Date: 3 Jul 2026
Location: Melbourne, VIC, AU
Company: DEECA
Are you ready to help shape Victoria’s water future?
Join the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) as a Senior Policy Officer in our Entitlement Framework Reform Team. This is a unique opportunity to lead meaningful policy reform that improves Traditional Owner access to water and strengthens Victoria’s water-sharing framework.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead projects that address barriers to Traditional Owner water access and increase influence in decision making
- Apply your water entitlement expertise to drive legislative and policy reform
- Build strong stakeholder relationships across government, Traditional Owners and industry
- Promote cultural safety and inclusive engagement practices
What you’ll bring:
- Strong understanding of Victoria’s water resource and entitlement frameworks
- Strategic thinking, policy development, and stakeholder engagement skills
- Experience working with Traditional Owners and knowledge of contemporary issues
- Commitment to cultural safety and inclusive practices
Specialist/Technical Expertise/Qualifications
- A strong understanding of water resource management and Victoria’s water entitlements and allocation framework is required.
- Demonstrated skills, experience and knowledge of Aboriginal culture and contemporary issues affecting Aboriginal Victorians today to deliver culturally informed government policies and services is strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated understanding of relevant legislation, regulatory frameworks and policy instruments, and the ability to interpret and apply these to inform legislative and regulatory reform is desirable.
- A relevant tertiary qualification in science, law or engineering is desirable.
This is a fixed term, part time position (0.4 FTE) available for a period of 2 years. The work location for this position is flexible within Victoria with hybrid work arrangements available.
To be considered for this position, applicants are encouraged to submit a resume and cover letter (no longer than 2 pages) summarising their skills and relevant experience.
Please refer to the Key Selection Criteria provided in the Position Description, including the mandatory requirements.
How to Apply:
If you are a current DEECA employee, please apply via DEECA Careers.
Click the ‘Apply’ button and you’ll be redirected to a new platform and create an account.
Applications close 11.59pm on Thursday, 16 July 2026.
All applications must be submitted through the online portal. We are unable to consider email or manual applications at this time.
Other relevant information:
Preferred candidates will be required to undertake pre-employment screening, including a Declaration and Consent form and a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check.
To be eligible for appointment to this role, applicants will possess corresponding work rights for the advertised employment period. Appointment to an ongoing position is only available to an Australian/New Zealand citizen or an Australian Permanent Resident.
An inclusive, culturally safe and flexible workplace
DEECA fosters an inclusive workplace culture and is committed to a fair, accessible, and equitable recruitment process.
We strongly encourage Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander people to apply. We recognise the strengths, knowledge and perspectives First Nations people bring and DEECA is committed to a culturally safe and respectful workplace. If you need support to participate, please contact aboriginal.employment@deeca.vic.gov.au.
We support flexible working arrangements, including hybrid work, varied hours, part-time work and job sharing. For more information about our recruitment processes, visit applying for a role with us.
