Deputy Secretary Planning

Title: Deputy Secretary Planning & Land Services

Requisition ID: 8675

Work Type: Fixed Term Full Time

Fixed Term Period: Up to 5 Years Fixed Term

Location: Melbourne - CBD

Date Posted: 8 Oct 2025

The Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) is at the heart of transforming Victoria's future, operating and reforming transport and land use planning systems to meet the dynamic needs of our rapidly growing and diverse state. By planning, connecting and sustaining communities, DTP is committed to enhancing services, delivering sustainable projects, and fostering a more liveable and prosperous Victoria.

The Planning and Land Services portfolio delivers responsive, customer-focused, and high-quality planning, land administration, and property services that support thriving places and connected communities. The Group ensures secure and accurate registration services for property and land, transactions; provides specialist transport property services including acquisition and management of land assets; and manages Victoria's planning and heritage systems to shape the places and communities of our State. The consolidated system is now a key enabler of the State's housing, infrastructure and economic growth agenda.

About The Role
Reporting directly to the Secretary, the Deputy Secretary, Planning and Land Services leads a large and diverse portfolio that delivers land, property and planning services. Leading a portfolio of 900 staff, you will drive the implementation of Victoria's ambitious housing and economic agendas through high-quality and timely statutory planning outcomes. Collaborating closely with senior leadership, you will contribute to advancing statutory planning systems and delivering key departmental goals.

Embedding reform into the planning and land use systems presents a critical opportunity to drive change that influences both industry and broader systems. Your success will depend on your ability to lead this reform by clarifying accountabilities, strengthening collaboration, and applying consistent, system-wide approaches. Through this, you will help shape a planning system that delivers streamlined, transparent, and effective whole-of-state services.

About You
You will be a highly regarded senior executive with a proven record of leading reform and delivery across large, complex and technical operating environments. You bring the judgement, resilience, and credibility required to provide advice to Ministers and government, and engage industry stakeholders. Experience in land, property planning, or government sectors will be highly regarded. In addition, exposure to reform-focused sectors and multiple jurisdictions will also be highly regarded. You are a recognised for your strategic, resilient and decisive leadership, coupled with exceptional influencing skills to lead and deliver effectively through change and reform.

This is a five-year fixed term SES 3 position.
To view the Candidate Profile for this opportunity, please copy and paste the following link into your browser:

How To Apply
To apply, please visit the Davidson recruitment page and upload your CV and Cover Letter. For any questions not outlined in the attached Candidate Profile and for a confidential discussion, please contact Seamus Scanlon on , Natasha Diamond on or Aleisha Cajaglis on

Davidson acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we work and live. We are also committed to equal opportunity and strive to promote diversity, inclusion, belonging, flexibility, and accessibility in all that we do.

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