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:
******
Location:
**** - ADELAIDE
Job status:
Short Term Contract
Eligibility:
Open to Everyone
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.
Guided by the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education and Care, the Office for Early Childhood Development is the steward of the early childhood development system in South Australia.
The Office is tasked with a significant responsibility: bringing together a holistic, connected system for early childhood development across South Australia, with the goal of reducing the rate of children entering school developmentally vulnerable. Critical to this is the roll‐out of universal 3‐year‐old preschool from ****, giving every child access to 2 years of teacher‐led, play‐based early learning before school by ****.
About this role:
This role is to backfill parental leave.
Your Key Responsibilities:
Initiate, plan, coordinate, and manage complex policy, project and change management initiatives to support the achievement of key organisational reform objectives and strategic priorities.
Develop and oversee the implementation of systems and frameworks to effectively manage priority initiatives, including mechanisms to monitor progress, outcomes, and compliance with timelines.
Proactively identify risks and challenges associated with initiatives, including policy, legal, and operational implications, to inform decision‐making and ensure alignment with organisational goals.
Provide expert advice to ensure the successful development and implementation of matters that inform and influence the early childhood development research and policy agenda.
About you:




You will bring extensive experience in developing, managing and monitoring contracts and delivering expert advice of grants management related policy, supported by strong communication skills to foster relationships across sectors. Your analysis and evaluation skills will be critical to implementing policy and processes that achieve outcomes in a complex and changing environment.
To be successful in this role, we are looking for someone who brings:
Proven analytical and research skills, including experience in evaluating complex information
Significant experience in delivering high level end to end strategic policy development at the system level
Demonstrated high level communication skills, including report preparation, briefings and concept presentations, recommendations and complex documentation.
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 transparent 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 parental Leave backfill contract role to 7 April ****(1.0 FTE).
Enquiries:
Enquiries can be directed to [email protected]
Applications close: 16/08/2026 11:45 PM
Attachments:
ASO7 Senior Policy and Project Officer.pdf
Pre-employment Declaration.pdf
Flexibility Statement
The South Australian public sector promotes diversity and flexible ways of working including part-time. Applicants are encouraged to discuss the adaptable working arrangements for this role.
#J-*****-Ljbffr

📌 Aso7 Senior Policy And Project Officer (Adelaide)
🏢 Office for Early Childhood Development
📍 Adelaide