Project Officer

**Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders including Ombudsman Victoria, Independent Prison Visitors, and liaison with other CV and DJCS business units**:

- **Fixed TerM/Full Time (Ends16/11/2026)**:

- **VPS 4: $97,955 - $111,142 plus superannuation**

The Department of Justice and Community Safety (the department) is seeking a Project Officer, to provide a critical role within Custodial Operations / Corrections Victoria.

**About the Business Unit**

Barwon Prison is a maximum-security facility for men, located 6 km north-west of Lara, 20 km from Geelong and about 70 km from Melbourne, Victoria. The prison accommodates a complex cohort, including sentenced and non-sentenced, high-risk protection, high-security and management people in custody. The prison safely and humanely contains and manages the individual needs of the men, with the aim of providing a successful transition back into the community or on their continued journey through the prison system. The prison embeds the foundations of the Safer Prisons Strategy, recognising that dynamic, physical and procedural security are essential to safety, while a multi-disciplinary approach ensures custodial, clinical and program staff jointly support risk management, rehabilitation and individual care.

**About the Role**

Reporting to the Manager, Operational Performance and Compliance, the Project Officer routinely engages with internal and external stakeholders including the Ombudsman Victoria, Independent Prison Visitors and other CV and DOJ business units. They collate information, investigate and respond to enquiries and requests for sensitive information from relevant agencies with strong consideration to given to privacy legislation.

The Project Officer provides administrative and advisory support to the location's strategic initiatives, meetings and forums. They have strong written communication skills, often preparing complex correspondence that represents the decisions and views of the Barwon Leadership Team and the organisation more broadly.

Some of your duties will include:

- Contribute to the preparation of the prison Business Plan including the planning, coordination, research and reporting against a range of prison business and risk management projects
- Undertake research and consultation to gather information, statistics and views on identified issues, providing analysis, interpretation and related reports
- Prepare complex correspondence that represents the views and decisions of the Leadership Team and organisation

To learn more about this role before applying, please read the attached position description.

**About you**

To be successful in this role, you will have:

- Prepares reports, briefs and correspondence on complex issues that impact at program or organisational level
- Applies negotiation persuasion and motivation skills to manage staff and stakeholders
- Contributes expertise to a team working on complex projects
- Recommends resource allocation to immediate manager in order to meet service delivery priorities

**Qualifications**
- No formal qualifications are required, however demonstrated knowledge and experience in an operational correctional environment would be an advantage.

**How to Apply**

**IMPORTANT INFORMATION**:
**CHILD SAFE STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT**:
The Department of Justice and Community Safety is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. We seek to prevent harm of any kind impacting children and young people and have zero tolerance for racism, child abuse and inequality. Children and young people's rights, relationships, identity, and culture must be recognised and respected, their voices heard, and their concerns acted upon. We aim to foster a culturally safe, child safe and child friendly environment for all children and young people we have contact with, deliver services to, or are impacted by our work.