Principal Policy and Project Officer

Location: Melbourne | CBD

Job type: Full time / May 2025

Organisation: Department of Justice and Community Safety

**Salary**: $134,593 - $180,115

Occupation: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services

Reference: VG/DJ1417-SEP

At the Department of Justice and Community Safety, we’re looking for people who want to make a difference. People who take pride in their work. People who get things done. People who are committed to making Victoria a safer place.

We embrace diversity and strive to have a workforce that reflects the community we serve. We’re all about recruiting the best people, regardless of gender, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation or cultural background. If you think you can do the job and would be a good fit for our department, we’d love to hear from you.

The department is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and recognises that children’s rights need to be respected, their views welcomed and valued, and their concerns taken seriously and acted upon.

For more information on working with us and our recruitment process, please visit justice.vic.gov.au/careers

We’re proud of the important work we do across Victoria. Want to be part of it?
- **Utilise your policy and project expertise to provide support and advice Koori Justice Unit**:

- **Fixed term, Full-Time until May 2025 opportunity to work with a high-performing and passionate team in the Victorian Public Service**:

- **VPS Grade 6: $134,593 - $180,115 plus superannuation.**

**_This is an Aboriginal Prioritised position, a role for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, who will be given priority consideration as per the special measures provision of the Equal Opportunity Act 2010._**

**About the Business Unit**

The Aboriginal Justice group drives systemic change in the justice system, by connecting, supporting and delivering better outcomes for the Aboriginal community. We partner with Traditional Owners and the Victorian Aboriginal community to enable them to self-determine their role in policy and services within the justice sector. We collaborate with our colleagues across government to establish strong connections and build capability and awareness that Aboriginal business is everyone's business.

The Koori Justice Unit (KJU) is a unit within the Aboriginal Justice Group of the Department of Justice and Community Safety (DJCS), which has been established to help realise a clear vision of a fair and accessible justice system for Aboriginal people.

The KJU is responsible for coordinating the implementation of the Victorian Aboriginal Justice Agreement - Burra Lotjpa Dunguludja - currently in its fourth phase (AJA4), in partnership with the Aboriginal community and Victorian government, in line with realising Aboriginal self-determination. The AJA has established extensive Government and Community networks through the Aboriginal Justice Forum (AJF), Regional Aboriginal Justice Advisory Committee Network (RAJAC) and the Local Aboriginal Justice Action Committees (LAJAC) and uses them to effectively deliver initiatives including early intervention and prevention programs, diversion initiatives, and rehabilitation and reintegration support.

**About the Role**

As the Principal Policy and Project Officer, you will contribute to the strategic leadership of advice lead the design and implementation of projects and governance mechanisms under the AJA, including coordination of the RAJAC and LAJAC network and Collaborative Working Groups. You will have primary responsibility for the oversight, ensuring sound governance processes are upheld, and will lead the project delivery of initiatives arising from the mechanisms under the AJA.

Some of your duties will include:

- Autonomously lead governance oversight and strategic support of the RAJAC and LAJAC Networks across Victoria.
- Proactively and autonomously scope and lead the delivery of projects, to support effective operation of the Aboriginal Justice Agreement, from conception to evaluation, ensuring risks and critical issues are mitigated with effective management strategies, projects are delivered on time and to budget, and monitoring and reporting on progress meets departmental objectives.

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:

- Excellent knowledge of Aboriginal culture and society and understanding of historical and contemporary issues relating to Aboriginal Victorians.
- Excellent knowledge of public policy development and implementation and knowledge of Cabinet processes and Government decision-making processes.
- Demonstrated experience in advocacy and delivering policy and reform through community partnership and targeted engagement.
- Strong knowledge of, and demonstrated experience, working with Aboriginal communities and advisory groups, including sophisticated and culturally aware stakeholder engagement.