Principal Policy Adviser

**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 Early Childhood Education group (ECE) plays a key role in operational policy development, service program design and commissioning to ensure a child and family centred outcomes focused integrated system. ECE oversees and works with partners to support the funded kindergarten sector, regulates early childhood education and care services and implements relevant legislative reforms to create a comprehensive, integrated and equitable system.

ECE has lead responsibility for the educational components of the Early Childhood Reform Plan and the transition to Pre-Prep universal 30-hour per week play based learning, expansion of the three-year-old kindergarten program, and Free Kinder. ECE Group is also responsible for the implementation of the Victorian Child Information Sharing Reforms enabling the access to and sharing of information between authorised organisations to improve the wellbeing and safety of children.

ECE works closely with partners in other groups in the Department, the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority, the Department of Health, the Department of Fairness, Families and Housing, Municipal Association of Victoria, various statutory authorities, Local Governments and service delivery partners, parents and families.

**Kindergarten Expansion and Pre-Prep Reform**
This role is a unique opportunity to be involved in delivering a series of new reforms in early childhood education in Victoria.

These reforms include the introduction of 15 hours per week of Three-Year-Old Kindergarten by 2029 and the transition of Four-Year-Old Kindergarten to 'Pre-Prep', a universal 30-hour-a-week program of play-based learning available to every four-year-old child in Victoria.

Kindergarten Expansion and Pre-Prep Reform (KEPPR) works collaboratively across ECE, 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**

The Principal Policy Advisor will:

- ; provide strategic advice on issues associated with reform design and implementation;
- ; engaging constructively and proactively with partners both within and outside the department; and
- ; have a good understanding of government processes.

**Attributes**
**Managing People**: Role models ethical leadership through decision-making and interactions with people. Creates a culture that enables others to perform at their best and achieve outcomes for the department. Champions people engagement as a priority of the entity/group.

**Policy Design and Development**: Keeps up to date with a broad range of contemporary issues and develops complex and far-reaching business case proposals. Builds trusting relationships with senior stakeholders, across VPS, to engender support for proposals.

**Critical Thinking and Problem Solving**: Considers a broad range of topics beyond the relevant entity/group. Works across the government and with senior stakeholders, to develop and deliver sustainable solutions.

**Influence and Persuasion**: Develops long-term and multi-phased plans to influence others. Implements complex strategies to build buy-in from key internal and external stakeholders. Effectively negotiates with stakeholders to achieve desired outcomes

**Desirable**Qualifications and Experience**

Relevant qualifications in education or policy development (or equivalent experience) highly regarded.

**Further Information**

Applicants requiring adjustments can contact the nominated contact person.

**Applications close** 11:59pm on 05/06/2025.