Work Type: Fixed-term - Full-time
Salary: $232,790 - $298,488
Grade: VPS SES1
Occupation: Leadership and management
Location: Melbourne - CBD and Inner Metro suburbs
Reference: VG/DFFH/CDS/TBC2
THE ROLE
Reporting to the Program Director, the Deputy Program Director is the program's principal VPS executive accountable for technology delivery governance and program execution within the Communities and Families Transformation Program (CFTP). The role holds the formal delegations that the contractor Program Director cannot exercise — including financial, procurement, technology resource, and people management authorities across the technology organisation — and acts as Program Director in their absence, providing the leadership continuity and formal succession the program requires. The Deputy Program Director leads the Lean Program Management Office (Lean PMO), driving execution-focused, metric-based delivery tracking across all program streams, and works closely with the governance and reporting functions within the Service Transformation organisation to translate program metrics into formats appropriate for government reporting. The role holds formal line management accountability for approximately 30 to 40 VPS staff working within contractor-led and embedded team structures, and maintains a functional reporting relationship to the DFFH Chief Information Officer (CIO) on matters of formal VPS technology governance.
The Deputy Program Director is key part of the program's senior leadership team, alongside the Program Director and the Executive Director – Service Transformation. This co-leadership model requires each member to exercise their distinct accountabilities transparently, share program information openly, actively create the conditions for the others to discharge their responsibilities, and resolve disagreements through agreed mechanisms. The Deputy Program Director must be equally effective operating within formal reporting lines and within the broader matrixed accountability structure the role carries — including the day-to-day direction of the Program Director, the formal ICT delegation from the CIO, and the partnership relationship with the Executive Director on commercial and governance matters.
This is a rare opportunity to hold a genuine SES 1 executive role at the operational centre of one of Victoria's most significant social services technology programs. The Deputy Program Director is not a coordination role or a shadow to the Program Director — it carries formal technology governance delegations from the CIO, line management accountability for a substantial VPS workforce, and real succession authority over a $126 million program. The right person will thrive in an environment that demands both delivery discipline and institutional credibility: someone who builds trust across a complex team of contractors and VPS staff, serves as the program's primary troubleshooter, and can step into full program leadership without a transition period. This role offers direct exposure to the most demanding technology governance and delivery challenges in Victoria's human services sector.
ACCOUNTABILITIES INCLUDE
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HOW TO APPLY
Applicants are encouraged to apply online. Attachments can be uploaded in .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt or .rtf formats.
Applicants are required to submit a CV and Cover Letter (max 2 pages) outlining their suitability to the role in line with the Key Selection Criteria.
Applicants must be an Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident or hold a valid work permit or visa. Work eligibility will be checked as part of the recruitment process.
Preferred candidates will be required to complete pre-employment screening, including a national police check and misconduct screening.
For more information on working with us and our recruitment process, please visit Department of Families, Fairness and Housing Victoria | Jobs (www.dffh.vic.gov.au/jobs)
Please apply to submit your interest in this position.