About the Department

The role of the Department of Education is to support Victorians to build prosperous, socially engaged, happy and healthy lives. It does this by supporting lifelong learning and healthy development, strengthening families and helping to equip people with the skills and knowledge for a 21st century economy and society.

About the Victorian School Building Authority

The Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) is part of the Department of Education. Established in 2016, it oversees Victoria's largest school building program since the state introduced free public education in the 1870s.

The VSBA upgrades and expands existing schools and plans, designs and builds new schools to meet enrolment demand. We also support schools to maintain their buildings and grounds by offering expert advice and coordinating maintenance programs and grants.  

With Victoria recently introducing two years of funded kindergarten, the VSBA is also working with the early childhood sector on a massive kindergarten construction program. 

About the Division

The Strategy and Planning Division is responsible for the VSBA's operating framework, investment strategy, policy setting, asset information management, budget strategy and coordination, along with the delivery of specific school strategies, costings, allocate resources for growth, maintenance, and projects through school application- based programs. The Division also plans and co-ordinates delivery of new early childhood facilities and support for the wider early childhood sector to build, improve and upgrade infrastructure through a number of grants programs, including programs which provide funding to make kindergartens for inclusive for children of all abilities.

About the Branch

The Early Childhood Infrastructure Planning - Strategy and Governance Branch collaborates with the other two branches in the Early Childhood Infrastructure Planning area (namely the ECI Planning State Projects Branch, and the ECI Planning - Sector Partnerships and Grants Branch), as well as with other departmental areas, to lead the strategic implementation of early childhood reforms. Key accountabilities include managing, planning, and delivering the roll-out of the Three-Year-Old Kindergarten and Best Start, Best Life (BSBL) infrastructure reforms (including policy development), monitoring the Department's progress on reform milestones, leading the input into the State Budget process for the VSBA component of Early Childhood Infrastructure funding requests, contribute to the PAEC reporting and briefing process for Early Childhood Infrastructure, leading and coordinating key reporting tasks (such as for regular ministerial and governance meetings), developing key foundational policies and guidelines, and coordinating provision of advice on priority kindergarten demand areas and potential infrastructure responses.  This branch also plays a crucial role in identifying and evaluating suitable government school sites in Victoria for potential new or expanded kindergarten facilities and in planning, managing and executing the acquisition of land to support the implementation of the BSBL reforms.

About the Unit

Infrastructure and Pipeline unit leads the strategic implementation of the infrastructure component of the early childhood reforms.  The team works closely with the Pre-Prep Site Identification (PPSI) team on development of the infrastructure pipeline.  Key responsibilities include infrastructure pipeline development and asset maintenance strategy.

About the Role

The role sits within the Early Childhood Infrastructure Planning – Strategy and Governance Branch and will support functions needed to identify, plan and deliver additional early childhood infrastructure projects to successfully roll out the Best Start, Best Life reforms. The Project Officer will work closely and collaboratively as part of a small team responsible for supporting the identification, planning and approvals of infrastructure projects required to meet demand for kindergarten places. 

The team's core responsibilities include:

• Development of frameworks to guide decisions on where additional kindergarten infrastructure is required to meet demand.
• Providing analysis and strategic advice to agree the appropriate scale and mix of projects for a local area.
• Monitoring and reporting on areas requiring infrastructure within the next three years.
• Maintaining and monitoring a statewide infrastructure pipeline to meet demand for kindergarten places out to year 2036.

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

The ideal candidate will have a high degree of autonomy and self-motivated to produce high quality work outputs, by utilising their strategic mindset, critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Key components of the role include project planning, data analysis, reporting, and stakeholder engagement within the Department.

Candidates will have proven project support experience, preferably relating to supporting delivery of complex projects.  Candidates will also be able to demonstrate their ability to work confidently and constructively with key internal/external stakeholders to ensure the effective delivery of kindergarten projects.

Desirable Qualifications and Experience

• Desirable: considerable/demonstrated experience similar role within government

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 Alex Scheikowski,  alex.scheikowski@education.vic.gov.au or 03 7022 2814

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.

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