About us

The Department of Treasury and Finance provides economic, financial and resource management advice to help the Victorian Government deliver its policies. We strive for excellence in financial and economic management to improve the lives of all Victorians.

The Economic Division provides advice to Government to improve Victoria's productivity, resource allocation, competitiveness, and equity. The Economic Division is comprised of four core groups which provide analysis and advice to Government across a breadth of priority issues.

Social Group sits within the Department's Economic Division. Social Group's primary function is to provide proactive economic and policy advice on market and social housing, early intervention and reform, Aboriginal self-determination, health, education and skills and training. As well as providing expert advice and guidance on policy matters, the teams often see ideas through from policy development to implementation and delivery.

Our Social Policy and Services Team provides advice on social and economic policy issues including health and education spanning pre-school to higher education, and is a particular engagement point for First Peoples issues.

Our First Peoples workstream is responsible for supporting DTF's Self Determination and Treaty Taskforce, policy advice on Closing the Gap, the Yoorrook Justice Commission and Traditional Owners Settlement Act 2010 (Vic) (TOS Act) and Native Title Act 1993 (Cth).

The Treaty Team works alongside the Social Policy and Services Team and is comprised of a Director - Treaty, a Senior Manager - Treaty and a Senior Policy Officer - Treaty (this role).

About the role

The responsibilities of the role include supporting the Statewide Treaty negotiations and DTF wide policy coordination and response work to Statewide Treaty. This includes development of negotiation positions, coordination of departmental expertise on negotiation matters and implementation through appropriate collaboration and work with subject matter experts across DTF.

The position also supports and at times leads the embedding of Treaty and self-determination enablers into business-as-usual work. This includes identifying and delivering Treaty preparedness, Treaty alignment and other self-determination reform work across DTF.

Key accountabilities

• Contributes expertise and knowledge, including leading research, to support the development of policy advice, including undertaking complex research and analysis, to inform department positions on Statewide Treaty negotiation matters.
• Maintains strong and productive working relationships with the Treaty Negotiations and Strategy Branch in DPC.
• Leads the preparation of briefings, correspondence and presentation materials on Statewide Treaty negotiation matters and department positions.
• Develops briefings to portfolio executives on proposed Statewide Treaty positions.
• Develops briefings to portfolio Minister(s) on Statewide Treaty progress, processes and positions to ensure Minister(s) are regularly informed on Treaty.
• Manages consultation and engagement processes across the department and portfolio and with key internal stakeholders to test and establish department positions, under direction of Senior Manager - Treaty. Initiates and maintains key relationships across the department.
• Leads the coordination and supports drafting of departmental inputs for Statewide Treaty Cabinet submissions, is influential in negotiations and takes responsibility for ensuring these are developed in alignment with the guiding principles of the Treaty Negotiation Framework.
• Collaborates with the Social Policy and Services team in planning and delivering Treaty preparedness and Treaty alignment activities across the department.
• Collaborates with the Social Policy and Services team to identify and implement business-as-usual reform activity across the department including those related to self-determination, cultural safety, Closing the Gap and the Yoorrook Justice Commission to ensure intersections with Treaty matters are identified and considered.

Key selection criteria

• Policy skills: well-developed conceptual and analytical abilities including demonstrated ability to research, prepare and present accurate and timely advice on complex issues.
• Stakeholder management and influence: proven ability to lead discussions and collaborative work with departmental staff including executives on complex matters. This includes being able to apply discretion with sensitive information, and a demonstrated ability to establish and actively manage effective internal and external stakeholder relationships in order to influence and align.
• Written and Verbal Communication: well-developed ability to accurately, effectively and persuasively present information in written formats in the appropriate style and present this information verbally either formally or informally for a range of audiences.
• Project Management and judgement: high levels of capability in developing, planning, monitoring and delivering projects including discrete time constrained activities that include the navigation of decisions and actions, management of governance groups and/or stakeholders. Demonstrated ability to comfortable applying judgement in ambiguous or changing situations.
• Teamwork: strong self-awareness, teamwork and collaborative skills including the ability to contribute to the team environment by being responsive, flexible and resilient in order to meet team and department goals and uphold the DTF Values. Bachelor's degree and/or postgraduate in public policy, economics, finance or a related field is preferred.

Breadth of experience working in or for multiple government agencies.
Demonstrated ability to communicate sensitively and effectively with members of the Victorian Aboriginal Community.
Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of the Victorian Aboriginal Community, both society and culture and the issues impacting on it.

Experience and qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and/or postgraduate in public policy, economics, finance or a related field is preferred.
• Breadth of experience working in or for multiple government agencies.

Technical Expertise

• Demonstrated ability to communicate sensitively and effectively with members of the Victorian Aboriginal Community.
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of the Victorian Aboriginal Community, both society and culture and the issues impacting on it.

About our culture

We aim to be a model employer providing an inclusive workplace that is understanding and respectful of differences such as gender, identity, race, disability or age. In addition, we are committed to supporting Aboriginal pathways between education and employment.

The Department strives to create an environment that supports a flexible and adaptive workforce. All requests for flexible working arrangements will be considered in line with operational requirements.

Further Information

If you are a VPS employee and identified as the preferred candidate during the recruitment process, you will need to obtain approval from your manager and Executive Director to take up this role as a secondment.

This is a prioritised 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

For more information about the position and key selection criteria, please refer to the position description. If you have specific questions regarding the role, please contact Emma McCue, 0409 615 117.

How to apply

To apply, select the ‘Apply Now' button and provide a copy of your resume and cover letter summarising your skills and relevant experience.

Applications close at midnight, 5 June, 2025. If you require a copy of this advertisement in an accessible format, please contact the Recruitment team.

Covid-19 Vaccination
DTF 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 DTF has a COVID-19 Vaccination policy which strongly recommends all DTF employees be fully vaccinated.