About Us
The Department of Government Services (DGS) was established on 1 January 2023 to improve everyone’s experience of doing business and interacting with the Victorian government. We bring important day-to-day services together in one department to make things easy and seamless for Victorians and businesses. We are doing this by connecting and digitising our systems and platforms across state and local government as well as streamlining our corporate and procurement services.
You can find out more about our Ministers, leadership and entities here: Department of Government Services.
The Planning and Performance Branch
The Planning and Performance branch delivers a range of services across CALG aiming to support and uplift capability in governance, planning and budgetary control as well as project and program development, control and delivery.
The Evaluation Services team:
-
develops and oversees the CALG performance framework and outcomes scorecards
-
measures, assesses and reports on DGS and CALG performance through evaluation of key projects;
-
uses monitoring and evaluation to generate data and robust evidence; drives continuous improvement through high quality monitoring and evaluation that generates robust evidence and insights, ensuring strong alignment with whole-of-government policies and frameworks for evidence-based planning, policy development, and compliance; and
-
ensures implementation and evaluation planning are considered thorough project initiation, development and delivery.
The Governance & Planning team:
-
supports CALG group executives and business units with coordination and delivery of budgets, planning, reporting, and governance functions;
-
supports business and corporate services across CALG and maintains stakeholder relationships across the enterprise; group; division; and branch layers responsible for delivering these services;
-
provides direction, reports, and recommends model processes and frameworks that enable accountable oversight, with evidence, insights, and analysis for better decision-making that contributes to the efficient and effective delivery of services, projects and programs; and
-
delivers Group support for annual activities (PAEC, Budget Bids), portfolio correspondence and supports establishment management.
The Group Project Management Office (PMO) team:
-
Administer and drive the DGS/CALG Project Management Framework including the development and maintenance of tools, templates and processes.
-
Support CALG with continuous uplift in project management practices
-
Provide the Secretariat function for integrated Priority Projects including the Priority Projects PCB.
-
Provide support and oversight of major initiatives / projects / programs across the various CALG delivery areas as a coordinating feature of the integrated pipeline model.
-
Supports the Portfolio Strategy, Projects & Performance matrix delivery model
About the Role
Reporting to the Manager, Governance and Planning, the Senior Advisor, Portfolio Services supports the effective delivery and improvement of executive and ministerial services within the Consumer Affairs and Local Government group.
The role works within a team that provides a central point of coordination for portfolio areas, managing Ministerial and Departmental correspondence and supporting a series of government administration processes, including Freedom of Information (FOI); parliamentary products; preparation for Public Accounts and Estimates Committee hearings; central correspondence management and service user feedback, as well as statutory appointment materials.
The role works in coordination with other areas of the Portolio Strategy, Performance & Priority Projects division; the Consumer Affairs and Local Government group; and DGS more broadly. The role also helps to manage key relationships with external bodies, such as the Victorian Ombudsman.
The role also seasonally supports governance and planning activities where required, such as inputs for Annual Reports and incoming government and portfolio minister briefing processes. Through these activities, the role ensures effective governance and oversight for executives.
In undertaking its work functions, the role is also responsible for ensuring timely and polished deliverables, and that department-aligned process is applied (and where possible, continuously improved) across the scope of work. Strong stakeholder engagement; high attention to detail; and acumen in government administration are critical for success in this role.
Key Accountabilities
- Works within a team responsible for handling high volumes of Ministerial and Departmental correspondence and complaints, ensuring handling is in accordance with business rules; legislative requirements; and expectations of endorsers, stakeholders, and recipients.
-
Administers and provides specialist advice on a range of processes on behalf of executives and ministerial portfolios, including (but not limited to) coordinating preparations for Public Accounts and Estimates Committee (PAEC) hearings; coordinating freedom of information requests for CAV; managing feedback and complaints regarding CAV services (from individuals and entities such as the Victorian Ombudsman); and coordinating materials and advice for portfolio statutory appointments.
-
Provides services to the office of the ministers responsible for CALG portfolios, including managing the process for appointments to statutory bodies and other entities within the portfolio and managing responses to Parliamentary Matters such as Questions on Notice, Constituency Questions, and Adjournment Debates – and preparing Possible Parliamentary Questions.
-
Prepares or contributes to the preparation of authoritative reports; papers; presentations; briefs; Cabinet items; and correspondence within tight timelines and at an exceptional level of quality and clarity.
-
Produces reports that provide assurance on the effectiveness of activities and identify opportunities for improvement, researching and analysing complex issues and interpreting data to develop informed, evidenced-based recommendations.
-
Develops and maintains strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders to ensure effective working relationships.
-
Provides support as required on an ad hoc basis to other functions within the responsible scope of the Governance and Planning team, such as incoming government briefings; and innovative and continuous improvement projects – with an efficiency-focused and empathetic change management lens.
Mandatory requirements
-
Relevant tertiary qualifications relating to public administration; law; or policy would be highly regarded.
-
Relevant experience working in government coordination roles (e.g. executive coordination, strategic adviser, or departmental liaison roles) would be highly regarded.
-
Relevant experience or subject matter expertise working within CALG portfolio areas would be highly regarded.
This is an ongoing position. This position is only open to applicants with relevant rights to work in Australia.
For more information, please see the Position Description.
How to apply
Apply before the advertised closing date 11:59pm on Sunday, 26 July 2026. All applications should include:
-
a resume; and
-
a cover letter which addresses the key selection criteria (within three pages).
Other relevant information
To be eligible for appointment to this role, applicants will possess corresponding work rights for the advertised employment period. Appointment to an ongoing role is only available to an Australian/New Zealand citizen or an Australian Permanent Resident. Preferred applicants will be required to undertake pre-employment screening. DGS actively promotes diversity, inclusion and an equal opportunity workplace. We welcome applicants from all diverse backgrounds, including people with disabilities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. All roles at DGS can be worked flexibly, however it may differ from role to role.
