Organisational structure

This organisational structure shows the membership of the department’s governing board – the Executive Board as at 30 June 2022.

• Jenny Atta, Secretary
• Kim Little, Deputy Secretary, Early Childhood Education
• Tony Bates, Deputy Secretary, Financial Policy and Information Services
  • Andrea Del Monaco, Assistant Deputy Secretary, Budget Reform
• Lill Healy, Deputy Secretary, Higher Education and Skills
  • Meena Naidu, Assistant Deputy Secretary, Economic Recovery
• Kate Rattigan, Deputy Secretary, People and Executive Services
• Kylie White, Deputy Secretary, Policy, Strategy and Performance
• Stephen Fraser, Deputy Secretary, School Education Programs and Support
• David Howes, Deputy Secretary, Schools and Regional Services
  • Lee Watts, Assistant Deputy Secretary, Schools and Regional Services
• Tom Kirkland, Deputy Secretary, Victorian School Building Authority
• Scott Widmer, Assistant Deputy Secretary, Senior Secondary Pathways Reform Taskforce
• Stephen Gniel, CEO, Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority [1]

Early Childhood Education (ECE)

ECE has lead responsibility for the early childhood education components of Education State Early Childhood Reform Plan: Ready for kinder, Ready for school, Ready for life , and for major early childhood reform commitments, such as the progressive implementation of Three-Year-Old Kindergarten, School Readiness Funding and initiatives to improve kindergarten access and participation.

ECE provides oversight of the kindergarten sector, regulates early childhood services (as required by theEducation and Care Services National Law Act 2010 and the Children’s Services Act 1996) and leads the implementation of relevant legislative reforms such as Child Link and the Child Information Sharing Scheme.

Financial Policy and Information Services (FPIS)

FPIS delivers crucial corporate services for the department. Its primary purpose is to provide strategic and technical advice on budget, finance and resourcing, information technology and procurement. It plays a key role in financial management, oversight and reporting across the education, early childhood, and higher education and training and skills portfolios.

Higher Education and Skills (HES)

HES oversees tertiary education in Victoria, including VET, higher education, adult education and lifelong learning. HES incorporates the Office of TAFE Coordination and Delivery which drives cooperation in planning and quality delivery of TAFE training.

HES contributes to the department’s vision and objectives by ensuring that Victorians have equitable access to high-quality and relevant post‑school education and training. These education settings enable individuals to develop deep knowledge, skills and attributes needed for current and future jobs.

People and Executive Services (PES)

PES oversees essential systems such as people services, workplace accommodation, environmental sustainability and employee health, safety and wellbeing. PES also delivers school operational policy reform and engagement, and provides the department with communications and media support, legal services, and ministerial services, including for Cabinet and Parliament support. Other functions PES provides for the department include knowledge and records management, privacy, Freedom of Information (FOI), integrity, audit and assurance.

Policy, Strategy and Performance (PSP)

PSP supports the department to maintain its intensive focus on delivery, performance and engagement to achieve the Education State reform agenda and the department’s vision. It aligns policy leadership with strategy, planning, risk, governance and performance to enable evidence-informed decisions that drive current and future system-wide reforms improving outcomes for all Victorians.

School Education Programs and Support (SEPS)

SEPS shapes the schooling system to foster development and wellbeing, and to provide students with the knowledge and capabilities required for the modern world. It leads policy development and program design to improve educational and wellbeing outcomes, and to ensure that all learners are engaged and active.

SEPS works in close collaboration and partnership with public bodies, service delivery partners, parents and families to lead, monitor and refine the Victorian school improvement agenda.

Schools and Regional Services (SRS)

SRS delivers frontline education, health and professional development services. It is responsible for building the capability of professional workforces, developing excellence in leadership, teaching quality and educational practice.

SRS is the primary interface between the department’s central office, schools, early childhood services and service providers. It guides effective policy and program implementation, creating local opportunities for engagement, partnership and the promotion of best-practice approaches. It also embeds continuous improvement through performance monitoring and delivers emergency management policy across early childhood services, schools and higher education providers.

Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA)

VSBA designs, builds, maintains and upgrades schools and kindergartens to cater for Victoria’s rapidly growing student population and to meet the changing needs of modern education. VSBA brings a different approach to planning education infrastructure, with greater community input, new partnerships with local governments, universities and the private sector, as well as school designs geared to modern teaching.

Senior Secondary Pathways Reform Taskforce (SSPRT)

SSPRT leads the design and implementation of Senior Secondary Pathways Reforms. It works in close partnership with the VCAA, which is responsible for designing and implementing the new Victorian senior secondary certificates. SSPRT also coordinates all existing programs and activities that support vocational and applied learning pathways in the senior secondary system, such as the Head Start and Transforming Career Education initiatives.

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