Director, Strategy, Governance and Risk

Victorian Auditor-General's Office; Melbourne; Hybrid; AUD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hours

Hybrid work environment

Home office setup

Learning & development opportunities

Generous leave conditions

Job summary

Victorian Auditor-General's Office (VAGO) seeks a senior leader to drive enterprise-wide governance, risk and compliance. You will oversee internal audit, sponsor governance initiatives, and influence across the organisation to improve quality and accountability.

Reporting to the Assistant Auditor-General, Governance and Quality, you will lead a team and collaborate with the Strategic Management Group to strengthen frameworks and decision-making.

Qualifications

• Strategic leadership experience across governance, risk and compliance.
• Strong stakeholder engagement, influencing and negotiation skills.
• Senior level governance, risk and business improvement experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide enterprise-wide strategic leadership across governance, risk and compliance.
• Oversee internal audit and internal control arrangements; sponsor governance initiatives.

Skills

Strategic Leadership

Governance & Risk

Stakeholder Engagement

Internal Audit

Quality Management

Education

Governance

Project management

Public Policy

Job description

Victorian Auditor-General's Office – Melbourne VIC

Join VAGO to improve the lives of all Victorians by promoting government accountability and integrity through challenging, impactful work. You'll have the opportunity to work with innovative principles in a flexible environment, including a purpose-built office at the iconic Paris end of Collins Street and a fully-equipped home office setup. Enjoy tailored learning and development opportunities, flexible hours, and accrued flexi time. We offer career mobility, a progressive, people-focused culture, and generous leave conditions to support your growth and well-being.

Who is VAGO?

The Victorian Auditor-General's Office (VAGO) provides independent assurance to Victoria's Parliament and community about the performance and accountability of the state's public sector. As part of Victoria's integrity system, we audit and review the finances and performance of state and local government entities and report our findings to Parliament. The Auditor-General operates independently and is not controlled or directed by Parliament or government.

Company description:

Join VAGO to improve the lives of all Victorians by promoting government accountability and integrity through challenging, impactful work. You'll have the opportunity to work with innovative principles in a flexible environment, including a purpose-built office at the iconic Paris end of Collins Street and a fully-equipped home office setup. Enjoy tailored learning and development opportunities, flexible hours, and accrued flexi time. We offer career mobility, a progressive, people-focused culture, and generous leave conditions to support your growth and well-being.

Job description:

Who is VAGO?

The Victorian Auditor-General's Office (VAGO) provides independent assurance to Victoria's Parliament and community about the performance and accountability of the state's public sector. As part of Victoria's integrity system, we audit and review the finances and performance of state and local government entities and report our findings to Parliament. The Auditor-General operates independently and is not controlled or directed by Parliament or government.

About Strategy, Governance and Risk

The Strategy, Governance and Risk team delivers governance, risk, and compliance expertise, while also providing business support services that enable the smooth day-to-day operation of VAGO. By combining strategic oversight with practical operational assistance, the team ensures the organisation meets its statutory obligations and functions efficiently.

What you'll do

Reporting to the Assistant Auditor-General, Governance and Quality, you will provide enterprise-wide strategic leadership across VAGO's governance, risk and compliance functions, bringing these disciplines together as part of VAGO's broader system of quality management. Working closely with the Strategic Management Group, you will strengthen the frameworks, systems and assurance practices that underpin effective governance, organisational performance and informed decision-making.

As VAGO's Chief Internal Audit Executive, you will oversee internal audit and internal control arrangements, while sponsoring strategic governance initiatives and providing authoritative advice on complex governance, risk and compliance matters. Leading a small, highly capable team, you will influence across the organisation to strengthen capability, drive continuous improvement and support a culture of quality, accountability and collaboration.

Who we're looking for

The successful candidate brings demonstrated experience providing strategic leadership, setting direction and translating strategy into outcomes through effective planning and resource allocation. With strong stakeholder engagement, influencing and negotiation skills, you build impactful relationships and secure support across a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders. Your natural style demonstrates a commitment to service excellence ability to adapt to change and continuously improve outcomes. As an authentic and collaborative leader who inspires commitment and enables teams and stakeholders to achieve shared objectives, you bring sound judgement, adaptability and a strong focus on delivering positive organisational outcomes.

Tertiary qualified in a field such as Governance, Project management, Business, Commerce, Accounting, Social Sciences, Public Policy or similar, you bring extensive experience at a senior level in governance, risk, and business improvement. Previous government experience at a senior level is highly desirable.

Don't tick all the boxes? You don't need to tick all the boxes to be amazing. We'd still love to hear from you or someone in your network who may be well suited.

For further information about the role, please review the position description here: Director, Strategy, Governance and Risk

Life at VAGO

We are a diverse bunch at VAGO, and you'll be part of an organisation where different backgrounds, perspectives and life experiences are respected, valued and celebrated. We are committed to building a workplace that welcomes people of all ages, genders, sexual orientations, cultural backgrounds, abilities and neurotypes. We also recognise the unique place of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as Australia's First Nations peoples and are committed to strengthening their representation, inclusion and participation at VAGO.

Our inclusive culture is shaped by our values of Respect, Collaboration, Innovation and Accountability, which guide how we work together, make decisions and grow as an organisation. We strive to create an environment where people feel trusted, supported and comfortable being themselves, sharing their perspectives and contributing their best work. That's why we've adopted our ‘Better Normal' approach to work, which provides flexibility in how and where work is done while recognising the importance of spending time together to learn, collaborate and build strong relationships. We encourage curiosity, continuous improvement and diverse thinking, creating an environment where you can grow your careers and make a meaningful impact for Victoria.

Ask us more about life at VAGO when you meet us!

Interested? Here's what else you need to know

We welcome applications from everyone. If you have a disability, access requirement or need any adjustments throughout the recruitment process or the role itself, we're committed to providing the support you need. Please let us know how we can make the recruitment experience accessible and inclusive for you.

We're committed to providing a positive and transparent candidate experience and will keep you informed throughout the recruitment process with updates on timelines, progress, outcomes and next steps.

If you have any questions or would like further information about the recruitment process, please contact us at ***********@audit.vic.gov.au.

Applications close at 11:59pm on 25 November 2026.