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 - fundraising manager
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
Hospice manager
Full time position
We are currently seeking a Hospice Manager to lead our clinical team at Very Special Kids.
Reporting to the General Manager Clinical Services, the Hospice Manager is responsible for the operational leadership and day-to-day management of hospice services, ensuring safe, sustainable and high-quality delivery of paediatric palliative care. This is an ambassadorial role that extends beyond clinical operations, engaging with key internal and external stakeholders, including Board members and participation in the Clinical Risk and Governance Committee and Family Advisory Committee. The role provides a unique opportunity to influence models of care while maintaining a visible and supportive leadership presence within the hospice setting.
Leading a team of six, the Hospice Manager oversees workforce capability, service coordination and the delivery of integrated care across clinical and allied health, partnering closely with family support services. The position works in close partnership with clinical governance, medical leadership and organisational functions including fundraising and marketing, to ensure alignment between service delivery, community engagement and sustainability.
To succeed in this role, you will be a Registered Nurse with current AHPRA registration and demonstrated experience in a senior clinical leadership role within complex care environments. You bring experience leading multidisciplinary teams, ideally within paediatric services, with palliative care experience highly regarded. You bring personal resilience and lead with empathy, building trusted relationships through clear communication and a collaborative approach. You operate confidently across both frontline service delivery and broader organisational priorities, balancing strategic oversight with day-to-day operational leadership.
This is a rare opportunity to join a deeply respected organisation and play a meaningful role in shaping care experiences for children, young people and their families, while contributing to the ongoing evolution of a unique and impactful service.
Click here for position description.
Applications are open until Sunday 17 May. Please include a cover letter and an updated copy of your resume to Manelle Connelly on manelle.connelly@davidsonwp.com or Michelle Lyon on michelle.lyon@davidsonwp.com. We will review applications as they are received.
Remuneration on offer is reflective of the responsibilities and management level of this position. As a management position it is outside the EBA framework.
