AI Lead

WorkSafe Victoria; Geelong; Hybrid; AUD 156,000 - 191,000; Full time

Job summary

WorkSafe Victoria in Geelong is seeking an AI Lead to identify, assess and responsibly adopt AI opportunities that deliver measurable value. You will collaborate with business areas, shape AI use cases and lead governance for responsible adoption.

The role acts as an AI orchestrator, coordinating with design, data, security, architecture and delivery specialists to advance the AI operating model and ensure alignment with senior leaders.

Qualifications

• Shaping and coordinating AI, digital innovation, product discovery, service design, transformation or technology-enabled initiatives in a complex organisation.
• Practical understanding of artificial intelligence, including generative AI, ML, automation, copilots and AI agents.

Responsibilities

• Identify, assess and prioritise enterprise AI opportunities with business areas.
• Oversee enterprise AI opportunity portfolio with evidence-based recommendations.
• Coordinate design, experimentation and evaluation of AI initiatives with multidisciplinary teams.
• Advise on AI adoption, governance and emerging opportunities, promoting responsible AI practices.

Skills

AI governance

Stakeholder engagement

Cross-functional leadership

Business-technical translation

Discovery & experimentation

Responsible AI

Portfolio management

Value realisation

Job description

WorkSafe is Victoria's workplace health and safety regulator. We are also the workplace injury insurer. Our job is to reduce workplace harm and improve outcomes for injured workers. This is our promise to the Victorian community and the reason we exist.

• $173,568.00 per annum + superannuation
• Full time, ongoing
• Wadawurrung / Geelong based role (hybrid work from home / city office - 3 days in office)

About the opportunity

The AI Lead will enable WorkSafe to identify, assess and responsibly adopt artificial intelligence opportunities that address business needs and deliver measurable value. Partnering with business areas to understand problems and opportunities, shape AI use cases, support experimentation and lead the progression and oversight of suitable initiatives.

The role maintains and overseas a transparent pipeline of AI opportunities bringing together business owners and specialist functions and provide expert advice to senior leaders on AI opportunities, risks and emerging trends and supports the responsible adoption of AI across the organisation.

The role is an AI orchestrator rather than the owner of all AI technology or delivery. It does not own AI platforms, technical architecture, data governance, cyber assurance, or all delivery resources.

The AI Lead is an exciting opportunity to play a key role within WorkSafe's evolving AI operating model to lead the ongoing refinement of AI governance, prioritisation and adoption practices, working within the accountabilities of the Director, Business Innovation and AI, the Chief Information Officer, the Director, Information Security and Management, and accountable business owners.

Key accountabilities

• Lead the identification, assessment and prioritisation of enterprise AI opportunities by partnering with business areas to define the problem, intended users, operational context and expected outcomes.
• Oversee WorkSafe's enterprise AI opportunity portfolio by applying agreed assessment criteria, documenting expected value, feasibility, dependencies and risk, and providing authoritative evidence-based recommendations to key stakeholders.
• Coordinate the design, experimentation and evaluation of AI initiatives by bringing together business owners and design, data, information security, architecture, technology and delivery specialists.
• Lead the ongoing development and continuous improvement of WorkSafe's enterprise AI approach by providing expert advice on AI adoption, governance and emerging opportunities, promoting responsible AI practices and organisational capability uplift.

Please ensure you review the Position Description here for additional information on accountabilities for this role.

About you

You will be an experienced leader whose passion for customer experience will be the cornerstone of your work. You will have proven experience in developing and driving a customer focused and service-based culture that has had a lasting impact across your organisations.

You will have a strong ability to engage with and influence diverse stakeholder groups to align to deliver to key strategic objectives.

In addition your strengths will include your ability to translate between business and technical audiences and provide clear recommendations in ambiguous or emerging areas.

Additionally, you will possess the following skills and experience:

• Demonstrated experience shaping and coordinating AI, digital innovation, product discovery, service design, transformation or technology-enabled initiatives in a complex organisation.
• Practical understanding of artificial intelligence, including generative AI, machine learning, automation, copilots and AI agents, and the opportunities, limitations and organisational foundations required for responsible adoption.
• Proven ability to work with business leaders and operational teams to define problems, intended users, measurable benefits, process impacts and suitable AI use cases before a solution is selected.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary discovery, experimentation, proof-of-concept or minimum viable product activities, using evidence and agreed success measures to recommend whether initiatives should stop, refine, scale or transition.
• Strong understanding of responsible AI, privacy, information security, data readiness, human oversight, model and agent governance, assurance and regulatory considerations, with the judgement to engage and elevate to accountable specialists.
• Experience maintaining initiative pipelines or portfolios and preparing assessments of value, feasibility, dependencies, capacity, risk and readiness to support prioritisation and investment decisions.
• Experience supporting business adoption, operational process redesign, benefits realisation and continuous improvement for technology-enabled change.

Working with us

At WorkSafe, our goal is for every employee to feel connected, safe, and valued within their team, for teams to feel appreciated in the workplace, and for WorkSafe to be respected in the community.

We believe that a diverse workforce is essential for delivering the best outcomes for the Victorian community. We strongly encourage applications from all individuals, including First Nations people, people with disabilities, those from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, and individuals of all sexualities and genders.

What's next?

Applications close 11:00pm Friday 27th November 2026.

Preferred candidates will be required to satisfactorily complete a Nationally Coordinated Criminal.

History Check and/or other checks as required for the position as part of the recruitment process.

Eligibility for ongoing employment with WorkSafe Victoria requires Australian or New Zealand citizenship or permanent residency.

Due to the volume of applications received, individualised feedback will only be provided to candidates who progress to interview stage.

For further enquiries please contact Talent Acquisition Specialist David Heaney via email - ************@worksafe.vic.gov.au