Senior Project Officer

Victorian School Building Authority; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Victorian School Building Authority is seeking a Senior Program Advisor to support early childhood infrastructure planning under the Best Start, Best Life reforms. The role collaborates across teams to build strong internal and external relationships, manage complex financial data, and advise senior leaders on funding decisions.

The successful candidate will lead communications, support program budgeting, and contribute to policy and planning exercises, including Three-Year-old Kindergarten and

Responsibilities

• Build effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders to progress BBPs, including chairing meetings and leading communications.
• Maintain records and tracking products to support planning and reporting, including monitoring and entering complex financial information into databases.
• Advise managers and executives on key financial decisions, including rephasing program budgets and showing effects of modified funding on contingency funding.
• Support continuous improvement of data and administrative management to ensure compliance with internal processes.
• Undertake property/land investigations to analyze issues and proposals for new or expanded kindergartens.
• Present senior audiences with options to inform policy and planning, outlining pros, cons and limitations.
• Draft Ministerial briefs, executive summaries, and meeting minutes, and approve BBP grant applications.
• Liaise with VSBA Communications to ensure public-facing BBP documents are uploaded to DE/VSBA websites.
• Program planning and provision of specialist advice to support development of forecast projects.
• Discrete tasks to support the Three-Year-old Kindergarten and Pre-Prep reforms.

Job description

The Senior Program Advisor role is within the Sector Partnerships & Grants branch in the Victorian School Building Authority. Reporting to the Manager, Sector Partnerships 1, the position will work across teams within the Division to support efficient and effective implementation of early childhood infrastructure planning for the Best Start, Best Life reforms.

The key accountabilities and skills for the Senior Project Officer will be to:

• Build effective relationships with key internal and external stakeholders to progress BBPs, including chairing meetings and leading all communications.
• Maintain accurate records and tracking products to support planning and reporting practices across the team, including monitoring and entering complex financial information into databases.
• Advise managers and executives on key financial decisions, including rephasing program budgets and demonstrating the impact of modified funding settings on contingency funding.
• Support continuous improvement efforts in data and administrative management to ensure compliance with internal process requirements.
• Undertake property/land investigations to analyse issues and proposals related to establishing new and expanded kindergartens.
• Present senior audiences with options to inform policy and planning exercises, including by outlining pros, cons and limitations of certain approaches.
• Draft Ministerial briefs, executive summaries, and meeting minutes, and approve BBP grant applications.
• Liaise with VSBA Communications to ensure public-facing BBP documents are uploaded to DE/VSBA websites.
• Program planning and provision of specialist advice to support development of forecast projects.
• Discrete tasks to support the Three-Year-old Kindergarten and Pre-Prep reforms.

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 will also be able to demonstrate their ability to work confidently and constructively with key internal/external stakeholders in an expert advisory capacity to ensure the effective delivery of the early childhood infrastructure program.

Desirable Qualifications and Experience

• Candidates with experience in the early childhood sector will be preferred.

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: Matthew Gardiner via 03 7022 1***.

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.

Applications close 11:59pm on 30 October 2026.