strong data handling and coordination with multiple stakeholders. Applicants must be Australian citizens, permanent residents, or hold valid work rights; pre-employment

Responsibilities

• Undertake accurate and timely initial assessments of WWC Check and NDIS Worker Screening applications and reassessments.
• Manage the ChildCheck and DisCheck databases for initial assessments.
• Communicate with applicants and Clearance holders regarding WWC Check and NDIS Worker Screening applications and reassessments.
• Collate data and statistics and assist with data analysis and performance reporting.
• Manage and prioritise individual workloads in a time sensitive environment.
• Liaise with external agencies including Corrections, Victoria Police and the Courts, and internally with Legal Services to obtain relevant information.

Job description

Occupation: Governance and risk management

Reference: VG/769665

The Social Services Regulator (SSR) is an independent statutory authority that exists to safeguard the rights of children and young people as well as people who use social services in Victoria.

The SSR regulates the Social Services Standards, the Child Safe Standards (for organisations without a sector specific co-regulator as well as the social services sector), and also administers the Worker and Carer Exclusion Scheme (WCES), Reportable Conduct Scheme (RCS) and Working with Children Clearance (WWC Clearance) scheme and NDIS Worker Screening Check.

The Social Services Regulator takes an integrated and intelligence driven approach to identifying, preventing and excluding unsafe people from working with children and young people, as well as ensuring organisations that work with children and young people keep children safe from abuse and harm by meeting the Child Safe Standards.

As a co-regulator of the Child Safe Standards, the Social Services Regulator works with other co-regulators of the Child Safe Standards including the Department of Health, Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA), Victorian Early Childhood Regulation Authority (VECRA), and Workforce Inspectorate Victoria to keep children safe from harm and abuse.

THE ROLE

Fixed Term up to 18 October, 2028

The role of an InitialAssessment Officer is to conduct preliminary assessments of Working with Children Check and NDIS Worker Screening applications and Clearance holders with criminal records or relevant professional findings.

Initial Assessment Officers provide legislative support to the operational teamsthrough the use ofexpert knowledge and carry out quality assurance functions across their work. Initial Assessment Officers also regularly engage with a range of stakeholders in both written and verbal formats toseekand clarify information.

Initial Assessment Officers are also responsible for a range of administrative functions associated with processing case files, including conducting initial research and analysis of data.

ACCOUNTABILITIES INCLUDE

• Undertakingaccurateandtimelyinitialassessments of WWC Check and NDIS Worker Screening applications and reassessments.
• Managing theChildCheckandDisCheckdatabases' requirements forinitialassessments.
• Communicatewith applicants and Clearance holders in relation to their WWC Check and NDIS Worker Screening applications and reassessments.
• Collate data and statistics andassistingwith data analysis and performance reporting.
• Managing and prioritising individual workloads in a time sensitive environment.
• Liaise with external agencies including Corrections, VictoriaPoliceand the Courts, and internally with other areas of the unit, including Legal Services, to obtain relevant information toassistin the evaluation and assessment of WWC Check and NDIS Worker Screening applications and reassessments.

This role requires a Working with Children Check.

Further advice on obtaining this check can be found here: https://www.vic.gov.au/working-with-children-check

For more information on what this means, and all other requirements, please see the Position Description.

Applicants must be an Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident or hold a valid work permit or visa. Work eligibility will be checked as part of the recruitment process.

Preferred candidates will be required to complete pre-employment screening, including a national police check and misconduct screening.

Applications close Sunday 25 October 2026 at 11.59pm