Program Manager - Thriving Kids

Department of Education & Training, Victoria; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of Education & Training, Victoria is seeking a Program Manager to lead the Thriving Kids allied health supports rollout across Melbourne metro locations. The role focuses on strategic leadership, workforce establishment, and high-quality, integrated service delivery across education, health and community settings.

You will oversee a multidisciplinary team, drive evidence-informed practice, and monitor delivery to achieve outcomes, with fixed-term opportunities for 12 months in

Qualifications

• Relevant tertiary qualifications and/or significant relevant professional experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary teams and diverse workforces.
• Highly developed communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills.
• Commitment to innovation, continuous improvement and evidence-informed practice.
• Ability to build capability, empower others and foster a positive, high-performing team culture.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a multidisciplinary workforce, including Allied Health Team Leaders/Senior Clinicians, Allied Health Professionals, Intake Workers, Community Development Advisors and Administrative staff.
• Provide strategic direction to Team Leaders/Senior Clinicians and build workforce capability, performance and professional development.
• Establish effective partnerships and collaborative approaches across sectors and services.
• Lead complex implementation and operational matters, providing expert advice to senior leaders and stakeholders.
• Drive consistent, evidence-informed practice, service integration and continuous improvement.
• Monitor service delivery and respond to emerging issues to ensure the program achieves its intended outcomes.
• Lead the ongoing development and embedding of the Thriving Kids model as it evolves.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Strategic planning

Change management

Education

Relevant tertiary qualifications

Job description

About the Program

What if you could help build a new way of supporting children and families from the ground up? Thriving Kids is a significant new system of disability supports being implemented in stages from October 2026 for children aged 8 years and under with developmental delay or autism and low to moderate support needs. The reform will establish a coordinated and accessible model of support, with a strong focus on prevention, early intervention and responding to needs as they emerge. Thriving Kids will bring together education, health and community services to provide families with accessible and developmentally appropriate support, including information and advice, developmental assessment, support to build parents' and carers' skills and confidence, and targeted, time-limited allied health supports.

About the Role

There are two 12 month fixed term positions that could be based out of three locations: Melton, Coburg or Footscray. Please indicate your preference on the application form. As Program Manager, you will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for the implementation and delivery of Thriving Kids allied health supports. You will be responsible for establishing the workforce and creating the conditions for a high-quality, integrated service. Working across education, health and community settings, you will:

• Lead and develop a multidisciplinary workforce, including Allied Health Team Leaders/Senior Clinicians, Allied Health Professionals, Intake Workers, Community Development Advisors and Administrative staff.
• Provide strategic direction to Team Leaders/Senior Clinicians and build workforce capability, performance and professional development.
• Establish effective partnerships and collaborative approaches across sectors and services.
• Lead complex implementation and operational matters, providing expert advice to senior leaders and stakeholders.
• Drive consistent, evidence-informed practice, service integration and continuous improvement.
• Monitor service delivery and respond to emerging issues to ensure the program achieves its intended outcomes.
• Lead the ongoing development and embedding of the Thriving Kids model as it evolves.

About You

You are an experienced senior leader who can operate confidently in a complex and changing environment. You are comfortable working with ambiguity, building relationships across organisational boundaries and turning strategic direction into practical outcomes. You will bring:

• Relevant tertiary qualifications and/or significant relevant professional experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary teams and diverse workforces.
• Highly developed communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills.
• A demonstrated commitment to innovation, continuous improvement and evidence-informed practice.
• The ability to build capability, empower others and foster a positive, high-performing team culture.

About the Team

The Thriving Kids workforce will bring together a range of professional disciplines, including allied health, intake, community development and administration. The team will work collaboratively across education, health and community settings, supporting a more connected approach to service delivery. As Program Manager, you will establish the foundations for an effective workforce — setting expectations, developing capability and creating a culture where people can work together, learn from one another and deliver their best work.

Why join Thriving Kids?

• Lead a new multidisciplinary workforce.
• Influence the design and implementation of an emerging service model.
• Work across traditional service and professional boundaries.
• Contribute to a reform designed to improve how children and families access support.

About the Department

The Department of Education 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, as well as directly providing school education and 50 new early learning centres.

Important Information

For more details about this role, please refer to the attached position description. If you have further questions, please contact Brooke Streatfeild at [e-mail]. 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 our website. 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. If you require any adjustments to ensure your full participation in the recruitment process or if you need the advertisement or any attachments in an accessible format (e.g. large print) due to any viewing difficulties or other accessibility requirements, please get in touch with the contact person listed on this advertisement. Applications close 11:59 pm Australian Eastern Standard/Daylight Saving Time on 4th November 2026.