Work Type: Fixed-term - Full-time
Salary: $113,022 - $136,747
Grade: VPS 5
Occupation: Policy
Location: Melbourne - CBD and Inner Metro suburbs
Reference: VG/DE/ECE/1914662
About the Role
This is a fixed term full time role until 30 June 2027.
Are you passionate about delivering great outcomes for children and families? We're looking for a Senior Strategy Advisor to join our welcoming and collaborative team to help shape the future of early childhood education in Victoria.
As the Senior Strategy Advisor (VPS5) you will lead provision of strategic advice, project management and stakeholder engagement to deliver evidence-based policy to shape the implementation of the Best Start Best Life reforms. With a focus on social infrastructure financing models, this role requires you to evaluate and analyse funding mechanisms, leading the development of frameworks for social infrastructure to find sustainable, long-term models.
You are a strategic thinker who advocates for evidence-based outcomes, identifying and addressing evolving data and evidence needs to drive effectiveness and strategic decision-making. This role will suit a proactive self-starter with a good understanding of government systems and processes and an ability to work in a complex reform environment.
The Policy and Provision Branch plays a key role in shaping the implementation of the Best Start, Best Life reforms, supporting the strategic direction and implementation of the reform activity as it specifically relates to whole of reform program management and monitoring, policy and integration, infrastructure and local planning, and modelling and provision.
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
Kindergarten Expansion and Funding Reform (KEFR) works collaboratively across the Department and with the sector to undertake place-based service delivery and monitoring, support the ongoing supply of early childhood teachers and educators and deliver infrastructure projects to ensure the success of these reforms.
About the Role
Working under the direction of the Manager, Policy Integration, the Senior Strategy Advisor supports policy development, analysis and translation of findings into actionable insights that inform strategic decision-making to shape the design and implementation of the BSBL reforms.
The Policy Integration team is responsible for leading key pieces of work including (a) high-quality and timely whole-of-reform BSBL advice to executives and the Government, including through cabinet, budget and parliamentary processes and (b) proactive identification of key strategic whole of reform policy opportunities and solutions and (c) a significant program of whole-of-BSBL-reform evaluation work, which intersects with multiple teams in the Department and involves working with external stakeholders, to inform implementation of the reforms and measure achievement of reform objectives.
Applying your critical thinking and problem-solving skills, you will be responsible for preparing accurate, high-level and timely advice via written documents and visual presentation tools and building and maintaining effective relationships.
Attributes
The successful candidate will demonstrate strategic planning, policy, analytical and communication skills, experience in using data and evidence to inform policy advice, and an ability to collaborate with stakeholders and work effectively in a team environment.
The role requires a proactive self-starter with a good understanding of govern ment systems and processes and an ability to work in a complex, sensitive environment.
As our ideal candidate you will have:
Desirable Qualifications and Experience
How to Apply
Your application needs to include a resume, and a cover letter (max 2 pages) that responds clearly and succinctly to the key selection criteria outlined in the position description.
Further Information
For more details regarding this position please see attached 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 Ruth Heymann – Manager, Policy Integration via (03) 7022 1465 or [email protected].
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 Monday 6 April 2026.