Project Officer

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About the Department

The role of the Department of Education is to support Victorians to build prosperous, socially engaged, happy and healthy lives. It does this by supporting lifelong learning and healthy development, strengthening families and helping to equip people with the skills and knowledge for a 21st century economy and society.

About the Victorian School Building Authority

The Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) is part of the Department of Education. Established in 2016, it oversees Victoria's largest school building program since the state introduced free public education in the 1870s.

The VSBA upgrades and expands existing schools and plans, designs and builds new schools to meet enrolment demand. We also support schools to maintain their buildings and grounds by offering expert advice and coordinating maintenance programs and grants.

With Victoria recently introducing two years of funded kindergarten, the VSBA is also working with the early childhood sector on a massive kindergarten construction program.

About the Division and branches

The Strategy and Planning Division is responsible for the VSBA's operating framework, investment strategy, policy setting, asset information management, budget strategy and coordination, along with the delivery of specific school strategies, costings, allocate resources for growth, maintenance, and projects through school application- based programs. The Division also plans and co-ordinates delivery of new early childhood facilities and support for the wider early childhood sector to build, improve and upgrade infrastructure through a number of grants programs, including programs which provide funding to make kindergartens for inclusive for children of all abilities.

The Asset Planning Branch designs and delivers school-level infrastructure strategies, manages a number of school application-based and maintenance funding programs, allocates relocatable buildings to address enrolment growth in existing schools, conducts cost analysis of potential school infrastructure projects, and maintains our asset data and management system for school buildings.

The School Grants Unit manages government school grants programs that improve the condition, safety, accessibility and community use of public schools. The Unit manages several school-facing application-based funding programs such as:

• School Shade Sails Fund – funding for schools to fund new shade sails over outdoor learning areas.
• Bushfire Preparedness (Vegetation) Program – prescribed vegetation clearance activities before the start of the bushfire season to reduce the risk of a bushfire on government school sites.
• Capital Works Fund -small-scale priority building projects to improve learning environments, condition or character of schools, or improve the inclusiveness of a school.
• Shared Facilities Fund – helps build community facilities at schools, including early learning centres, gyms, sports courts, or 'community hubs' that provide meeting rooms or health services.
• Schools Upgrade Fund - federal funding to improve learning facilities, including the purchase of air purifiers, upgrading ventilation systems, building outdoor learning spaces, upgrading ICT equipment and urgent repairs.

The Sector Partnership & Grant Branch administers the Building Blocks grants program delivering grants programs to build new and expand and improve kindergartens, making them safer and more accessible. It also delivers the ‘Building Blocks Partnership' program which seeks to agree pipelines of projects between the Department and Councils/non-profit providers to support the delivery of Three and Four-Year-Old kindergarten. The Branch also leads the effective delivery of our infrastructure grants programs for non-government schools.

The Non-Government School Grants Unit leads a small and high-performing team that are responsible for developing and delivering effective non-government school grant programs. The Unit Leads the effective delivery of non-government school grants programs, manages key stakeholders that support the Authority in the grants process, develops internal and external governance arrangements to ensure robust and transparent decision-making protocols are in place and oversee the overall program coordination and management of grants governance and business improvement processes.

About the Roles

Reporting to the Manager Grants (Government Schools or Non-Government Schools), these positions support the effective administration of VSBA's Grants Programs, working across the entire life cycle (from inception, launch, and assessment through to making payments, responding to enquiries, and assisting with monitoring the delivery of projects that have been awarded grants). Successful applicants may support work across the breadth of VSBA administered grant programs, for government schools, non-government schools, kindergartens, local councils and not for profit organisations.

In consultation with Senior Officers, and with reference to VSBA framework of grants-related policies and procedures, the Program Advisor is responsible for supporting the effective operation and on-going development of VSBA's grants programs by:

• Advising key stakeholders on the processes and requirements that underpin the allocation and administration of the grants program.
• Providing information and guidance to stakeholders which assists them in understanding the reporting obligations associated with funding allocation(s).
• Contributing to the preparation of accurate and informative briefing papers and media releases relating to the operation of the grants funding program.
• Maintaining data/information management systems (VSBA currently use SmartyGrants and Oracle) to ensure the accuracy and currency of information.
• Assisting with monthly report generation for managing grants funding program.

Candidates must be able to work confidently and constructively with key internal/external stakeholders in an advisory capacity to ensure the effective operation, management and delivery of the grants program.

All VSBA staff have a shared responsibility to meet the same service standards outlined in the VSBA Customer Service Charter. Our goal is to make every interaction with the VSBA a positive one for our customers, colleagues and key partners regardless of our individual role or team.

Desirable Experience

• The ideal candidates will have a background in administering grant programs in a government setting.

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 John Hobson john.hobson@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 (for example large print) due to any viewing difficulties or other accessibility requirements.

Applications close Wednesday 14 May 2025 at 11.59PM