Deputy Secretary, Emergency Management Victoria

• Seeking proven resilient public sector leadership experience gained in a complex operational setting.
• Collaborate across the emergency management portfolio to drive operational improvement and sustainable reform.
• Senior Executive appointment (SES3).

The Department of Justice and Community Safety is seeking a Deputy Secretary, Emergency Management to provide emergency management leadership and oversight.

About the Business Unit

Emergency Management, within the Department of Justice and Community Safety (the Department) works closely with government and agencies across the emergency management portfolio. The group is led by the Deputy Secretary, Emergency Management.

Emergency Management includes oversight of statutory entities and offices and the department's emergency management accountabilities including Emergency Management Victoria, Emergency Recovery Victoria, Emergency Management Technology & Data, Entity Reform, and Sector Performance and Investment.

About the Role

The Deputy Secretary, Emergency Management is responsible for the strategic leadership of the group and the provision of strong expert advice to government on policy and program issues, and the development of strategic approaches to ensure agreed priorities and outcomes are delivered

The Deputy Secretary works collaboratively with and supports the Emergency Management Commissioner, who has overall responsibility for coordination before, during and after major emergencies including management of consequences of an emergency.

The Deputy Secretary, Emergency Management will have a comprehensive understanding of government and operational service delivery.

Some of your duties will include:

• Lead, motivate and support a team of senior leaders and their staff to effectively and efficiently deliver operational services and set the parameters in which these leaders operate.
• Provide visible and values-based leadership that drives a collaborative, respectful and a performance-based culture.
• Provide high quality, authoritative and strategic advice to relevant ministers and the Secretary on current and emerging issues, considering associated risks and implications for the department.
• Oversee significant budgets, including developing and managing the finances, procurement, expenditure and allocation of resources for the group.
• Be responsible for leading long term and strategic future planning to ensure the group and areas have the capabilities, expertise, resources and organisational environment and culture to deliver its policies and program priorities.

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

About you

This is a stewardship role that requires decisiveness, high levels of resilience and requires building credibility in the emergency sector through positive influence and a collaborative joint problem-solving approach.

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Highly developed relationship building and stakeholder management skills with a track record in
• building successful partnerships to achieve business objectives.
• Extensive experience advising and working to Ministerial / Cabinet level.
• Highly developed leadership skills with sound experience communicating vision and setting clear strategic direction within complex and challenging environments.
• Significant experience in working collaboratively with a wide range of senior stakeholders, including those who hold independent statutory positions.
• High level communication and interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to influence and provide advice at ministerial and senior executive levels
• Outstanding communication and negotiation skills with the ability to facilitate collaboration and achieve desired outcomes in a complex and sensitive environment.

Demonstrated capability in leading change and driving organisational reform in complex and dynamic environments.

Highly desirable

• Expert knowledge of emergency management arrangements and / or other operational settings.
• Industrial relations know how.
• Commonwealth/state government relations experience.

Qualifications/requirements

• Relevant tertiary qualifications are highly desirable.

How to Apply

Initial enquiries and requests for further information may be directed in confidence to David Baber, Senior Partner at Future Leadership on

Expressions of interest are sought in the first instance and should be made by 11:59pm 2 December 2025.

The successful candidate will be required to undergo pre-employment checks which may include a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC) and misconduct screening.

If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process, or require an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the contact person listed on this ad.

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.