Senior Regulatory Officer

Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority in Melbourne is seeking a Senior Regulatory Officer to join the Worker Suitability Team. The role focuses on risk-based assessments and timely recommendations for suspensions and prohibitions to protect children.

You will collaborate with investigators, regulatory operations, legal, intelligence and policy teams to ensure actions are identified, assessed and implemented in a risk-based, child-centred manner, while supporting the integrity of the

Qualifications

• Experience working within a regulatory environment and applying legal/regulatory frameworks.
• A valid Working with Children Check is required.

Responsibilities

• Conduct risk-based assessments of worker suitability matters and prepare recommendations for regulatory actions.
• Contribute to compliance programs that improve the accuracy and integrity of the Early Childhood Workforce Register.
• Build and sustain relationships with internal teams and external regulators for information sharing.
• Prepare briefs, decision documentation, correspondence and reports tailored to different audiences.
• Support initiatives that build sector awareness of worker suitability obligations under the National Law and Child Safe Standard 6.
• Contribute to an inclusive, high-performing team culture.

Skills

Regulatory writing

Stakeholder management

Job description

Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority – Melbourne VIC

The Worker Suitability Team leads the delivery of VECRA's worker suitability regulatory functions, including the identification, assessment and actioning of regulatory responses where individuals pose a risk to children. The team also oversees the integrity of the Early Childhood Workforce Register through compliance and assurance programs, and works to build sector awareness and understanding of worker suitability obligations under the National Law and related child safety obligations.

About the Role

An exciting opportunity is available for a highly motivated regulatory professional with strong attention to detail and a passion for meaningful and impactful work. The Senior Regulatory Officer position sits within the Worker Suitability Team and supports the delivery of worker suitability regulatory functions, including the assessment of matters where individuals may pose a risk to children.

Working within a dynamic, fast-paced team environment, the role requires sound judgement and expertise in risk-based assessment, with the ability to prepare timely, high-quality recommendations relating to suspensions, prohibitions and other regulatory actions, and to collaborate with investigators, regulatory operations, legal, intelligence and policy teams to ensure worker-related matters are identified, assessed and actioned in a risk-based, child-centred manner.

• Conduct risk-based assessments of worker suitability matters and prepare high-quality recommendations and supporting documentation for regulatory actions, including suspensions and prohibitions
• Contribute to compliance and assurance programs that improve the accuracy, completeness and operational integrity of the Early Childhood Workforce Register
• Build and sustain effective relationships with internal teams and external co-regulators, including the Victorian Institute of Teaching and the Social Services Regulator, to facilitate collaboration and information sharing
• Prepare high-quality briefs, decision documentation, correspondence and reports tailored to different audiences
• Support initiatives that build sector awareness of worker suitability obligations under the National Law and Child Safe Standard 6, including child-safe recruitment, induction, training and ongoing oversight of workers and volunteers
• Contribute to an inclusive, high-performing team culture

Experience

The incumbent in this rolewill ideallyhaveexperience in a regulatory environment and in applying legal and regulatory frameworks, bringing a strong understanding of the unique challenges for regulation in sensitive contexts. Given the nature of worker suitability matters, the incumbent will maintain a high level of discretion, integrity and judgement, and will be confident making timely, risk-based assessments and recommendations. The incumbent will also bring excellent writing and communication skills, with the ability to prepare clear, defensible decision documentation and tailor writing to specific audiences, including delegates and the executive.

Attributes

• Decision Making: Advice and analysis influences policy development. Contributes to strategic business planning. Interprets and applies business plans and policies in own area of responsibility and provides advice to others on implementation issues.
• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: Takes into account wider business context within business unit when considering options to resolve issues. Identifies recurring problems and prevents future recurrence by integrating solutions into work process. Delivers tangible business outcomes as a result of critically evaluating problems from multiple perspectives and delivering effective solutions.
• Stakeholder Management: Identifies issues in common for one or more clients or stakeholders and uses them to build mutually beneficial partnerships. Identifies and responds to stakeholder's underlying needs. Uses understanding of the stakeholder's departmental context to ensure outcomes are achieved.
• Knowledge and Proficiency: Uses specialist knowledge within a confined field to challenge policies and professional concepts. Provides leadership in the application of concepts to policy development.

Qualifications

Essential: Experience working within a regulatory environment and in applying legal and regulatory frameworks

Essential: A valid Working with Children Check is required

VECRA 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 VECRA, diversity and inclusion, and our employment conditions visit the VECRA website and our Diversity and Inclusion page.

Information about VECRA's operations and employment conditions can be located on the VECRA website.

Amy Rudolph, A/ Manager Worker Suitability 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 VECRA will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Applications close 11:59pm on 24 November 2026.