Senior Program Advisor

State of Victoria; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 60,000 - 84,000; Part time

Job summary

The Department of Education in Victoria is seeking a part-time Kindergarten Improvement Advisor (0.6 FTE) for a fixed term until November 2027, based in Ringwood, VIC. You will advise funded kindergarten services, support quality improvements, and implement reform policies such as Best Start and Best Life, drawing on VEYLDF knowledge.

You will lead collaboration between services and schools, facilitate regional teamwork, and use data to inform decisions while managing plan delivery and funding

Qualifications

• Current Working with Children Check or Victorian Institute of Teaching Registration Required.
• Tertiary Early Childhood Education qualification Required.
• Desirable: Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education.
• Experience in early childhood settings or transferable knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Establishing and maintaining strong working relationships with funded kindergarten services.
• Applying problem-solving skills to manage problems and decisions ... utilise department systems, including the Kindergarten Information and Service Agreement Management systems.
• Engaging in meaningful conversations with services, using data and evidence, to identify and address the needs of the services as it relates to educationally disadvantaged children.
• Fostering the development of collaborative relationships widely in the community.
• Understanding current research and developments in the early childhood sector, identifying implications and opportunities.
• Provide advice to the Early Childhood Improvement Manager on delivery issues, operational perspectives and policy implications.
• Enabling collaboration between early childhood services and schools to build local communities of practice.
• Implementing quality assurance measures to ensure that early childhood reforms are delivered in line with Departmental requirements.
• Providing support, tools and advice to early childhood service providers to assist them to develop plans in response to their identified challenges in delivering early childhood reforms.
• Advising and supporting funded kindergartens to plan the best use of allocated Early Childhood reform funding. This may include, but is not limited to, receipting, reviewing, signing off and approving Early Childhood reform funding plans.
• Working collaboratively as part of a team and strengthening Area and state-wide connections including the Quality Assessment and Regulation Division.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder management

Influencing

Team collaboration

Data analysis

Independent work

Education

Early Childhood Education qualification

Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education

Job description

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 Group

Schools and Regional Services (SRS) offers central, regional, and local expertise to enhance learning and development outcomes, supported by a diverse and geographically dispersed workforce. It comprises 17 areas within 4 regions, backed by 5 central office divisions, all collaborating to deliver improved outcomes for early childhood services, schools, communities, and learners, in line with Education State commitments. SRS regions serve as a bridge between the central office, schools, and service providers, ensuring smooth transitions for learners and achieving the department's ambitious targets. Each region includes divisions specialising in school performance, student wellbeing and early childhood support, working with area-based teams to tailor local interventions and practices. The 17 areas provide crucial insights into local trends and issues, facilitating effective policy and program development and driving child and learner outcomes across all services and programs.

This role is located in the Early Childhood Improvement Branch, Outer East Melbourne Area, North Eastern Victoria Region, SRS

The Early Childhood Improvement Branch implements key government Early Childhood policy, initiatives, reforms, and strategies at a local level.

About the Role

Please note this position is fixed-term, part time (0.6 FTE) until November 2027 and will be based out of Ringwood, VIC. The main purpose of this role is to advise, support and build the capacity of funded kindergarten services to continuously improve service quality, particularly through the implementation of early childhood reforms, Best Start, Best Life reforms and the delivery of Networks and Forums. The Kindergarten Improvement Advisor will need to draw on experience and knowledge in an early learning context, administration of early childhood services and curriculum delivery. To be successful in this role you should have excellent interpersonal, influencing, and analytical skills. You will possess a strong understanding of quality pedagogical practices and a strong knowledge of the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF). Group facilitation skills and experience would be an advantage. You will play a lead role in strengthening early childhood service collaboration, which will ultimately support services through a time of significant reform activity, help create a culture of trust and reflection, and improve transitions for children and families between services and into school. Flexibility will be required during periods of surge activity.

Key responsibilities of the role may include

• Establishing and maintaining strong working relationships with funded kindergarten services.
• Applying problem-solving skills to manage problems and decisions ... utilise department systems, including the Kindergarten Information and Service Agreement Management systems.
• Engaging in meaningful conversations with services, using data and evidence, to identify and address the needs of the services as it relates to educationally disadvantaged children.
• Fostering the development of collaborative relationships widely in the community.
• Understanding current research and developments in the early childhood sector, identifying implications and opportunities.
• Provide advice to the Early Childhood Improvement Manager on delivery issues, operational perspectives and policy implications.
• Enabling collaboration between early childhood services and schools to build local communities of practice.
• Implementing quality assurance measures to ensure that early childhood reforms are delivered in line with Departmental requirements.
• Providing support, tools and advice to early childhood service providers to assist them to develop plans in response to their identified challenges in delivering early childhood reforms.
• Advising and supporting funded kindergartens to plan the best use of allocated Early Childhood reform funding. This may include, but is not limited to, receipting, reviewing, signing off and approving Early Childhood reform funding plans.
• Working collaboratively as part of a team and strengthening Area and state-wide connections including the Quality Assessment and Regulation Division.

Attributes

• Strong project management skills and ability to use critical thinking and problem-solving skills to provide innovative solutions to complex issues.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, including the ability to build and develop strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.
• Capacity to effectively analyse data and utilise this to inform decision making and be able to work proactively and independently.

Qualifications and Experience

• Current Working with Children Check or Victorian Insitute of Teaching Registration Required.
• Tertiary Early Childhood Education qualification Required.
• Desirable: Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education.
• Experience in early childhood settings or transferable knowledge.

Further Information

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. Preferred applicants may be required to complete a police check and may be subject to other pre-employment checks. 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. 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 Mel Williams, Manager, Early Childhood Improvement Branch, Outer Eastern Area via [phone] or [e-mail].

Applications close

Applications close 11:59pm on 18 September 2026