Office for Early Childhood Development
Job reference: 851780
Location: 5000 - ADELAIDE
Job status: Long Term Contract
Eligibility: Open to Everyone

Why work with us: 

The Office for Early Childhood Development has been formed with a clear mandate: to create a fairer and better future for all children in South Australia by implementing the accepted recommendations of the Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education and Care.   

As the steward of the early childhood development system, the Office will act on government's behalf, and work in collaboration with the sector, to organise and connect the system to reduce developmental vulnerability.  

This includes providing universal access to quality, teacher-led preschool from the age of 3, growing and sustaining a quality early childhood workforce, and greater supports and connected services for families in the 1000 days of a child’s life.   

About this role: 

The Program Manager, Preschool Boost and Inclusion will lead the design, planning and strategic development and implementation of significant reform activities.

This role provides strategic and tactical oversight of the Preschool Boost team, including its direction, governance and performance expectations, ensuring activities are appropriately prioritised, delivered and aligned with agency outcomes.

Preschool Boost is a funding program designed to help Flying Start partner services to do more to address developmental vulnerability and improve outcomes for 3- and 4-year-old children, their families and communities.

The team manages the Preschool Boost Menu of pre-approved quality child development supports, and is also responsible for an Inclusion program of work, developing additional resources and tools for services to support children with additional needs. This team is a part of the Participation, Integration and Inclusion Division, responsible for leading the design and delivery of additional supports to unlock the potential of all children​ through a range of targeted and universal programs linked to preschool.

Your Key Responsibilities: 

• Lead and manage the implementation of a complex program of critical system-wide early childhood reforms and initiatives across the team, including the development and oversight of strong relationships and strategic networks.
• Provide strategic design and planning input, leading the collection, analysis and reporting of data on the performance and implementation of early childhood initiatives, ensuring risks, issues and opportunities are identified and communicated to executives in a timely manner.
• Provide project management and leadership to complex reform projects, ensuring a high level of quality, adherence to timeframes and the successful outcome of key deliverables.
• Lead, manage and motivate a high performing team within a complex reform environment to ensure agency objectives are met, sharing subject matter knowledge and providing guidance to staff to encourage professional learning.

 

About you:

You will bring extensive experience in delivering and applying strategic thinking to lead, manage and motivate a high-performing team to deliver critical priorities that have significant impact on strategic objectives and initiatives.

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

• Experience in leading and managing the implementation of complex, multi-functional programs and projects of critical strategic importance, including those with impact beyond the agency.
• Demonstrated high-level knowledge and experience in applying contemporary project and risk management frameworks, methodologies and government policy to manage the implementation of complex programs within a fast-paced reform environment.
• Interpersonal and relationship management skills with proven ability to build and sustain effective partnerships across senior internal and external stakeholders, including skills in navigating sensitive and high-profile issues with diplomacy and influencing outcomes through negotiation and strategic engagement.
• Experience related to early childhood development, allied health, policy and program management would be well regarded.

 

Role Benefits: 

• Opportunities for professional development and career growth within the public sector.
• Work with senior officials across government and early childhood sectors.
• Access to valuable salary sacrifice benefits like car leases, portable electronic devices, mobile phones, airline lounge memberships, self-education expenses, and more.
• Access to flexible 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:

SM1 - $144,421 as of 1^st July 2026 (1.0 FTE) per annum, plus superannuation.

Additional Note:

This is a full-time 2-year long term contract role (1.0 FTE) with potential to be made ongoing.

Enquiries:

Enquiries can be directed to OECD.PandC@sa.gov.au

Special Conditions:

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

Applications close: 02/08/2026 11:45 PM

Attachments:
- Position Description - SM1 Program Manager Preschool Boost and Inclusion.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.