Playgroup Support Officer

Council Jobs; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The Playgroup Support Officer role sits within the Inclusion & Service Planning Team at Hume City Council. The role focuses on establishing and promoting community playgroups and linking families with early years services, with travel across the municipality required.

The successful candidate will work with playgroup facilitators, educators and outreach staff to deliver development opportunities, support transitions to services, and sustain partnerships that enhance early childhood programs.

Qualifications

• Understanding of playgroups and their role in supporting families and children.
• Ability to develop collaborative relationships with community and stakeholders.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills.

Responsibilities

• Support establishment of community playgroups focusing on early childhood development.
• Promote collaborative networks with playgroup facilitators and support services.
• Support families to access relevant early years services.
• Identify venues for programs and liaise with Council staff.
• Maintain records and support Backfill for Small Talk programs when needed.
• Engage stakeholders to promote playgroups and early years participation.
• Assist families to find suitable playgroups and transition between programs.

Skills

Playgroups knowledge

Collaboration with stakeholders

Verbal communication

Written communication

Computer literacy

Indesign/Canva

Education

Tertiary qualifications in social science or early childhood services

Working with Children Check

Tools

Indesign

Canva

Job description

Join the Inclusion and Service Planning Team

Hume City Council is one of Australia’s fastest growing and culturally diverse councils. We put the customer and our community at the centre of all that we do, ensuring our services are efficient and accessible.

The Playgroup Support Officer Role sits within the Inclusion & Service Planning Team. The team consists of highly skilled and professional practitioners working across a variety of portfolios. The successful incumbent will work collaboratively with Playgroup & Access to early Learning Facilitators, Preschool Field Officers, Outreach Workers and the Kindergarten Central Registration team. The role has a strong community focus and travel within the municipality is required.

The successful candidate will commence in January 2027, with the exact start date to be negotiated and agreed upon with the successful applicant.

What you’ll be doing:

• Support the establishment of community playgroups with a focus on earlychildhood development.
• Develop and actively promote a collaborative network with community-based playgroup facilitators and other support services for the purpose of identifying anddelivering professional development opportunities.
• Provide support to playgroup facilitators to transition families to relevant earlyyears services as required.
• Support community playgroups to identify appropriate venues for the delivery ofprograms and support connection with Council facility staff.
• Undertake annual audits of community playgroup resources to ensure resourcesare adequate and in good repair.
• Provide backfill support to facilitate Small Talk programs on an ad hoc basis.
• Actively engage relevant stakeholders to promote the importance of Playgroupsand to establish connection between various early years services.
• Support parents and families to find and access a playgroup that meets theindividual needs of the family.
• Support families to transition from supported Smalltalk playgroups into othercommunity early years programs.
• Link community playgroups with a range of services, such as supportedplaygroups, Education and Care services, MCH and CALD Outreach Programs.
• Lead Playgroup Week event/s in partnership with the playgroup team to promoteplaygroups within Hume municipality.
• Work in partnership with the Best Start facilitator to deliver initiatives thatpromote participation and connection to early years services and programs. Thisincludes community outreach initiatives.
• Maintain online playgroups listings, promote playgroups through social media andassist in the development of relevant collateral related to playgroups and otherprograms in the Inclusion & Service Planning team.
• Promote community understanding of Child Safe Standards when working withparent, community and facilitator lead playgroups.
• Maintain accurate records of support given to community groups and individualfamilies to support engagement.
• Create and maintain Memorandum of Understandings (MOU’s) betweencommunity playgroups, the PSO role and facilities where playgroups are held thatclearly outline the rights and responsibilities of each partner.
• Maintain a register of community partners for the purpose of sharing relevantinformation and maintaining stakeholder engagement.

The skills and experience you’ll bring to the role:

• Demonstrated understanding of Playgroups and the important role they play insupporting families and children.
• Demonstrated ability to develop collaborative relationships and partnerships withcommunity and key stakeholders.
• Well-developed verbal and written communication skills
• Demonstrated computer literacy skills. Experience working with Indesign or Canvawill be highly regarded.
• Demonstrated experience in prioritising and managing own workload independentlyand as part of a team.

Required Certifications & Qualifications:

• Appropriate tertiary qualifications in social science, early childhood services or social
  work with experience in working with families and young children.
• Current driver’s licence, Working with Children Check

Why Hume City Council?

A leader in local government, we’re committed to creating an inclusive and collaborative work environment that is guided by our values:

We’re better, every day

We give things a go and value progress over perfection. We have permission to go for it and are expected to reflect and learn.

We’re in it together

At Hume, everyone matters. We Welcome and include all. Respect and safety are expected.

We show up

We empower and trust others and own our work. We rise to the challenges and are expected to do what we say we will.

All for Hune

We strive to achieve our best for the Hume Community. We are proud and passionate about working towards better outcomes and expect they are at the centre of everything we do.

We offer a competitive salary package, professional development opportunities, and a supportive work environment.

A child safe organisation and an equal opportunity employer. Council encourages people of all ages, people with disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, LGBTIQA+ people and people from culturally diverse backgrounds to apply.

All candidates will be required to undertake background and probity checks including Reference Checks, Working with Children Check, and a Criminal Record Check.