Very Special Kids · Malvern, Melbourne, Australia
Lead a purpose driven kitchen in a supportive hospice environment
Make a meaningful impact by preparing meals that support health and wellbeing of children and young people with life-limiting conditions
Fixed-Term Part-Time role based in Malvern, 3 days/22.5 hours per week with occasional weekend shifts
About the role
This is a part-time, fixed-term position (October 2026 until June 2027) leading kitchen operations at Very Special Kids House in Malvern. You will prepare nutritious, personalised meals for children and young people with life-limiting conditions. Working days are Wednesday to Friday with 22.5 hours per week and the occasional additional shift on weekends (Saturday). As a key member of the hospice team, you will be responsible for preparing and coordinating meals that meet the individual dietary needs of children and young people in our care. This includes family-style meals and specialised diets such as texture-modified meals and PEG feeding. You'll ensure meals are prepared safely, sensitively, and in alignment with each child's clinical and cultural needs.
Key responsibilities
Plan and prepare daily menus in line with paediatric dietary guidelines.
Collaborate with nursing and intake teams to understand individual feeding requirements.
Order and manage kitchen supplies to ensure consistent availability.
Maintain high standards of food safety, hygiene, and allergen management.
Provide catering support for small-scale events.
Supervise and support volunteers in the kitchen.
About you
Certificate in Commercial Cookery or equivalent
Experience in healthcare, disability, or aged care settings
Food Safety Supervisor certificate
Ability to prepare meals for diverse cultural and medical needs
Excellent communication and teamwork skills
Empathy and alignment with Very Special Kids guiding principles
Working with Children Check and Police Record Checks required
Clinical Services staff must provide evidence of vaccination against COVID-19 and seasonal flu vaccinations
About us
At Very Special Kids, we nurture and foster a culture where our team is empowered, supported and safe through the process of caring for children, young people, and families. Very Special Kids is committed to the safety, wellbeing and inclusion of all children. As part of our diverse, expert team you will have access to education and training to enhance your personal and professional development; expert specialist resources; and the well-being support you need to make a bigger impact in the lives of children and their families.
The role will be located at our purpose built Very Special Kids House, located in Malvern. Our new state-of-the-art hospice (including hydro-therapy pool) is a world class facility that supports the complex needs of the children and young people in our care.
Benefits
Supportive team environment
Beautiful setting conveniently located to shops, parking and transport in Malvern
Salary packaging
Health & wellbeing initiatives
Targeted individual development plans
At Very Special Kids, 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. If this sounds like you, please take a look at the position description on our website www.vsk.org.au .
Please include a cover letter addressing your experience and how it aligns to the requirements of the role being advertised along with an updated resume.
We review and progress applications as they are received, so don’t wait, Apply now .
Very Special Kids is committed to providing a child-safe environment and requires all staff to have Working with Children Check and Police Record Checks. Clinical Services staff are also required to provide evidence to demonstrate vaccination against COVID-19 and seasonal flu vaccinations.
A position description is attached.