Policy Officer | Melbourne - CBD

Job Description

• Great opportunity to join Youth Justice on a fixed term basis in Melbourne.
• Support the implementation of reforms under the new Youth Justice Act. 

The Department of Justice and Community Safety (DJCS) is responsible for the supervision of children and young people in the Victorian criminal justice system. Youth Justice is responsible for overseeing services responding to children and young people in the criminal justice system, providing strategic advice and delivering strategic outcomes to address youth crime and reduce offending.

The Youth Justice Act, which received Royal Assent on 10 September 2024, provides strong and clear governing legislation for Victoria's Youth Justice system that will keep the community safe and more effectively hold children and young people who offend to account.

The Youth Justice Act includes a full spectrum of responses – from early intervention and diversion initiatives that provide genuine opportunities for children and young people to turn their lives around through to sentencing reforms and intensive community and custodial orders that will reduce offending and improve community safety.

The Opportunity

• Full time, fixed term position until June 2027 based in Melbourne.
• VPS Grade 4 role: $97,955 - $111,142 per year plus superannuation.
• Support implementation planning and operational readiness for the Youth Justice Act.
• Provide secretariat support to governance groups associated with Youth Justice Act implementation across DJCS and partner justice agencies.
• Prepare briefs, reports and advice for DJCS executives, the DJCS Secretary and relevant Ministers relating to Youth Justice.
• Draft documents to support frontline implementation including policies, procedures, fact sheets and communication material.

To be successful in this role you will have capacity to be highly responsive and agile, exercise sound judgement, effectively liaise with key stakeholders and communicate clearly. You will have experience in, or knowledge of, Victorian Government administrative processes with knowledge (or capacity to quickly learn) about current policy direction, research and issues within youth justice or the criminal justice system.

You will be required to obtain a Working with Children Check, which you will need to maintain for the period of employment.

To learn more about the type of skills you will need to thrive in this role, please read the position description.

What's in it for you?

You will be working for the Department of Justice and Community Safety, which is one arm of the Victorian State Government, a recognised top employer of choice nationally. All our staff work to the vision of a safe, just, innovative and thriving Victoria.

There are many advantages in working for the department, including:

• Job stability – position as a member of the Victorian Public Service (VPS).
• A fair salary– enjoy great work conditions and salary sacrificing options.
• Transparent performance framework– approach your work with confidence in how you're tracking, working to professional development plans agreed on by you and your manager.
• Generous leave entitlements– provisions for many forms of leave; including personal, parental, carers, study, cultural, compassionate, and sick leave.
• Employee Assistance Program support – you are encouraged to use this short-term, confidential counselling service if you're experiencing emotional stress, relationship problems, conflict with others or personal issues. It is also available for financial counselling and retirement planning.

If you have any queries, please contact Christie Enright on 0409 149 725 or christie.enright@justice.vic.gov.au  

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people are strongly encouraged to apply.

Applicants are welcome to utilise support from the Aboriginal Recruitment Team throughout the recruitment process. Aboriginal candidates are encouraged to contact Aboriginalrecruitment@justice.vic.gov.au if they would like cultural support and guidance through the application process.

For Aboriginal Designated and Prioritised positions, a Certificate of Aboriginality (CoA) will be required prior to an offer of employment being made

We want to make sure all Victorians feel represented by the department's work. One of the ways we do this is by recruiting a diverse workforce – we welcome people of any gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability and cultural background. We are also committed to the Victorian Government's promise to increase the number of veterans working in the public sector.

We're proud of our individual differences. We're proud of the many languages we speak and the stories we can share with each other. We hope you will share your story too.

If this sounds like a compelling job that you believe your skills would be a great match for, please APPLY NOW. Applications close 11.59pm, Sunday 13 July 2025.

How to apply

Please click the Apply button on this advertisement. Applications should include a resume and covering letter. Attachments can be uploaded in .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt or .rtf formats.

The successful candidate will be required to undergo pre-employment checks which may include national police checks and misconduct screening.

If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process, or require an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the contact person listed on this ad.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

CHILD SAFE STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT:

The Department of Justice and Community Safety is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. We seek to prevent harm of any kind impacting children and young people and have zero tolerance for racism, child abuse and inequality. Children and young people's rights, relationships, identity, and culture must be recognised and respected, their voices heard, and their concerns acted upon. We aim to foster a culturally safe, child safe and child friendly environment for all children and young people we have contact with, deliver services to, or are impacted by our work.