Policy Officer

• Salary: $97,955 - $111,142 (Plus superannuation)
• Ongoing position
• Usual hours of work: Full time
• Usual work location: 121 Exhibition Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 (flexibility may be available)

The Role

We are seeking a motivated and collaborative Policy Officer with strong research and analytical skills, sound judgement, and experience supporting policy development. The ideal candidate will be a clear communicator, adaptable, and eager to learn.

This role offers the chance to contribute to impactful policy initiatives—particularly in education, skills, or economic development—by supporting strategic projects, stakeholder engagement, and evidence-based analysis. The successful candidate will help shape policy, support implementation, and respond to evolving priorities. It's a great opportunity for someone wanting to grow their capability, contribute to meaningful reform, and make a difference for the Victorian community.

Main accountabilities:

• Advice and analysis contributes to policy formulation.
• Contributes to strategic policy development within a specific field of expertise.
• Drafts reports and recommendations by interpreting and analysing data.
• Develops guidelines within the work area.
• Conveys specialist concepts and policies to clients, staff and stakeholders.
• Prepares reports, briefs and correspondence on complex issues that impact at program or organisational level.

The Team

The position of Policy Officer forms a part of Apprenticeships Victoria Branch, which sits under Skills and TAFE (ST) group. Skills and TAFE (ST) focuses on enabling Victorians to access the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to participate in today's workforce, prepare for future jobs, and achieve their educational aspirations.

Working in close partnership with the Victorian Skills Authority (VSA), ST provides leadership and stewardship of a responsive, high-quality vocational education and training (VET) system. This includes oversight of the Victorian TAFE Network, led by the Office of TAFE Coordination and Delivery (OTCD), and the apprenticeships system, with a strong focus on aligning training with industry needs and strengthening pathways into the workforce.

About You

To be successful in this role, you will have the following main skills and experience:

• Policy Design and Development: Interprets and applies policies relevant to own work; Drafts policies and business cases using research skills and in consultation with relevant stakeholders.
• Policy Design and Development: Determines relevant data and evidence gathering approach; Conducts critical analysis on data and evidence collected. 
• Working Collaboratively: Builds a supportive and cooperative team environment; Engages other teams to share information in order to understand or respond to issues; Supports others in challenging situations. 
• Communicate with Impact: Prepares and delivers logical and succinct presentations; Uses clear and concise language; Uses media appropriate to the audience and presents information to develop the understanding of the topic. 
• Political and Organisational Context: Understands issues and pressures to which the organisation has to respond; Understands the reasons behind the organisational climate and culture. 
• Systems Thinking: Assesses situations and identifies the best systems tools for analysing, understanding the system and addressing problems; Can apply system archetypes to identify common dynamics that appear in different situations.

Further information:

For a confidential discussion, please contact Genesis Buchanan - Manager, Policy via email genesis.buchanan@ecodev.vic.gov.au

The Department is committed to creating and maintaining a child safe organisation. We have zero tolerance of child abuse and are committed to taking the necessary steps to protect children from harm by adopting a preventative, proactive and participatory approach to child safety in accordance with the Child Safe Standards.

Successful candidates will be required to undergo a National Police Records Check prior to commencing employment with the Department. To be eligible for this position you must hold the mandatory qualification as outlined in the position description. For further information on the position, please refer to the attached position description.

For Finance Roles:

The Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry, and Regions is an accredited CPA Australia Recognised Employer Partner.

Please note: We are committed to inclusive recruitment. If you require an adjustment to participate in any stage of the recruitment process or have a particular requirement to be communicated with by either telephone or email only, please notify the DJSIR Talent Acquisition Team on 0472 875 685, or via email at recruitment@ecodev.vic.gov.au with the position number in the subject line.

How to Apply

Please click the ‘Apply Now' button. As part of the application process, you will need to provide a copy of your resume and cover letter and respond to the key selection criteria as outlined in the position description.

Applications close at 23:59pm on 2 February 2026.