Manager – Compliance and Child Safety

Y Ballarat; Ballarat; On-site; AUD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Y Ballarat is seeking an experienced Manager – Compliance and Child Safety to lead a significant, organisation-wide improvement program over a 12-month fixed-term appointment. You will drive safeguarding into everyday practice, develop practical frameworks, and guide leaders and service teams to strengthen compliance across 110 services.

You will report to the Executive Manager – Child Safety and Compliance, collaborate with operations, deliver education and coaching, and build organisational

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualifications in education, compliance, risk, governance, quality management, law, business or related.
• Experience in compliance and child safety within a regulated environment.
• Experience leading organisational improvement and developing compliance frameworks.
• Ability to integrate safeguarding into systems and practice.
• Experience in incident reviews and root-cause analysis.
• Ability to influence leaders and coach staff.
• Strong reporting and governance communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead a compliance and child safety improvement program across approximately 110 services.
• Assess current compliance performance and coordinate targeted improvements.
• Develop practical frameworks, tools, assurance processes and escalation pathways.
• Embed Child Safe Standards and safeguarding considerations into compliance monitoring and incident reviews.
• Coordinate Assessment and Rating preparation, support and follow-up.
• Strengthen regulatory notifications and responses to serious incidents.
• Facilitate incident reviews and root-cause analysis, sharing learning to reduce recurrence.
• Develop and deliver education, coaching and guidance for leaders and staff.
• Analyse compliance, incident and safeguarding data to identify emerging risks and systemic issues.
• Report on performance and improvement priorities and monitor corrective actions through to completion.

Skills

Education quals

Compliance experience

Leadership in improvement

Safeguarding integration

Incident/root-cause analysis

Leadership coaching

Executive communication

Education

Education/Reg quals

Job description

• LocationBarkly Square, 25/39 Barkly St,Ballarat, VIC, 3350,Australia
• IndustryChild Safety & Compliance
• Employee TypeFull Time

Contact information

Description

Join the Y Team!

At the Y, we believe in the power of inspired young people. Here at Y Ballarat we provide a wide range of programs and services to over 100 communities across Victoria, including rural and remote communities. We currently have over 700 staff across the state and continue to grow and develop our passionate workforce.

Our children’s services operations include the management of kindergartens, early learning centres and before and after school care. We have over 90 services across Victoria. Our Youth programs have an increased presence in Ballarat through our Youth hubs, workshops and in our ReCranked and JumpStart programs.

Help shape safer services and stronger practice for children and young people.

• Lead compliance and child safety improvement across approximately 110 services.
• Build staff capability through education, coaching and practical resources.
• Make a meaningful contribution across early childhood, OSHC and youth services.

About Y Ballarat

At the Y, we believe in the power of inspired young people. Y Ballarat provides early childhood education and care, Outside School Hours Care and youth services across Victoria.

Our vision is a better world, with and for young people. Our values of Belonging, Excellence, Honesty, Nurturing and Respect guide our commitment to safe, high-quality services and supporting our people.

The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced Manager – Compliance and Child Safety to lead a significant, organisation-wide improvement program over a 12-month fixed-term appointment.

Reporting to the Executive Manager – Child Safety and Compliance, you will work alongside operational leaders and service teams to strengthen compliance systems, embed safeguarding into everyday practice and build sustainable organisational capability.

This role combines strategic leadership with practical support. You will identify risks, develop clear processes and help teams understand and meet their responsibilities. Education is central to the role, with opportunities to develop training, deliver coaching and create resources that translate complex requirements into achievable actions.

Requirements

Your key responsibilities

• Lead a compliance and child safety improvement program across approximately 110 services.
• Assess current compliance performance and coordinate targeted improvements.
• Develop practical frameworks, tools, assurance processes and escalation pathways.
• Embed Child Safe Standards and safeguarding considerations into compliance monitoring and incident reviews.
• Coordinate Assessment and Rating preparation, support and follow-up.
• Strengthen regulatory notifications and responses to serious and reportable incidents.
• Facilitate incident reviews and root-cause analysis, sharing learning to reduce recurrence.
• Develop and deliver education, coaching and guidance for leaders and staff.
• Analyse compliance, incident and safeguarding data to identify emerging risks and systemic issues.
• Report on performance and improvement priorities and monitor corrective actions through to completion.

About you

You are a collaborative leader who builds trusted relationships and turns complex requirements into clear, practical guidance. You bring sound judgement, strong analytical skills and a commitment to helping teams improve.

You will have:

• Relevant tertiary qualifications in education, compliance, risk, governance, quality management, law, business or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience in compliance, child safety, quality assurance, regulatory operations, risk or governance in a complex, highly regulated environment.
• Experience leading organisational improvement and developing compliance frameworks, assurance systems and corrective action processes.
• The ability to integrate safeguarding and child safety into systems and operational practice.
• Experience in incident review, root-cause analysis and translating findings into organisational learning.
• Proven ability to influence leaders and build staff capability through education, training and coaching.
• Strong communication skills, including preparing clear reports and recommendations for executive and governance audiences.

Experience in early childhood education and care, the National Quality Framework, Child Safe Standards, Assessment and Rating and regulatory incident management is highly desirable.

This is an opportunity to shape a significant improvement program with a clear purpose. You will work across a substantial service portfolio, helping create safer environments and equipping teams with the systems, knowledge and resources to deliver high-quality services.

Employment requirements

The successful applicant will be required to undertake a National Police Check, maintain a valid employment Working with Children Check and hold a current Victorian Driver’s Licence.

For further information, please contact Kim Porter at **********@yballarat.org.au.

About The Organisation

Y Ballarat, including our Board of Directors are committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people in accordance with our Safeguarding Children and Young People frameworks.

Y Ballarat requires all applicants to undergo checks prior to commencement including, police checks, international police checks, WWCC and reference checks as a minimum.

The Y Ballarat is a recognised Safeguarding Children and Young People organisation, independently reviewed by the ACF.