Principal Project and 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.

**About the role**
As a Principal Project and Policy Officer, you will lead, or be the senior contributor to, significant reform projects and strategic policy initiatives.

These high-profile reform projects span several key areas, including housing, cost of living and local government initiatives. The role will require problem definition, governance design, policy option analysis, drafting Cabinet submissions, operating model design including associated costings, business cases, communication and engagement strategies and project management.

Projects will involve working across government departments and agencies to achieve government outcomes. You will often work in partnership with our Regulation and 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 principal advisor, with a track record of delivering strategic projects in a dynamic environment and building strategic relationships with internal and external stakeholders. You will be proficient in strategic policy, stakeholder engagement and project management. You'll have an interest in new and agile ways of working, with a curious mindset.

**About you**

To be considered for the role, you must be able to demonstrate:

- Strong project management skills and the ability to perform effectively under pressure in a dynamic environment.
- Experience in scoping, planning, mapping, and tracking projects with parallel streams and many different stakeholder groups to influence.
- Formulates and communicates public policy options and recommendations.
- Analyses and critically evaluates information and the potential implications and risks of proposed policy options and develops innovative policy solutions to complex issues that meet government and departmental objectives.
- Well-developed written and verbal communication skills, ability to confidently convey complex concepts and information that understand and meet the needs of a targeted audience at various levels of government.
- Expertise in the preparation of Cabinet submissions, briefings and options analysis on a variety of issues.
- Diagnoses of root cause issues, trends, and opportunities in the internal and external environment.
- Demonstrated ability to coordinate teams, provide advice to managers and feedback on complex issues
- The demonstrated ability to coordinate teams, provide internal consultancy to managers and authoritative advice on complex issues.
- A relevant planning and project management qualification is desirable.

**Key accountabilities**
- Conducts research and analysis to provides advice to department executives and ministers on social, legal, regulatory and governance policy-related policies, projects and trends.
- Provides well-reasoned and clear written advice to inform strategic decision making by government and the department.
- Identifies and responds to new and emerging issues impacting on the operating environment.
- Negotiates with peers (internal and external) to gain commitment to develop policy and support project delivery.
- Manages development of key policy documents, including briefings, correspondence, submissions, reports, presentations and Cabinet Papers.
- Develops and manages the full suite of project management documentation.
- Works flexibility in a team; is willing to change direction, assist team members outside immediate team and work to achieve group outcomes.

For specific responsibilities please review the attached position description.

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

**How to apply**
- a resume; and
- a cover letter which addresses the key selection criteria (within three pages)

**Other relevant information**

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. 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 ro