Careers
Working or volunteering for Very Special Kids offers a unique, rewarding and fulfilling opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of children, young people and families facing childhood life-limiting illness. Our circa 100 employees and more than 600 volunteers provide essential, free-of-charge paediatric palliative care services across Victoria.
Culture at Very Special Kids
At Very Special Kids, we cultivate a nurturing and inclusive culture that prioritises the empowerment, support, and safety of our team members as they care for children and families.
We value teamwork, collaboration, and personal growth, creating a positive atmosphere that encourages professional development and wellbeing.
Our goal is for our workforce to reflect the diverse community we serve. We continually seek to employ people of any gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, with a disability, Aboriginal Australians and varied cultural backgrounds.
Why work at Very Special Kids
Learning and development – we are committed to providing programs and opportunities to develop and maintain a highly skilled workforce, including formal and on the job training, and professional development allowance.
Benefits – employees can access discounted health insurance, wellbeing support, an immunisation program, a very special discounts program and free onsite parking.
Careers – we offer generous study leave and study assistance to all employees, a learning and development allowance and annual performance reviews.
Compensation – as a not-for-profit organisation, all employees are entitled to salary packaging benefits including novated car leasing and generous leave entitlements. Service delivery staff receive added value through their enterprise agreement.
Meet some team members
Meg - family support team leader
Meg has been with Very Special Kids since 2013 and worked with us in the early 2000s. Meg is the Team Leader of our highly professional Family Support Team.
Meg has a Bachelor of Science Health from the University of Texas, San Antonio, a Bachelor of Social Work, and a Master of Social Work, both from the University of Melbourne. She is also undertaking a PhD at the University of Melbourne, researching the lived experiences of bereaved siblings aged 5years to 12years. Her specific areas of practice include grief and bereavement counselling and support, psychosocial support, advocacy, play-based counselling with children, children’s rights, community education and program development.
Meg facilitates the Very Special Kids Children’s Advisory Group, where members are responsible for sharing ideas, views, insights, reflections and providing input into the way Very Special Kids supports children within the organisation.
Meg is EPEC paediatrics trained and is a member of the International Work Group of Death, Dying and Bereavement.
Cat - donor relations lead
Cat joined Very Special Kids in May 2021 after many years working with children’s charities.
The former primary school teacher is now part of the team who raise the valuable funds that keeps Very Special Kids open and free to families. “Knowing that every dollar I am able to raise goes towards the crucial programs and services helping the very special children and families in our care, keeps me motivated.”
And on working with Very Special Kids, Cat says: “I feel grateful every single day to work for Very Special Kids – what a very special bunch of people! You’d be hard pressed to find a more rewarding and heart-warming organisation to work for. All our colleagues live and breathe the ethos, and as a result I get to work with such kind, caring and genuine people every day.”
Belinda - physiotherapist
Belinda joined the team in 2017, in a newly created physiotherapy role at our children’s hospice, Very Special Kids House.
Belinda has relished the opportunity to develop the therapeutic offering in the hospice, helping children to do the things that really matter to them and their families. “There are so many more experiences for children and young people in the new hospice. In particular the hydrotherapy pool has become a popular facility where they can have fun, relax, exercise and play”.
Belinda says “While there are moments of sadness, there are also many magical moments of joy and making the most of every day. Very Special Kids is without a doubt my favourite place to work and I am certain I have the best job in the hospice!”
Current vacancies
Fundraising event specialist
Permanent full time position
We are looking for a full-time Fundraising Event Specialist to lead the delivery of our signature and peer-to-peer fundraising events, including 24-Hour Treadmill Challenge, A Very Special Ride, Footy Finals Fever, A Very Special Ladies Lunch, Piggy Bank Appeal and more. Help us grow income, increase engagement, and raise awareness through the development, implementation, and evaluation of our fundraising events.
As a key member of our team, you will lead the operations of all fundraising events, ensuring they are impactful, well-executed, and aligned with our mission. You’ll also play a vital role in stewardship and engagement, cultivating lasting relationships with supporters and stakeholders, while leveraging data and analytics to drive continuous improvement.
As Fundraising Event Specialist, you will:
– Lead the strategy, planning, and delivery of all fundraising events and peer-to-peer campaigns.
– Manage event logistics, budgets, suppliers, and risk to ensure seamless execution.
– Build and nurture relationships with sponsors, event committees, and suppliers.
