Senior Psychosocial Program Advisor

Overview

The Senior Psychosocial Program Advisor, part of the Workplace Psychosocial Safety Service within the Employee Mental Health Reform Branch, supports schools in identifying, assessing, and managing psychosocial hazards. This role is Fixed Term - Full Time until 30-JUN-2028.

About the Role

The Workplace Psychosocial Safety Service is a team within the Employee Mental Health Reform Branch. The Reform spans promotion, prevention and response and seeks to improve school staff mental health and wellbeing.

The aim of the Workplace Psychosocial Safety Service Team is to develop policy advice and resources as well as expert specialist advice and support to schools to identify, assess and manage psychosocial hazards and to comply with current and future OHS requirements to prevent and respond to mental injury.

The Senior Psychosocial Program Advisor, Workplace Psychosocial Safety Service will provide strategic guidance and support to embed the new OHS psychosocial regulations in schools, act as a point of escalation for complex cases and will continue to advance the department's preventative approach to wellbeing.

The Senior Psychosocial Program Advisor will proactively identify schools requiring support and triage and respond.

This will require working closely with regional and central teams, including the existing Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Implementation Services team and wellbeing promotion and response and intervention teams.

The Senior Psychosocial Program Advisor will ideally have demonstrated program management as well as expertise and skills in psychosocial hazard identification and support from within an education sector perspective. A risk management, allied health or OHS qualifications are desirable.

A key role of the Senior Psychosocial Program Advisor is to work with Area and Regional workforces to upskill and build capacity of psychosocial hazard identification and response. The role will also work with schools directly across a continuum of supports, including working with the OHS Implementation Branch on the broader obligations under the OHS Act.

The position will report to the Manager – Workplace Psychosocial Safety Service.

About the Division

The Employee Safety, Wellbeing and Inclusion Division (ESWID) is committed to the Department's vision to create healthy and safe working and learning environments for Department employees to thrive and succeed.

ESWID performs its functions through several teams that span from prevention, through to response and recovery, along with strategy, advice and support. These teams adopt a holistic approach for supporting the health, safety and wellbeing of our workforce across schools, central and regional offices. This includes delivery of the Employee Mental Health Reform, Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) and Workers' Compensation policy advice and support, for both physical and mental health and wellbeing. The objectives of the Division are to:

- promote positive wellbeing in learning and working environments
- prevent against known and expected risks to health, safety and wellbeing
- respond swiftly and effectively to manage potential issues as they emerge and prevent injuries
- support employees to recover from injury and illness and return to work.

Attributes

The required capabilities for the role are set out in the position description (see attachment).

Desirable Qualifications and Experience

Essential: Relevant qualification in Occupational Health and Safety, mental health or related field, and relevant policy development and program management experience.

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.

Further Information

Applicants are asked to address the key selection criteria within a cover letter of no more than two pages, including addressing the essential qualifications and experience listed.

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 Lauren Day– Manager, Workplace Psychosocial Safety Service on Lauren.Day2@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 09 October 2025

Applications close Thursday 9 October 2025 at 11.59pm

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