Program Manager, Retirement Villages

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

We are responsible for policy development, regulatory design and administration, system and program design, and the delivery of services in the best interest of Victorians. Our work spans across both the Consumer Affairs and Local Government ministerial portfolios.

We work together to identify strategic priorities, drive system and regulatory reform and coordinate our department’s emergency management responsibilities to improve practical outcomes for the community.

About the Role

Reporting to the General Manager, Regulatory Strategy, the Program Manager, Retirement Villages is responsible for leading key programs of work against CAV’s regulatory priority areas, including regular liaison and engagement with key identified internal and external stakeholders.

The Program Manager oversees and manages priority programs of work being developed and delivered to better understand the regulatory landscape in key industry areas and engage in problem-solving to identify and explore opportunities for improved regulation in identified spaces, including:

• Opportunities for community engagement and education and improvement of internal processes to provide the best available information and advice to consumers to improve outcomes.
• Opportunities for compliance and enforcement action to identify and address breaches and systemic or egregious conduct in key industry areas.
• Opportunities for improved collaboration with other regulators or agencies to address misconduct and improve consumer outcomes.
• Opportunities for potential policy development and reform.
• Identification of key knowledge or process gaps and opportunities for further work in industry areas.

Key Accountabilities

• Identify, source, and coordinate diverse resources across CAV, ensuring alignment and engagement from key stakeholders to facilitate effective program planning, execution, and reporting.
• Provide strategic, high-level, and authoritative advice to the General Manager, Regulatory Strategy and the Director, Compliance & Enforcement, offering expert guidance on operational and strategic issues related to program delivery. 
• Draft and coordinate the production of high-quality reports, submissions, briefings, correspondence, and media content, ensuring compliance with internal standards for document management and tracking.
• Proactively build and maintain relationships and work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders, including across CAV and DGS, other government agencies, industry and the community, including renter advocacy bodies, to improve compliance, build trust in the regulator and support a fair, safe and secure rental market.

About You

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

• Proven experience in leading and managing projects and programs, while fostering a collaborative work environment that drives success and ensures alignment with organisational goals and strategic direction.
• Strong interpersonal and negotiation skills, with a demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships, provide expert advice on processes and policies, and engage with a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Highly developed influence and negotiation skills, with the ability to use direct and indirect strategies to secure agreement to proposals and ideas, and explores alternatives to gain agreement without foregoing key objectives.
• Strong conceptual and analytical skills, with the initiative to identify challenges, develop innovative solutions, and drive improvements that enhance business efficiency and effectiveness.
• Proven ability to prepare complex briefs, correspondence, emails, and reports using clear, concise, and grammatically correct language and ensures appropriate style and format are used.
• A commitment to the VPS values and CAV objectives, including to consciously build Aboriginal cultural awareness, competency and safety and accessible and inclusive services for all.

Mandatory requirements

• Experience in managing program and project delivery to achieve specific outcomes.
• Experience in translating strategic goals into operational actions and outcomes is highly desirable.

This role is an ongoing position. This position is only open to applicants with relevant rights to work in Australia.

For more information, please see the Position Description

How to apply 

Apply before the advertised closing date 11:59pm on Sunday, 15 November 2026. 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.