- Victorian Public Sector Values: Carries out duties in accordance with legislation and governance requirements, policies and procedures, safety principles, code of conduct for Victorian public sector employees, and Victorian Public Sector Values.
- Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: Takes into account wider business context within business unit when considering options to resolve issues. Identifies recurring problems and prevents future recurrence by integrating solutions into work process. Delivers tangible business outcomes as a result of critically evaluating problems from multiple perspectives and delivering effective solutions.
- Decision making: Responsible for quality outcomes of work and understands the implications of work completed and its impact on department/government policies. Provides authoritative advice and leadership in area of expertise. Provides professional leadership and development of staff in area of professional expertise. Influences departmental policy direction and may develop or change policy as a result of specialised work or research. Typically operates in an environment with a high degree of sensitivity or risk.
- Knowledge and Proficiency: Requires significant experience in the field. An authoritative expert in the field and enhances the standing of the department and its reputation for excellence. Writes, publishes, and presents research, arguments and cases to peers, stakeholders and senior management. Demonstrates strategic management skills.
- Managing People: Role models ethical leadership through decision making and interactions with people. Creates a culture that enables others to perform at their best and achieve desired outcomes for the department. Champions people engagement as a priority. Provides thought leadership on people management across the department.
Director, Fraud, Conduct and Performance
This role reports to the Executive Director, Conduct and Integrity Division, and oversees the provision of high-level, authoritative and strategic advice, support and service delivery in relation to fraud, conduct, performance and investigations.
The Director, Fraud, Conduct and Performance is a critical leadership role in the division and is responsible for leading a high quality and professional investigations unit.
The role leads teams that manage and conduct investigations in relation to fraud and corruption, complaints, allegations of misconduct, as well as supporting principals and managers with unsatisfactory performance and other employment processes under the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 and the Victorian Public Service Enterprise Agreement 2024.
The Director uses data and investigation outcomes to drive detection and prevention activities. The role is full-time fixed-term (3 year contract) and based at our Melbourne CBD office on Wurundjeri Country.
About you
The Director shapes and contributes to education and training initiatives that build the capability of principals and managers to address conduct and performance issues. The Director provides trusted advice to the Executive Director and plays an active role in guiding the Division's strategy, reform agenda and service delivery.
As a senior leader, they partner across the Department to strengthen support for schools, and embed consistent, risk-based approaches to managing conduct and performance. The Director communicates with influence and negotiates confidently, engaging senior leaders to shape sound and defensible approaches to conduct management.
They foster a high-performing and positive team culture by setting clear expectations, driving service excellence and supporting staff wellbeing. They mentor and develop their people, encourage collaboration and accountability, and model the Victorian Public Sector values.
Mandatory: Current (or willingness to obtain) Employee Working with Children Check
Essential: Proven experience leading investigations or intake teams
Desirable: Bachelors degree in a relevant discipline
Desirable: Investigations qualification
How to apply
To be considered for this role, please submit your current resume and a cover letter outlining how your skills and experience are aligned with the key selection requirements of the role.
For further information, please review the position description or contact Claire Smith, Executive Director, Conduct & Integrity on 0434 145 347.
The department is committed to diversity and inclusion and developing a workforce that is representative of the community we service. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQA+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department. The Department recognises that the provision of safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work and diversity across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for staff with disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).
Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via [email protected]
Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.
Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the department's exemplar available at:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/child-safe-standards/policy
The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees, including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the department values is available at:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview
- Applicants should keep a copy of the position description as it cannot be accessed once the job has closed.
- Candidates are advised that the key selection criteria must be addressed. Visit http://www.careers.vic.gov.au/vacancies/tips-for-applying for guidelines and tips for applying for government positions and addressing key selection criteria.
- The Department of Education is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to diversity. The Department welcomes applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for persons with a disability. For more information about our policy:
- visit or https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/disability-and-reasonable-adjustment/overview
- contact Schools People Services on 1800 641 943.
- If you need assistance or adjustments to fully participate in the application or interview process for this role, please contact the person listed under `Position Contact.
- Successful applicants are subject to a satisfactory criminal record check prior to employment. New Department employees are required to meet the cost of the criminal record check.
- If appointed from outside the Department, successful applicants may be required to complete a pre-employment health declaration.
- All Department employees are required to comply with relevant legislation, including the management of Departmental records, the Code of Conduct for Victorian public sector employees and Departmental policies and procedures in the conduct of their employment.
- Standard public service terms and conditions apply. Information about the Departments operations and employment conditions can be obtained from the following websites: www.education.vic.gov.au andhttps://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal.
About People and Executive Services
The Conduct & Integrity Division sits within People and Executive Services, which supports the delivery of great education by providing specialist services.
People and Executive Services is responsible for a range of functions including human resources, workforce health and safety, integrity and employee conduct, child safety and school standards assurance, workforce diversity and inclusion, communications and media, cabinet and ministerial support, executive services, knowledge and records management, freedom of information, privacy, audit and assurance and legal and legislation services.
The Conduct and Integrity Division provides expert advice and support to Victorian government school principals and other people managers in the Department of Education on managing employee conduct and performance including child safety concerns and fraud and corruption.
There are four branches within the Division:
- Preliminary Investigations Branch
- Child Safety Investigations Branch
- Fraud, Conduct and Performance Branch
- Child Safety and Integrity (Policy and Operations) Branch.
The Division leads critical functions with respect to both school and corporate employees and operations:
- child safety misconduct and reportable conduct investigations, including notifications to the Commission for Children and Young People (CCYP) under the Reportable Conduct Scheme in relation to departmental employees and others engaged in departmental workplaces and notifications to the Disability Worker Regulation Commission
- fraud and corruption investigations, including mandatory reporting to the Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC) and public interest disclosure
- developing and maintaining the department's guidelines on managing complaints, misconduct and unsatisfactory performance for the government teaching service and the public service
- providing expert advice and support to principals and people managers to manage allegations of misconduct, unsatisfactory performance, fitness for duty and
- expert advice and management of fraud and corruption, conflict of interest, and integrity performance monitoring and reporting
- pre-employment screening, and expert advice on suitability for employment and management of the department's Employment Limitation policy
- managing relationships with oversight and integrity bodies (including the Victorian Institute of Teaching, CCYP, IBAC, Victorian Ombudsman and the Victorian Public Sector Commission)
- capability building and training activities aimed at increasing staff confidence to prevent, speak up, identify and respond to inappropriate behaviour, reportable conduct and misconduct
- strengthening avenues for staff to speak up about inappropriate behaviour and misconduct
- driving behavioural and system change to build a stronger culture of integrity in the department.