– Champion stewardship and supporter journeys to drive retention and long-term engagement.
– Use Salesforce and reporting tools to track performance, optimise campaigns, and inform decision-making.
– Lead and develop a high-performing fundraising events team, fostering a culture of collaboration and excellence.
About you:
You’re a strategic thinker and hands-on leader with a passion for delivering exceptional events that inspire action and generosity. You bring:
– 7+ years’ experience in fundraising, event management, or not for profit development.
– Proven success in delivering high-impact events and achieving income targets.
– Strong stakeholder management, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills.
– Experience leading teams and managing cross-functional projects.
– Proficiency in CRM systems (Salesforce preferred) and data-driven reporting.
– A genuine connection to the mission of Very Special Kids and empathy for the families we support.
To be successful, you’ll be a strategic thinker and hands-on leader with a passion for delivering exceptional events, a talent for building relationships, and a data-driven mindset that ensures continuous improvement and measurable impact.
You will bring:
– Proven experience in leading and developing high-performing teams.
– Strong background in stakeholder relationship management, change management, conflict resolution, and negotiation.
– Demonstrated success in fundraising and event strategy and operations.
– Skilled in using data and reporting tools to evaluate performance and drive improvements.
– Exceptional organisational and communication skills.
– Passionate about creating memorable experiences that make a difference.
Click here for position description.
Applications are open until Tuesday 9 September. Please include a cover letter, addressing the key selection criteria and an updated copy of your resume via jobs@vsk.org.au. We will review applications as they are received.
Community fundraising coordinator
Permanent full time position
We are looking for a passionate and driven Community Fundraising Coordinator to help us grow our impact though community led fundraising.
As Community Fundraising Coordinator, you’ll be the friendly face and guiding hand for our incredible community fundraisers. From marathons to sausage sizzles, you’ll support and inspire individuals and community groups to raise vital funds for Very Special Kids.
You’ll be responsible for a diverse portfolio of third-party fundraising activities, providing end-to-end supporter care — from onboarding and guidance to post-event stewardship — ensuring all fundraisers feel supported, appreciated, and inspired to continue their journey with us. You will also help identify and cultivate high-potential fundraisers, converting one-off support into long-term engagement.
To be successful you’ll be a natural communicator with a flair for relationship-building and a heart for community. You thrive in a fast-paced environment and love seeing others succeed. You will bring:
– Strong interpersonal and written communication skills
– Experience in fundraising, events, or community engagement
– Creativity and initiative to develop engaging campaigns
– Experience in managing and co-ordinating human resources including large number of volunteers
– A passion for making a difference in the lives of children and families
– A willingness to work outside of traditional business hours occasionally, to support activities and events.
Click here for position description.
Applications are open until Sunday 31 August. Please include a cover letter, addressing the key selection criteria and an updated copy of your resume via jobs@vsk.org.au. We will review applications as they are received.
Philanthropy specialist
Permanent part time – 0.8 FTE
Reporting to the Philanthropy Manager, the Philanthropy Specialist will play a key role in building and managing relationships with major donors to support income growth and long-term engagement.
As Philanthropy Specialist, you will focus on soliciting a portfolio of current and new donors, developing tailored stewardship and ask strategies, and supporting the development of compelling funding propositions aligned to donor interests.
The specialist will be responsible for prospecting and acquiring major donors to generate revenue growth, delivering multi-channel stewardship strategies, and supporting donor engagement activities including events, meetings, and communications. The busy and dynamic role will also support prospect research, contribute to the development of cases for support, and ensure all donor activity is accurately tracked and evaluated within the CRM (Salesforce).
This position is ideal for someone with strong donor prospecting and conversion capability, as well as relationship management skills. It offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to the growth of the major gifts program and make a meaningful impact on the future of fundraising at Very Special Kids.
To be successful you’ll be relationship-builder with a keen eye for detail and a passion for purpose-driven work. You will bring:
– Strong interpersonal and communication skills
– Experience in fundraising, donor relations and stakeholder engagement
– Excellent organisational and project coordination abilities
– A proactive, collaborative, and donor-centric mindset
– Familiarity with CRM systems (Salesforce experience a plus)
– A passion for making a difference in the lives of children and families
Click here for position description.
Applications are open until Monday 1 September. Please include a cover letter, addressing the key selection criteria and an updated copy of your resume via jobs@vsk.org.au. We will review applications as they are received.
