A rewarding opportunity for an experienced professional to support school leaders to respond to current significant child safety incidents and to assist former students impacted by child sexual abuse in the Victorian government school system.
The Manager, Restorative Engagement and School Support (RESS), plays a crucial leadership role across the branch's two units; the Sexual Harm Response unit and the Restorative Engagement and Support unit.
A rewarding opportunity for an experienced professional to support school leaders to respond to current significant child safety incidents and to assist people impacted by child sexual abuse in the Victorian government school system to navigate support options available.
About the Role
The Manager, Restorative Engagement and School Support (RESS), plays a crucial leadership role across the branch's two units; the Sexual Harm Response unit and the Restorative Engagement and Support unit.
The Manager, RESS, will work alongside other branch managers and a team of committed and expert staff to:
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provide specialist advice and support to schools and other department areas following allegations, findings, and criminal charges of child sexual abuse by an adult working in a Victorian government school, ensuring a focus on child safety and wellbeing, transparency and accountability, and coordinated support for all impacted students, families, staff, and schools.
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lead the various programs and services in place to assist former students who experienced child sexual abuse in a Victorian government school. Role focus areas within this unit will be based on demand, skills, and experience and may include the online information hub and telephone service for victim-survivors, counselling assistance payments program, the restorative engagement program, and supporting schools with queries or requests relating to engagement with former students.
The Manager, RESS, will also play an important leadership role in the operational and strategic management of the branch including planning, training and induction, governance, team management, staff wellbeing, research, development and ongoing maintenance of branch documentation, processes and procedures, business rules, budget, records management, reporting, and evaluation.
Capabilities
The Manager must demonstrate:
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excellent communication skills (written, listening and verbal)
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exceptional attention to detail
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demonstrable sensitivity, empathy, and resilience
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exceptional people management, interpersonal and stakeholder management skills
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cognitive flexibility to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment
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strong skills and experience in preparing complex briefs, reports and papers to senior leaders
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ability to work as a strong team player, with a commitment to contributing to and maintaining a healthy and positive workplace culture
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strong organisational skills including excellent and comprehensive record-keeping skills
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strong problem-solving skills
Mandatory Qualifications
Qualifications in social sciences, counselling, law, or other relevant qualification is essential.
About the Branch
The Restorative Engagement and School Support (RESS) branch leads coordinated responses to institutional sexual abuse matters—both historical and current—working closely with schools and community stakeholders. Through careful communication, targeted programs, and facilitation of support services, the Branch contributes to informed, compassionate, and effective support for victim-survivors and school staff impacted by the trauma of abuse.
The Branch has two units:
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The Sexual Harm Response unit supports schools and other areas of the department respond to current allegations, findings and charges of child sexual abuse by an adult working in a Victorian government school.
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The Restorative Engagement and Support unit is responsible for a number of streams of work aimed at providing information and assistance to former students who experienced sexual abuse in a Victorian government school, including a website and telephone service for victim-survivors, a restorative engagement program, and supporting schools to engage with former students who are victim-survivors of abuse with sensitivity, respect and accountability.
The Branch manages a variety of functions to support its two work units including the department's counselling assistance payments, the case and records management system, and reporting to senior leaders on the work of the branch.
About the Division
The RESS Branch sits within the Operational Policy, School Engagement and Compliance (OPSEC) Division – a supportive, respectful, positive, and collaborative team with a culture of high integrity, responsiveness and accountability.
OPSEC division operates at the intersection of stewardship, assurance, and advisory in school child safety response and school operations:
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Community Engagement and Response in institutional sexual harm
OPSEC leads coordinated responses to institutional sexual abuse matters—both historical and current—working closely with schools and community stakeholders. -
Assurance and Compliance
By providing oversight of compliance with minimum standards for school registration requirements and child safe standards, OPSEC ensures consistent and accountable practice across all government schools through support and assurance. -
Expert Advisory and Operational Support
OPSEC is the primary steward of the department's Policy and Advisory Library, providing the Principal Advisory Service, and being a source of expert advice for the department on its operational policies for government schools and on the volume and timing of Department engagement with schools.
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
For more details regarding the role requirements and capabilities, refer to the attached Position Description.
For further information about the role, please contact Jane Carew-Reid, Director, on mobile 0438 083 899 or
[email protected].
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.
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.
How to apply
Click Apply Now to submit your CV and a cover letter outlining the skills, capabilities and experiences that you would bring to this role.
Applications close 11:59pm on Thursday 23rd July.
