Senior Policy Officer

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.

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.

The Portfolio Outcomes team:

• informs long term system strategy using data insights, outcomes measurement and econometrics;
• supports the development and delivery of key strategic projects in all phases of the project lifecycle, including economic analysis and to ensure portfolio outcomes are met; and

The Group Strategy Projects team:

• Develops long term system strategy, using inputs from the Portfolio Outcomes team as well as broader context from emerging evidence, stakeholders, government, and considering jurisdictional trends and objectives
• Leads the delivery of Group Strategy Projects, which focus on system reform across the CALG Group Portfolios;
• Enable strategic planning across CALG by providing thought leadership and access to enabling capability in facilitation, ideation and options analysis
• Elicits, evaluates and maintains a register of reform ideas in each of the Consumer and Local Government portfolios

About the Role
As a Senior Policy Officer you will be a senior contributor to significant reform projects and strategic policy initiatives. These high-profile reform projects span several key areas, including housing and cost of living initiatives. The role will require being a key contributor in a team responsible for problem definition, governance design, policy option analysis, drafting Cabinet submissions, business cases, communication and engagement strategies and project management.

Projects will involve working across government departments and agencies to achieve government outcomes. Working with the Manager and/or Project Leads, you will often work in partnership with our Regulatory Policy Division, who lead on the Legislation and Regulation program, and with Service Victoria, who develop technical and product solutions that support Victorians.

You will be an experienced senior policy advisor, with a track record of supporting the delivery of strategic projects in a dynamic environment and building strategic relationships with internal and external stakeholders. You will understand and have experience in strategic policy, stakeholder engagement and project management. You’ll have an interest in new and agile ways of working, with a curious mindset.

Key Accountabilities

• Develops policies, programs and initiatives that impact on programs or major functional areas
• Advocates policy options
• Manages and leads complex projects
• Manages consultation processes including engagement with key stakeholders.
• Negotiates with stakeholders, peers, industry bodies and other government agencies with the objective of gaining co-operation, influencing views and meeting timelines for deliver
• Innovative thinking and analysis influences developments within area of responsibility

Desirable requirements

• Experience in a similar role within a government setting

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

For more information and the key selection criteria, please see the Position Description. 

How to apply:
Apply before the advertised closing date 11:59pm on Tuesday, 28 July 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 candidates will be required to complete a Pre-employment Declaration and Consent Form. Employment of successful candidates will be subject to a National Police Check.  

The department is committed to providing and maintaining a working environment which is safe and without risk to the health of its employees and clients and consistent with the department's obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (OH&S Act), to support this DGS has a COVID-19 Vaccination policy which strongly recommends all DGS employees be fully vaccinated.   

DGS actively promotes diversity, inclusion and an equal opportunity workplace. All roles at DGS can be worked flexibly, however it may differ from role to role.