This position is based in the Department of Education's North Western Victoria Region and is a VPS 5, 1.0 FTE ongoing role. About the Department The role of the Department of Education is to support Victorians to build prosperous, socially engaged, happy and healthy lives. It does this by supporting lifelong learning and healthy development, strengthening families and helping to equip people with the skills and knowledge for a 21st century economy and society. About the Division Student Wellbeing and Engagement Division Divisional staff work closely with both local area and key central office program / policy areas to promote and support regional and statewide consistency and lead professional practice and coordination across the region relating to student health, wellbeing, inclusion and engagement support. About the Role An exciting opportunity exists for you as a Youth Justice Advisor (YJA) to support the education engagement and participation of students involved with Youth Justice. Key functions of the YJA role include: * Establishing and maintaining effective working partnerships with DE Area, Divisional and Central colleagues to support policy and program implementation. This includes the Education Justice Initiative, Education Early Intervention Officers and other relevant programs. * Building the capabilities of schools to tailor education supports to meet the educational needs of students in contact with the Youth Justice system. Activities include delivering professional learning, running workshops, providing consultation, advocacy and advice. This will include building understanding of trauma and how this presents in the classroom settings and the impacts on children and young people involved with Youth Justice. * Referring complex cases for support, and using this as an opportunity to build the capabilities of schools and other stakeholders to overcome complex barriers to engagement in education. * Collecting, effectively analysing and implementing findings from data to better direct efforts, and understand the impact of actions. * Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with Parkville College, Child Protection, DJCS, and Youth Justice Case Managers to improve outcomes for young people. To be successful in this role you will: * Work collaboratively to guide others to create a culture of collaboration and identify, and work to overcome barriers through sharing knowledge and information * Have experience in supporting schools and/or students ‘at-risk' or engaging with Youth Justice (desirable) * Have proven ability to effectively build and maintain strategic relationships with internal and external stakeholders at all levels through effective communication and exceptional consulting abilities * Have effective problem-solving capability to resolve or escalate operational service queries * Track record in identifying opportunities to work with other teams to deliver outcomes. * Expertise in building and maintaining trust in partnerships, to achieve objectives through a timely delivery of high-quality outcomes. * Expertise to facilitate discussions and navigate difference of opinions to reach decisions * Provide a sense of purpose within the team by establishing links between work and impact to the community. Attributes Do you have experience working with vulnerable children and young people and the ability to navigate complex issues and make decisions that impact stakeholders both within and beyond your immediate work area? Are you flexible and do not mind some travel to different locations? Your capability for collaboration, driving continuous improvement, and cultivating genuine relationships will be pivotal for your success in this role. Desirable Qualifications and Experience * Training or qualifications (or extensive equivalent experience) in Youth Justice or Criminology * Relevant tertiary qualification in Education or other relevant field (such as Psychology or Social Work) * Experience in working across the education sector is desirable for this role, as is the ability to work with schools both at an individual staffing level, and the broader school system level. Further Information For more details regarding this position please see attached position description for the capabilities to address in application. The department values diversity and inclusion in all forms - gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. For more information about our work, working for the Department, diversity and inclusion, and our employment conditions visit the Department website and our Diversity and Inclusion page Applicants requiring adjustments can contact the nominated contact person. Information about the Department of Education's operations and employment conditions can be located at www.education.vic.gov.au. For further information pertaining to the role, please contact Chris Dickinson christopher.dickinson@education.vic.gov.au Preferred applicants may be required to complete a police check and may be subject to other pre-employment checks. Information provided to the Department of Education will be treated in the strictest confidence. Please let us know via phone or email if you require any adjustments to ensure your full participation in the recruitment process or if you need the ad or any attachments in an accessible format (e.g. large print) due to any viewing difficulties or other accessibility requirements. Applications close 11:59pm on Wednesday 27 May 2026.