Why work with us

The Office for Early Childhood Development was created to champion change and to help build a system that gives all South Australian children a flying start to life.

Office for Early Childhood Development

Job reference: 852574

Location: 5000 - ADELAIDE

Job status: Long Term Contract

Eligibility: Open to Everyone

About this role

The Senior Policy and Contracting Officer operates within our Funding Operations and Monitoring team and is responsible for the oversight of operational policy, commissioning approaches, funding operations and monitoring to support the effective delivery of early childhood reforms, with a focus on preschool services.

This role is critical to the management of preschool funding arrangements including the monitoring of provider performance and contributing to the development and design of policies, procedures and documentation.

Your Key Responsibilities

- Manage and maintain funding agreements, variations and other contractual agreements required to deliver funding preschool programs.
- Coordinate the delivery of preschool program outcomes through effective contract monitoring, development of audit plans, liaising with partners and ensuring compliance.
- Provide expert advice that leads innovative change in contracting and monitoring processes.
- Plan and implement complex policy and change management functions to monitor the effective implementation of funded preschool programs.

About you

You will bring extensive experience in developing, managing and monitoring contracts, and delivering expert advice of complex policy changes, evaluations and risks, supported by strong knowledge of early childhood education issues and trends that underpin operational and management practices.

To be successful in this role, we are looking for someone who brings:

- Proven experience in planning,



development and delivery of complex and significant projects to achieve successful outcomes.
- Demonstrated experience in the development of contracts and grant/funding agreements, including implementing strategies for monitoring outcomes.
- A high level of communication and negotiation skills to work effectively with people at all levels within and outside of the public sector.
- Proven experience in providing high level advice and support services to a range of stakeholders in relation to complex policy.

Role Benefits

- A role with real influence and impact in government policy.
- Opportunities for professional development and career growth within the public sector
- Work with senior officials across government and early childhood sectors.
- Be part of an agency with a clear mission to improve the lives of South Australia’s children and families.
- Access to valuable salary sacrifice benefits like car leases, portable electronic devices, mobile phones, airline lounge memberships, self-education expenses, and more. Ask us about how you can make your salary go further working at the OECD.
- Access to flexible working arrangements to get that work life balance.

Remuneration

ASO7 - $116,089 - $125,490 (1.0 FTE) per annum, plus superannuation.

Additional Note

This is a full-time long term contract role until June 2028 (1.0 FTE).

Enquiries

Enquiries can be directed to [email protected]

Special Conditions

For all other special conditions please refer to the attached position description.

Applications close

09/08/2026 11:45 PM

Attachments

- Position Description - ASO7 Senior Policy and Contracting Officer.pdf
- Pre-employment Declaration.pdf

Flexibility Statement

The South Australian public sector promotes diversity and versatile ways of working including part‑time. Applicants are encouraged to discuss the flexible working arrangements for this role.

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📌 Senior Policy and Contracting Officer (Adelaide)
🏢 Office for Early Childhood Development
📍 Adelaide