ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

The department provides a wide range of learning and development support and services.
The department provides policy leadership, plans for the future of education in Victoria and leads key cross-sector collaboration. The department plays an important system steward role by providing support, guidance, oversight and assurance across early childhood and school education systems, as well as directly providing school education and 50 new early learning centres.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Director, Student Mental Health will lead student mental health policy and programs, including the Department of Education’s response to the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.

The Director will oversee a Branch consisting of several teams, with portfolio responsibilities including:

• Student mental health policy development and advice
• Responding to the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System, including by establishing and implementing a Schools Mental Health Fund and Menu
• Expanding the Mental Health in Primary Schools program and delivering a range of other mental health programs
• Supporting broader strategic objectives through the Wellbeing, Health and Engagement Division Executive Group.

Reporting to the Executive Director, Wellbeing, Health and Engagement Division, the role requires a highly organised and experienced leader who can perform under pressure, with excellent policy development and stakeholder management skills. This involves:

• working with regional and school-based colleagues, as well as across other departmental groups, on delivering improved student mental health and wellbeing outcomes through effective partnerships and collaboration
• providing strategic and authoritative evidence-informed policy and operational advice in relation to student mental health to support the Executive Director, Deputy Secretary SEPS, other departmental groups and Ministers
• representing the division and department on governance groups and intergovernmental forums
• participating actively as a member of WHED, SEPS and the department’s executive leadership group
• creating and sustaining a high-performance branch culture that encourages continuous improvement and a healthy work environment
• overseeing and ensuring effective and efficient management of the branch’s budget and related administrative processes