Policy Officer, Aboriginal Social and Emotional

**About the role**:
Are you
- Committed to improving the lives of Aboriginal people in Victoria?
- Skilled in policy design and program development with a proven track record of delivering quality outcomes for Aboriginal communities?
- A team-player with strong written and verbal communication skills, committed to delivering outcomes under tight timeframes?
- Experienced at building and maintaining partnerships with Aboriginal stakeholders and communities?

**About us**:
At the Victorian Department of Health we want a future where Victorians are the healthiest people in the world. A Victoria where our children and people thrive, our workplaces are productive and safe, and our communities are more connected.
We see it as our job to support Victorians to stay healthy and safe. And to deliver a world-class healthcare system that ensures every single Victorian can access safe, quality care that leads to better health outcomes for all.

**How you'll make a difference**:Suitable applicants will be able to demonstrate**:
Knowledge and skills
*
- Policy skills: aware of, interprets and applies policies; drafts simple policies using research skills and consults with stakeholders; provides feedback on draft policies.
- Problem solving: seeks all relevant information for problem solving; investigates and probes for the facts; liaises with stakeholders; analyses issues from different perspectives and draws sound inferences from information available; identifies and proposes workable solutions to problems.
- Systems thinking: identifies and understands the long-term impact of particular courses of action on the organisation's objectives; understands how various processes within an organisation integrate; recognises components of a system and their interconnections.
- Self-management: plans and prioritises work to ensure outcomes are achieved; uses new knowledge or information about self to build a broader understanding of own behaviour and the impact it has on others; understands strong emotional reactions and seeks ways to more effectively manage them.

Personal Qualities
*
- Conceptual and analytical ability: deals with concepts and complexity comfortably; uses analytical and conceptual skills to reason through problems, has creative ideas and can project how these can link to innovations.
- Creativity and innovation: generates new ideas; draws on a range of information sources to identify new ways of doing things; actively influences events and promotes ideas; translates creative ideas into workplace improvements; reflects on experience and is open to new ways to improve practice.
- Integrity: committed to the public interest; operates in a manner that is consistent with the organisations code of conduct; inspires trust by treating all individuals fairly.
- Teamwork: cooperates and works well with others in pursuit of team goals, collaborates and shares information, shows consideration, concern and respect for other people's feelings and ideas, accommodates and works well with the different working styles of others, encourages resolution of conflict within the group.

Qualifications and considerations
- A tertiary qualification in fields related to policy and public health and a sound understanding of the Victorian mental health system would be desirable.
- The Mental Health and Wellbeing Division encourages people with a past or current lived experience of mental illness or psychological distress or as a carer of someone with mental illness or psychological distress to apply.

Specialist expertise
A comprehensive knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal culture, Aboriginal community needs in contemporary society and the ability to communicate sensitively and effectively with Aboriginal organisations and people would be expected.
To learn more please click ‘Apply' to view the Position Description on the Careers.vic website.

**What we offer**:

- The opportunity to perform meaningful work, making direct contributions toward enabling Victorians to be the healthiest people in the world.
- A wide range of growth and development opportunities within the department and wider Victorian Public Service & Sector.
- A strong commitment to work-life balance, including a diverse array of flexible working arrangements.

**How to apply**:
Applications should include a resume and a cover letter. Click the ‘Apply' button to view further information about the role including key contact details and the advertisement closing date.
We are committed to developing and supporting a workforce that is well equipped and highly motivated to provide responsive and quality services to all Victorians. We continue to build an inclusive workplace that embraces diversity of backgrounds and differences to realise the potential of our employees for innovation and delivering services aimed at enhancing the lives of all Victorians.
Preferred applicants may be required to complete a police check and other pre-employment checks including proof of vac