Deputy Secretary, Early Childhood Outcomes

Job description

**_Transforming early childhood education and development for NSW families_**The NSW Government is making a historic new investment in children, families and their economic future by transforming early childhood education and care in NSW. With a commitment of $15.+ billion over 10 years, the goal is to give every child in NSW the very best start in life and set them up for future prosperity. This landmark investment comes on top of existing and sustained commitments to promoting quality, accessible and affordable early learning in NSW.The Deputy Secretary, Early Childhood Outcomes will lead the delivery of the Early Years Commitment program, including comprehensive investments in the critical first 5 years of life for every child - in child development and in early education and care, making investments that support families and the community now, as well as investing in long term reforms for the future. Key initiatives will include supporting families with young children to access the services they need to support their own prosperity and wellbeing; valuing and growing the early childhood education and care sector and investing in early childhood teachers and educators; and supporting the viability of the Before and After School Care sector services in regional and remote areas of NSW.This is a broad-based new leadership role, reporting to the Group Deputy Secretary, to deliver on the NSW Government’s Early Childhood Outcomes reform agenda, leading implementation of reform actions, providing ongoing strategic analysis, policy development and reform program performance management, to ensure the delivery of high quality services to build a better future for children, families and communities. The Deputy Secretary will also participate as a member of the Department’s Executive with shared responsibility for Department-wide planning, budgeting and review within the framework of the Government’s vision for a coherent early childhood, school and higher education system.Key challenges will include establishing a capable team quickly, given the current tight talent market, with immediate focus on delivery, and developing the team capability to align to requirements as the work evolves; ensuring effective stakeholder management from program initiation to ensure engagement and sound knowledge of reform objectives across the early childhood sector; and meeting every program milestone and targeting budget management during year one of the reform program to ensure budget allocation is fully utilised and brings optimal benefits aligned to program milestones.**About you**You will be an inspirational, collaborative and adaptive leader - mobilising, motivating and orienting teams towards ambitious goals. You will have significant experience in leading the development, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of system-wide reform, including across geographically dispersed regions. You will have an outstanding record of achievement in leading within a complex and evolving public sector organisation, with the highest levels of personal and professional integrity, and the courage, resilience and credibility to effectively lead change.**About NSW Education**NSW Education is the largest provider of public education in Australia, with the purpose of preparing young people for rewarding lives as engaged citizens in our complex and dynamic society. The Department ensures that young children get the best start in life by supporting and regulating the early childhood education and care sector. Children, young people and adult learners are at the centre of all decision-making, along with respect and value for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as Australia’s First Nation Peoples.Applications close on 21 August 2021.Through this process a talent pool may be created for future ongoing and temporary roles.