About the Role

The Senior Policy Advisor will join a small team with responsibility for advising on and developing reforms in complementary education settings, including provision, funding, governance and administration, teaching, learning and wellbeing

The functions of the role include, but are not limited to:

• Working with relevant DE business units to develop appropriate resources and supports for the functioning of CES
• Engaging with CES leaders and staff to develop and implement relevant reforms and resources
• Developing briefings and presentations to support executive decision-making
• Providing advice based on experience and expertise in CES to inform development and implementation of policies and resources
• Collating and synthesising best in practice in CES teaching & learning, wellbeing responses, operations and governance
• Supporting other Branch priorities as required
  
  

This is a fixed term position through to 30 June 2027.

About the Department

The department 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.

About the Division

Wellbeing, Health and Engagement Division (WHED)

WHED leads the department's efforts to support student wellbeing, health, engagement and inclusion. This includes supporting:

• schools to create and uphold safe, inclusive and equitable school environments and prevent and respond to family violence and child abuse
• student health, including promoting physical activity and healthy eating, enabling access to health services and supporting students with health conditions
• student mental health and wellbeing, including positive mental health promotion and building mental health capability, through delivery of school mental health reforms
• student engagement with school, including promoting attendance and providing targeted support for vulnerable and disengaged students.

Engaging Students at Risk Branch

The Engaging Students at Risk Branch leads the department's efforts to support engagement and attendance for all students. The branch is responsible for policy advice and programs covering attendance and engagement, suspensions and expulsions, students in out of home care, re-engagement with education and complementary education settings.

Key responsibilities include: 

• Leading the reforms to provision of complementary education settings, including flexible learning options, and re-engagement programs.
• In partnership with the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, ensuring the education needs of students in out of home care are met
• Development and implementation of policies relating to attendance, exemptions from school attendance, suspensions and expulsions.
• Delivery of the Navigator program to support the return to education of highly disengaged students.
• Oversight of a range of locally-based projects and programs to support attendance and engagement.

High Risk Cohorts Team

The team has two main responsibilities:

1. Delivery of the Navigator program, including contract management, budget development and oversight, data and reporting, operational guidelines and program improvement, strategic connection with other relevant programs, and stakeholder management.
2. Complementary education settings reform, including advice on future provision and funding, quality assurance and oversight, resource development, operational guidance, governance, data and outcomes reporting.

Attributes

The successful candidate will be a collaborative and supportive team player with the ability to manage discrete projects with a high degree of autonomy, develop positive working relationships with DE and school-based staff, identify and offer solutions to issues as they arise, and deliver quality work within agreed timelines. You will be able to demonstrate an ability to understand and respond to the needs of staff and students in CES and translate this into appropriate policies and resources.

Desirable Qualifications and Experience

Experience working within a complementary education setting will be highly regarded, and an understanding of VPS operations and processes is preferred.

Further Information

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

How to apply

Applicants are encouraged to include a Curriculum Vitae and a Cover letter addressing the key selection criteria provided in the position description.

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 Ed Quin via 03 7022 2792 or Ed.quin@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 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 Sunday 02/03/2026