Senior Program Officer

Description:

An exciting ongoing opportunity exists for two driven and motivated individuals to join the Social Policy Group, Multicultural Affairs Branch, as a Senior Program Officer at the Department of Premier and Cabinet.

Multicultural Affairs works in partnership with Victoria's diverse multicultural communities and brings together all the policy functions and program activity areas that drive the Victorian Government's policy agenda and commitment to fostering an inclusive, engaged and harmonious multicultural community in Victoria. The Division has two branches: Programs and Partnerships, and Policy.

The Senior Program Officer role requires a program lead who has strong program and grant management skills and experience. The role will strategically lead the administration, design and delivery of key grant programs and initiatives in multicultural affairs, as well as delivery of election commitments and other program priorities.

The role also requires highly developed program monitoring and written communication skills and the ability to identify and respond to operational and reputational risks and program opportunities. You will have strong interpersonal and self-management skills to build effective relationships with diverse stakeholders and to supervise and motivate a small team to deliver high quality outcomes in a dynamic and complex environment.

The Victorian Public Service (VPS) is committed to supporting diverse, inclusive and equitable workplaces for employees. Flexible working supports greater participation by a broader range of Victorians in our public service. To support business needs and team culture, the successful applicant will attend the office three days per week with current anchor days on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The third day of attendance will be agreed with the Manager on commencement.

About You

As our ideal candidate, you will have:

• Demonstrated extensive grants management experience, including the design and implementation of community programs and knowledge of grants management systems.
• Demonstrated effective people management to support and create the conditions for a high functioning, productive and engaged team.
• Highly developed relationship managements skills and ability to formulate and communicate grant programs options and recommendations of proposed options with people at all levels.
• Sound conceptual and analytical skills and ability to deal with concepts and complexity comfortably and uses analytical and conceptual skills to reason through problems.
• Highly developed problem solving skills and ability to identify and propose workable solutions to problems and work effectively with stakeholders and implement solutions.
• Excellent written communication skills and ability to prepare briefs, submissions, correspondence and reports on a range of complex and/or sensitive issues.
  
  

Mandatory requirements:

This is a special measures role and only people from multicultural backgrounds are eligible to apply for this position, as per the Equal Opportunity Act 2010. Please include in your cover letter how you meet the special measure requirement.

Desirable

Experience in working with multicultural communities and organisations to deliver programs that provide impactful outcomes for communities in Victoria.

For more details regarding this position, please see attached position description for the key selection criteria to address in application.

The closing date for this position is midnight, Thursday 11 December 2025.

How to apply: Apply before the advertised closing date, all applications should include:

• a resume
• a cover letter which addresses the key selection criteria (within three pages)
  
  

This position is only open to applicants with relevant rights to work in Australia.

Other Relevant Information

The department is committed to providing and maintaining a working environment which is safe and without risk to the health of its employees and clients and consistent with the department's obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (OH&S Act), to support this DPC has a COVID-19 Vaccination policy which strongly recommends all DPC employees be fully vaccinated.

Preferred candidates will be required to complete a Pre-employment Declaration and Consent form. Employment of successful candidates will be subject to a National Police Check.

DPC actively promotes diversity, inclusion and an equal opportunity workplace. We welcome applicants from all diverse backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people with disabilities. All roles at DPC can be worked flexibly, however it may differ from role to role.