Professional Practice Leader, Incident Support

Department of Education Victoria; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Department of Education Victoria in Melbourne seeks a Professional Practice Leader, Incident Support to guide incident management across the education sector. You will provide trauma-informed advice and oversee operations to protect student safety and school continuity.

Qualifications in psychology or social work are required, with experience in allied health or youth services. The role involves collaboration with support services and emergency coordination when incidents arise.

Qualifications

• Qualifications and experience in psychology or social work.
• Experience in allied health or youth services.
• Experience supporting schools and incident response.

Responsibilities

• Triage incident reports and advise on actions.
• Support Incident Support and Operations Centre (ISOC) in incident management.
• Provide trauma-informed, child-centred guidance to schools.
• Collaborate with student support services for referrals and assessments.

Skills

Collaborative leadership

People management

Operational service delivery

Education

Degree in psychology or social work

Job description

Professional Practice Leader, Incident Support

Department of Education Victoria - Melbourne VIC

The purpose of the Professional Practice Leader, Incident Support (Senior Service Delivery Advisor) is to ensure that the Incident Management and Support Unit provides high-quality advice and support to key stakeholders following incidents that impact, or risk impacting on the health and wellbeing of students or on the continuity of school operations. You support the unit's operational service delivery by ensuring that incident advice, and related standard operating procedures, are trauma-informed, child-centred, and aligned with Department policy, processes, regulations and legislation.

The successful candidate will use qualifications, knowledge and experience in psychology or social work to provide advice to the team in their support of schools. You will triage incident reports, notably those relating to highly concerning student behaviours, such as violent extremist ideology or fixations, working collaboratively with student support services for assessment and referrals to appropriate services by Victoria Police or other agencies. You will monitor incident trends to recommend pre-emptive actions.

The Division leads and coordinates the department's response during significant emergencies and critical incidents by establishing Incident Management Teams (IMTs). Staff in the Division are expected to be on a roster to participate in any IMTs that are stood up. Very occasionally, this may require work outside of normal business hours to support departmental and whole-of-government emergency management operations. The incumbent may be required to be available during critical incidents or periods of significant operational demand.

This is an ongoing full-time opportunity.

Why this role?

This is an excellent opportunity to support incident management in the education setting, notably through guiding Incident Support and Operations Centre advice to schools on matters of child safety following an incident. This role also offers the chance to make a meaningful contribution to outcomes for students displaying very concerning behaviours across Victoria, as explained above.

You'll be part of a collaborative, high-performing environment where initiative is valued, ideas are welcomed, and your work makes a real difference.

What you'll bring

You are an experienced practitioner in the allied health field, with qualifications, knowledge and experience in psychology or social work.

Desirable

Experience in working with young people displaying violent extremist ideology or fixations, incident management, forensic youth mental health or emergency management

Desirable

Membership or eligibility for membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers or the Australian Psychological Society

Mandatory skills and experience:

• Ability to work collaboratively, guiding others to create a culture of collaboration and knowledge sharing.
• Experience in managing people, holding yourself and team accountable to public sector values and agreed performance standards, while maintaining sight of outcomes that need to be delivered.
• Proven record in maintaining operational service delivery, noting this role sits within a contact centre, and is required to manage complex and sensitive issues in a timely manner.

Working with children check is required.

About us

The Security and Emergency Management Division supports education communities to be physically and psychologically safe. The Division provides services to assist the education sector to manage risks and incidents that may impact the health and wellbeing of children and young people, or that may impact school operations or educational services delivery. It supports the sector to be prepared, to respond quickly and effectively when incidents occur, and to provide appropriate and proportionate recovery supports after events.

The Incident Management and Support Unit (IMSU) is a team that sits in the Incident Support and Operations Centre (ISOC). The ISOC is a contact centre responsible for reporting, providing initial advice and triggering place based support following an incident that impacts students or school business continuity. The IMSU team comprises specialist staff who provide support, guidance and advice in relation to school incidents. They include allied health and trained staff who take incident notifications, provide initial support and guidance and referral pathways and resources to assist in the response, management and recovery of those impacted.

About the Department

The department 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.

For more details regarding this position please see attached position description.

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 the Department website and our Diversity and Inclusion page

Applicants requiring adjustments can contact the nominated contact person.

Information about the Department of Education's operations and employment conditions can be located at www.education.vic.gov.au.

For further information pertaining to the role, please contact Supriya Mehta via *************@education.vic.gov.au

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.

Applications close 11:59pm on Tuesday, 6 October 2026.