This role is Fixed Term - Part Time at 0.4FTE

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

The Schools & Regional Services group is responsible for implementing government learning and development strategies through networks of government schools and early childhood providers.  Multi-disciplinary teams work collaboratively across the Area to:

• deliver high quality education and early childhood services that are responsive to local needs
• improve early childhood service and school outcomes and performance across the Area.

About the Role

The primary responsibility of this role will be to respond in a timely and consistent manner to general inquiries from the public and school communities and to effectively manage, monitor and resolve parent inquiries and complaints.  The Community Liaison Officer will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team within an Area. The Community Liaison Officer will also provide advice and support to Executive Directors and leadership teams within their region. They will promote and maintain strong relations with key stakeholders and other regional and central staff to ensure consistent, high quality practice across the region and proactively work with principals/schools to develop processes and policy around complaints management. In addition to working within an Area to satisfactorily resolve an enquiry or complaint, Community Liaison Officers will be required to work across Areas within a region and liaise between other Regions and the Central office.
 
Attributes

• Flexibility and Adaptability: Adapts systems and processes quickly to changed priorities and situations.
• Working Collaboratively: Guides others to create a culture of collaboration. Identifies and works to overcome barriers to knowledge or information sharing. Identifies opportunities to work with other teams to deliver outcomes.
• Innovation and Continuous Improvement: Uses understanding of stakeholders' context to design and implement systems for continuous improvement within the department. Reviews and analyses internal and external information to improve effectiveness and quality of work.
• Innovation and Continuous Improvement: Uses understanding of stakeholders' context to design and implement systems for continuous improvement within the department. Reviews and analyses internal and external information to improve effectiveness and quality of work. Creates team environments where innovation and creativity are fostered and rewarded.
• Future Focus: Understands the broader context when reviewing an issue or problem and supports others to do so.
• Stakeholder Management: Identifies issues in common for one or more 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.
• Influence and Persuasion: Gains agreement on proposals and ideas and builds behind the scenes support for ideas, to ensure buy-in and ownership. Uses chains of indirect influence to achieve outcomes and involves experts to strengthen a business case. 

Desirable Qualifications and Experience

Desirable qualifications and registration with a relevant institute or association and experience with managing inquiries and complaints.

Further Information

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 Karlina Anderson, Planning and Implementation Manager via (03) 7005 1819 or Karlina.anderson@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 11:59pm on 03 June 2025