Work Type: Ongoing - Full-time
Salary: $116,413 - $140,849
Grade: VPS 5
Occupation: Other
Location: Melbourne - CBD and Inner Metro suburbs
Reference: 11716
About Us
The Department of Government Services (DGS) was established on 1 January 2023 to improve everyone’s experience of doing business and interacting with the Victorian government. We bring important day-to-day services together in one department to make things easy and seamless for Victorians and businesses. We are doing this by connecting and digitising our systems and platforms across state and local government as well as streamlining our corporate and procurement services.
You can find out more about our Ministers, leadership and entities here: Department of Government Services.
About the Branch/Group
The Consumer Affairs and Local Government (CALG) Group supports better engagement between customers, businesses, and government by leading strategy, policy development, regulatory design, sector support, and program delivery. It focuses on delivering efficient, customer-centred services for Victorians while improving service accessibility, scalability, and digital capability.
The Sector Engagement and Program Delivery Division supports local government and consumer portfolios through the effective management, delivery, and evaluation of funded programs and sector support initiatives. The division works with councils, community organisations, industry partners, and government stakeholders to co-design programs, monitor outcomes, and ensure funding aligns with portfolio priorities. It also supports emergency management preparedness and recovery, administers grants and community funding programs, provides policy and administrative support to the Victorian Local Government Grants Commission, and manages strategic stakeholder engagement activities to strengthen relationships with councils, peak bodies, and local government partners.
About the Role
The Senior Program Officer is responsible for the development and delivery of a range of key funding programs that fall within the direct responsibility of the Minister for Local Government. These include programs that support councils and community organisations in the delivery of services and infrastructure as well as the provision of technical, policy and administrative support to the Victorian Local Government Grants Commission.
The Senior Program Officer will also be responsible for the delivery a range of Ministerial and executive forums and other stakeholder engagement activities. The Senior Program Officer will work effectively and efficiently with r stakeholders within the Sector Engagement and Program Delivery Division, and with key internal stakeholders across the department, other government departments and agencies, peak bodies and the local government sector.
The Senior Program Officer has highly developed written and verbal communication skills and provides authoritative and timely advice to stakeholders on program issues, options and solutions as well as preparing Ministerial briefings and correspondence.
Key Accountabilities
Operational Service Delivery: Provides specialist professional services or advice, including leadership and guidance to other specialists in the field.
Communication: Initiates and maintains relationships with peer and senior internal and external stakeholders.
Policy and Projects: Manages and leads complex projects.
Knowledge and Proficiency: Uses specialist knowledge within a confined field to challenge policies and professional concepts. Applies complex concepts to policy development or research.
About You
We are seeking applicants who have demonstrated experience from the following criteria:
Sector Knowledge and Program Delivery – Demonstrated understanding of the Victorian local government sector, including funding and service delivery priorities, with experience managing, designing, delivering, and evaluating government programs and projects with measurable outcomes.
Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration – Ability to build strong partnerships with councils, government, industry, and community stakeholders through effective communication, co-design, negotiation, and collaboration to achieve shared outcomes.
Policy, Strategy and Outcome Focus – Capability to develop evidence-based policy options, apply critical thinking, monitor community impacts, and align programs and services with strategic priorities and community needs.
Project Management and Leadership – Ability to translate strategy into effective programs and projects, establish governance frameworks, manage risks, solve complex problems, promote inclusive ways of working, and support teams to deliver successful outcomes.
This role is an ongoing position. This position is only open to applicants with relevant rights to work in Australia.
You must be an Australian citizen, as this role requires a security clearance.
For more information, please see the Position Description
How to apply
Apply before the advertised closing date 11:59pm on Tuesday 28 July. All applications should include:
· a resume; and
· a cover letter which addresses the key selection criteria (within three pages).
Other relevant information
To be eligible for appointment to this role, applicants will possess corresponding work rights for the advertised employment period. Appointment to an ongoing role is only available to an Australian/New Zealand citizen or an Australian Permanent Resident. Preferred applicants will be required to undertake pre-employment screening. DGS actively promotes diversity, inclusion and an equal opportunity workplace. We welcome applicants from all diverse backgrounds, including people with disabilities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. All roles at DGS can be worked flexibly, however it may differ from role to role.