Director, Group Strategy Projects

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.  

The Group Strategy Projects Branch   

The Group Strategy Projects branch takes a systems view across Local Government and Consumer Portfolios. It maintains a future focus, monitoring emerging data, evidence and trends and collaborating across government to establish a clear strategic plan. It designs, leads and delivers system reform projects in-line with this strategic plan, DGS and Government priorities.  

About the Role 

The Director, Group Strategy Projects leads a team of economists, analysts and strategic policy professionals to develop and monitor the forward strategic agenda for consumer affairs and local government, and to deliver strategic projects that further this agenda.    

The role applies a broad range of strategic methodologies and frameworks in order to understand factors influencing the consumer and local government portfolios over the medium to long term and produces high quality public policy recommendations.   

Key Accountabilities 

• Lead and manage the Group Strategy Projects branch. Direct the branch in the development and implementation of evidence-based policy and program standards, and manage key issues relating to strategy projects 

• Provide authoritative strategic advice and briefings, in accordance with government policy and program directions, to the Minister, Secretary, departmental senior management, and external stakeholders. Identify and promote best practice for the department and within the consumer and local government portfolios   

• Facilitate and lead relationships; liaise, engage and influence internal and external stakeholders. Ensure that consultation is well considered and designed to get the best outcome 

• Oversee multiple, integrated change initiatives with outcomes that have a significant impact on communities, stakeholders and services, or undertake the management of large-scale change projects and programs that constitute a significant piece of work over an extended timeframe and where this is the primary responsibility of the position 

• Build and develop the Portfolio Strategy & Priority Projects (PSAPP) operating model, applying exceptional influencing skills to build the profile of PSAPP as an enabling function and uptake of PSAPP service offers  

• Effectively manage and provide leadership to a team of employees by leading and supporting individuals to achieve their potential while maximising their contribution to achieve their goals and outcomes and modelling behaviours integral to good people management and departmental values 

About You 

We are seeking applicants who have demonstrated experience from the following criteria:  

• People management: Demonstrated effective people management to support and create the conditions for highly-functioning, productive and engaged teams    

• Policy development: Proven experience and demonstrated capacity to identify and address emerging policy issues through high-level conceptual analysis and providing advice to senior stakeholders in a sensitive environment 

• Influence and negotiation: Highly developed interpersonal and negotiation skills. Moves senior stakeholders in new directions using strong negotiation techniques in contentious situations to settle differences and achieve program outcomes 

• Relationship building: Proven influencing, negotiation and relationship-management skills in an environment requiring highly developed interpersonal skills, and a proven capacity for highly effective communication with a range of government and non-government stakeholders 

• Project management: Demonstrated capacity to lead a range of complex projects through partnerships with people across policy and business areas, functions and departments, including those of a whole-of- government nature, and deliver timely and high-quality outcomes 

• Strategic planning: Contributes to organisational strategic planning, developing and implementing business plans consistent with operational frameworks, and developing new areas of practice and innovative strategies while focusing on the achievement of long-term goals 

Mandatory requirements  

• Relevant tertiary qualification in law, public policy, economics, statistics or other relevant field  

• Extensive executive experience within a government context