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 Learning Operations and Monitoring (ELOM) Division leads core funding, policy, operational and monitoring functions for funded three and four-year-old kindergarten in Victoria.
The Division consists of two branches:
- Early Learning Funding and Operations Branch
- Sector Monitoring and Support Branch
Key responsibilities of the Early Learning Funding and Operations Branch include:
- Kindergarten organisational and program requirements as set out in the Kindergarten Funding Guide
- Setting funding rates and eligibility for all kindergarten setting types and subsidies
- Free Kinder
- Kindergarten data collection, monitoring and reporting.
Key responsibilities of the Early Learning Sector Monitoring and Support Branch include:
- Kindergarten contract management policy and oversight
- Leading financial assessment and monitoring of funded kindergarten providers
- Data insights and analytics
- Centrally managed and procured kindergarten supports, including payroll and IT
- Coordination of ECE's contribution to key departmental processes including business planning, the annual report, budget submissions and parliamentary committees.
ELOM Division works closely with other divisions across ECE, other central divisions including Performance and Evaluation Division, and early childhood staff in Regions and Areas. ELOM Division plays a key role in providing input and expertise into the planning and implementation of Best Start, Best Life reform activities as well as providing advice and support to Early Childhood Implementation Branches.
ELOM Division also works in consultation with key sector peak bodies and stakeholders.
About the Role
This is an ongoing full time 1.0FTE role.
The Principal Policy Adviser, Early Learning Funding leads the development of funding policy, complex modelling and strategic analysis to support the design and delivery of kindergarten funding. The role provides authoritative policy advice, develops funding methodologies and costings, and ensures the integrity of funding data, analysis and reporting.
Working across a complex and evolving policy environment, the role plays a key part in shaping kindergarten funding settings, supporting budget processes and reforms, and ensuring funding is delivered accurately and aligned with government priorities.
Key responsibilities include:
- Developing funding policy and undertaking complex modelling across kindergarten funding streams, including School Readiness Funding
- Providing high-quality policy advice on funding settings, risks and impacts
- Analysing, validating and reporting on funding data to support funding decisions and maintain system integrity
- Supporting the management and monitoring of the kindergarten funding budget, including financial analysis and reporting
- Leading costings, modelling and analysis to inform funding options and reforms
- Building and maintaining effective relationships with stakeholders across government and the early childhood sector to support policy development and implementation
- Contributing to a collaborative, high-performing team culture and supporting continuous improvement.
Attributes
The ideal candidate is an experienced leader with policy and analytical expertise, who has demonstrated experience in funding and public policy and financial modelling and analysis. They have a proven ability to lead complex policy initiatives, navigate ambiguity and deliver strategic outcomes in a dynamic operating environment.
They bring exceptional analytical and conceptual skills, with the ability to synthesise complex information, identify emerging issues and provide clear, authoritative advice to senior executives and government. They also bring exceptional critical thinking and problem-solving skills to identify solutions to a broad range of issues from service-level to the sector-level. They exercise sound judgement, think strategically and can balance competing priorities while delivering high-quality outcomes within tight timeframes.
The role requires highly developed stakeholder engagement, negotiation and influencing skills. The successful candidate will establish trusted relationships across the department, with central and regional teams, Commonwealth and Victorian Government agencies, local government and peak bodies, enabling effective collaboration and the successful delivery of policy and funding reforms.
They will demonstrate initiative, resilience and a continuous improvement mindset, providing leadership through expertise, collaboration and influence to support the department's strategic objectives.
Desirable Qualifications and Experience
- A suitable tertiary qualification in a related field (such as accounting or economics) is desired.
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 Josh Ticchi - Manager, Early Learning Funding [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 Wednesday 19 August 2026
