Office for Early Childhood Development
Job reference: ******
Location: **** - ADELAIDE
Job status: Long Term Contract
Eligibility: Open to EveryoneWhy 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:
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 versatile
working arrangements to get that work life
balance.
Application
Instructions and Information:
Applications should be
made through the IWorkForSA website.
Applicants must submit a
CV, Pre-employment Declaration, and a cover letter outlining their
suitability against the attached position description.
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 **** (1.0
FTE).
Enquiries:
Enquiries
can be directed to ******
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 flexible ways of working including part-time.
Applicants are encouraged to discuss the flexible working arrangements for this role.

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