Project Advisor

Victorian Government; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The Victorian Government's Department of Education is seeking a Project Advisor in Melbourne to support the Kindergarten on School Sites program. You will contribute to performance, planning, data analysis and reporting across the infrastructure portfolio, ensuring alignment with reform objectives.

Working within the Early Childhood State Projects Planning Branch, you will collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, prepare reports, manage data, and help deliver funding programs for

Qualifications

• Degree in any discipline.
• Experience in government roles or similar regulatory environments.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills.
• Experience with program planning, implementation and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to infrastructure strategy and program development for kindergarten on school sites.
• Support governance and decision-making for Early Childhood Infrastructure Planning – State Projects.
• Assist rollout of infrastructure across regions and manage policies and financial practices.
• Foster relationships with internal and external stakeholders and partners.
• Support administration of Kindergarten on School Sites program including correspondence and data management.
• Draft reports and recommendations by analyzing data to support strategies.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Policy development

Data analysis

Report drafting

Education

Degree in any discipline

Job description

Location: Melbourne - CBD and Inner Metro suburbs

Reference: VG/DE/VSBA/1950918A

The Project Advisor contributes toward performance and contract management, program implementation, local area engagement and general team support. The successful candidates will be responsible for collecting and analysing data associated with projects, reporting on project outcomes, and providing general support to ensure successful project delivery.

About the Department

The role of the Department of Education is to support Victorians to build prosperous, socially engaged, happy and healthy lives. It does this by supporting lifelong learning and healthy development, strengthening families and helping to equip people with the skills and knowledge for a 21st century economy and society.

About the Victorian School Building Authority

The Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) is part of the Department of Education. Established in 2016, it oversees Victoria's largest school building program since the state introduced free public education in the 1870s.

The VSBA upgrades and expands existing schools and plans, designs and builds new schools to meet enrolment demand. We also support schools to maintain their buildings and grounds by offering expert advice and coordinating maintenance programs and grants.

With Victoria recently introducing two years of funded kindergarten, the VSBA is also working with the early childhood sector on a massive kindergarten construction program.

About the Division

The Asset & Budget Strategy Division is responsible for the VSBA's operating framework, investment strategy, policy setting, asset information management, budget strategy and coordination, along with the delivery of specific school strategies, costings, allocate resources for growth, maintenance, and projects through school application- based programs. The Division also plans and co-ordinates delivery of new early childhood facilities and support for the wider early childhood sector to build, improve and upgrade infrastructure through a number of grants programs, including programs which provide funding to make kindergartens for inclusive for children of all abilities.

Early Childhood State Projects Planning Branch

The Early Childhood State Projects Planning Branch plans and coordinates the delivery of infrastructure needed to ensure the successful implementation of the Three-Year Old Kindergarten and Best Start Best Life Reforms. The Branch is made up of three teams to:

• Early Learning Centres (ELC) - 50 new state-owned and operated Early Learning Centres (ELC)
• Kindergarten on School Sites (KOSS)
• Kindergarten Facilities Implementation

To meet Three-Year-Old Kindergarten demand, KOSS can be delivered at new or existing school sites. To meet Pre-Prep demand, delivered at new or existing school sites (or acquired land). KOSS are State owned assets which are leased to a third party to operate. KOSS may be delivered through permanent modular or traditional construction methodologies. Permanent modular construction provides time efficiencies and lesser disruptions to the school through the construction process so may be used where delivery timeframes are tight. Traditional construction is typically used when delivered KOSS with new schools and will be used at existing schools in the future where needed.

About the Role

This is a fixed term full time role until 30 June 2028.

This role supports the planning for the delivery of the Best Start Best Life reform, that aims to make kindergarten accessible to all Victorian children. This involves providing support, guidance and strategic advice throughout the program lifecycle, as well as ensuring alignment with objectives in the local work area.

The key accountabilities and skills for the Program Advisor will be to:

• Contribute to the implementation of a detailed infrastructure strategy in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, including program development as it relates to the successful role out of kindergartens on school sites across the state.
• Support internal and external governance arrangements for the Early Childhood Infrastructure Planning – State Projects / Kindergartens on School Sites Unit, to ensure robust and transparent decision-making protocols are in place.
• Support the effective roll-out of new and expanded infrastructure across regions and establish cost effective policies, management control systems and financial practices as they relate to the successful delivery of Kindergarten reforms.
• Support effective relationships and communications with key stakeholders internally and externally on the development and delivery of new program strategies and initiatives.
• Support the administration of the Kindergarten on School Sites program including managing correspondence, minutes and note taking, and data collection and management.
• Support drafting of reports and recommendations by interpreting and analysing data to support program strategies and initiatives.

All VSBA staff have a shared responsibility to meet the same service standards outlined in the VSBA Customer Service Charter.Our goal is to make every interaction with the VSBA a positive one for our customers, colleagues and key partners regardless of our individual role or team.

Attributes

Candidates must be able to work confidently and constructively with key internal/external stakeholders in an advisory capacity to ensure the effective operation, management and delivery of the Kindergarten on School Sites Program. Key components of this role include stakeholder engagement and relationship management, program and project planning, implementation and reporting. The candidate will have excellent stakeholder engagement skills which will be required to build and maintain strong relationships both within the Department and with external stakeholders (council and not-for-profit kindergarten providers) and partners. Candidates will have proven policy development and implementation experience, preferably relating to supporting delivery of complex projects and programs.

Desirable Qualifications and Experience

• Desirable : Degree in any discipline
• Desirable : demonstrated experience in similar role within government

Further Information

For more details regarding this position please see attached position description for the capabilities to address in application.

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 Hiring Contact: [e-mail]

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.

Please let us know via phone or email if you require any adjustments to ensure your full participation in the recruitment process or if you need the ad or any attachments in an accessible format (e.g large print) due to any viewing difficulties or other accessibility requirements.

Applicati ons close 11.59pm Tuesday 3rd November

Applications close Tuesday 3 November 2026 at 11.59pm