About the Program

Help shape a new way of supporting children and families

Thriving Kids is a new system of disability supports that is changing how children and families access support across Victoria.

We're looking for an experienced Allied Health Team Leader to join us at this exciting stage of implementation and lead a multidisciplinary team delivering the Thriving Kids model to children aged 8 and under experiencing developmental delay or autism and low to moderate support needs.

The reform will establish a coordinated and accessible model of support, with a strong focus on prevention, early intervention and responding to needs as they emerge.

Thriving Kids will bring together education, health and community services to provide families with accessible and developmentally appropriate support, including information and advice, developmental assessment, support to build parents' and carers' skills and confidence, and targeted, time-limited allied health supports.

This is an opportunity to help shape a new service model and make a meaningful difference to children, families and the professionals who support them.

About the Role

There are three fixed term positions that could be based out of three locations: Melton, Coburg or Footscray. Please indicate your preference on the application form. 

Part time time fractions can be considered for successful candidates. Fixed Term contract until 30th June 2028

As the Thriving Kids Allied Health Team Leader, you will provide clinical, professional and people leadership to a multidisciplinary allied health team and oversee the day-to-day delivery of Thriving Kids allied health supports.

You will:

• Lead a collaborative, multidisciplinary allied health team through supervision, coaching, professional development and performance support.
• Provide clinical and professional leadership that promotes high-quality, evidence-informed and family-centred practice.
• Coordinate day-to-day service delivery, including referrals, workload allocation, demand and capacity, care planning and transitions.
• Support clinicians to apply the Thriving Kids model consistently across a range of settings.
• Build workforce capability and foster a positive, inclusive and high-performing team culture.
• Monitor service quality, outcomes, risks and workforce capacity, identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Build strong partnerships with children and families, early childhood services, schools, Maternal and Child Health, health and community services.

About You

You are an experienced allied health professional and people leader who brings strong clinical judgement, a collaborative approach and the ability to lead effectively through change.

You will have:

• Strong knowledge and experience in child development, early intervention and child- and family-centred practice.
• Demonstrated experience leading allied health teams, including building workforce capability through supervision, coaching and professional development.
• The ability to provide sound clinical reasoning and authoritative professional advice in complex situations.
• Experience leading service implementation and delivery in a complex environment.
• Highly developed communication, relationship-building and influencing skills.
• A commitment to culturally safe, inclusive and strengths-based practice.

Experience working with children and families across early childhood, education, health or community settings, and experience in transdisciplinary service environments will be highly regarded.

About the Team

The Thriving Kids workforce will bring together a range of professional disciplines, including allied health, intake, community development and administration, working collaboratively across education, health and community settings.

As Team Leader, you will play a key role in building the foundations of this new workforce — creating a strong team culture, setting clear expectations, developing capability and supporting professionals to work collaboratively across disciplines.

You'll have the opportunity to shape how the team works, embed the Thriving Kids approach and create an environment where people can learn, innovate and deliver high-quality support to children and families.

Why join Thriving Kids?

This is more than a team leadership role — it's an opportunity to help build something new.

You'll be joining a reform that is changing how children and families access support, with a strong focus on early intervention, practical support and helping children participate and thrive in their everyday environments.

You'll have the opportunity to shape a new service, grow a high-performing team and influence how integrated allied health support is delivered across Victoria.

If you're ready to lead, build and make a difference where it matters, we'd love to hear from you.

About the Department

The Department of Education 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.

Important Information

For more details about this role, please refer to the attached position description.

If you have further questions, please contact Brooke Streatfeild at Brooke.Streatfeild@education.vic.gov.au or phone: 0477 732 125

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 our website.

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.

If you require any adjustments to ensure your full participation in the recruitment process or if you need the advertisement or any attachments in an accessible format (e.g. large print) due to any viewing difficulties or other accessibility requirements, please get in touch with the contact person listed on this advertisement.

Applications close 11:59 pm Australian Eastern Standard/Daylight Saving Time on 4th November 2026.