Senior Regulatory Policy Advisor | Melbourne - CBD

Job Description

Our purpose is to keep Victorians energy safe and ensure energy is used confidently. Through education, regulation and enforcement, we work to ensure that energy safety, supply and efficiency are a priority in Victoria and something our customers can be confident in. Our people come from a wide range of professions with diverse skills and experience driving the success of Energy Safe Victoria.

About the Role:

The Senior Regulatory Policy Advisor shapes how energy safety regulation is applied during Victoria's energy transition, translating complex legislative requirements into clear and enforceable regulatory positions. Working closely with operational teams, legal advisers and senior leaders, the role directly influences how regulatory powers are exercised and how emerging risks are managed. It's a rare opportunity for an experienced policy professional to work at the intersection of legislation, regulation and real‑world impact.

You will contribute by:

• Regulatory policy leadership: Lead the development, review and implementation of regulatory policy, compliance codes and operational guidance that support Energy Safe's regulatory functions. Ensure policy outputs are legally robust, evidence-based, practical to implement and aligned with Energy Safe's risk-based compliance and enforcement approach.
• Legislative interpretation and guidance: Provide authoritative interpretation of energy safety legislation, regulations and statutory instruments. Translate complex legal and technical requirements into clear, consistent and defensible policy positions that can be applied confidently by operational teams.
• Drive operational consistency: Identify areas of regulatory ambiguity, inconsistency or elevated risk. Develop policy solutions that promote consistency in how regulatory powers are exercised and reduce legal, operational and reputational risk for Energy Safe.
• Executive and operational advice: Prepare high-quality briefings, submissions and correspondence for senior leaders and executives. Distil complex regulatory issues into clear, plain-English advice that supports timely and well-informed decision-making.
• Proactive regulatory foresight: Monitor and evaluate state, national, and international energy regulatory trends (e.g., new technologies, emerging risks) to proactively identify and advise on policy requirements or gaps that necessitate new internal guidance or policy development.
• Stakeholder engagement: Lead effective consultation with internal and external stakeholders (including industry and community groups) to ensure regulatory policy development is practical, informed by industry realities, and promotes high compliance rates.

To be successful, you'll have: 

• Relevant tertiary qualifications in public policy, law, commerce, economics, or a related field.
• Strategic regulatory expertise: Extensive hands-on policy and regulatory experience, preferably within a complex, high-risk safety or utility regulatory environment. Demonstrated ability to formulate and implement policy that supports the lawful and proportionate exercise of regulatory discretion and drives specific compliance and enforcement outcomes.
• Advanced legislative interpretation and application: Demonstrated ability to critique, interpret, and apply complex, technical legislation (e.g., Electricity Safety Act, Gas Safety Act) and associated technical standards to policy development, ensuring legal certainty and operational practicality.
• Superior communication and policy translation: Superior written and verbal communication skills, with a proven ability to translate complex legislative and technical concepts into practical, plain English policy advice (briefings, submissions, operational guidance) for diverse audiences, including executive and field teams.
• Influence and negotiation: Highly developed ability to successfully negotiate and influence the internal adoption of new policies and external compliance with new guidance, achieving alignment and consistency across diverse operational teams.
• Values and behaviours: Demonstrated commitment to and ability to model the organisation's values (Integrity, Engagement, Adaptability, Respect, Excellence) in all decision-making and interactions, particularly when navigating complex or conflicting policy application issues.

How to apply

Please refer to the available position description to assess your suitability and submit your current resume and cover letter via the Apply button. Applications will not be accepted via email.

Energy Safe will conduct relevant checks about applicants and the information provided with an application including reference checks and a satisfactory National Police Check.

Energy Safe Victoria values the unique backgrounds, experiences, and contributions that each person brings to our organisation and welcomes and celebrates diversity. Our aim is to create a workforce that reflects the diversity of the community that we are here to protect. We invite you to talk to us about any preferences or adjustments you may value or require to either the recruitment process or the role itself. If you identify as a person with disability, please let us know how we can provide additional support. 

For a confidential discussion, please contact People and Culture via peopleandculture@energysafe.vic.gov.au.

Applications close at midnight 2 March 2026.  This advertisement may close prior to the closure date without notice, if a high volume of applications is received, therefore we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.