Senior Manager

Department of Treasury & Finance Victoria; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 143,000 - 191,000; Full time

Job summary

Department of Treasury and Finance Victoria is seeking a Senior Manager to lead complex commercial transactions and reform initiatives, shaping strategic advice for government and Ministers. You will manage workstreams, coordinate cross‑agency input and oversee governance frameworks.

The role requires strong analytical, communication and leadership skills, with a track record in policy development, stakeholder negotiation and delivering pragmatic, decision-ready outcomes for the State.

Qualifications

• Highly developed analytical and conceptual skills with experience in identifying government reform opportunities and providing strategic recommendations.
• Excellent communication skills, including presenting data and options to executives and Ministers.
• Strong interpersonal skills to build networks and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders.
• Proven project management ability with initiative, timeliness and delivery of outcomes.
• Demonstrated leadership and capability uplift across a team and complex workstreams.

Responsibilities

• Lead policy, risk management and commercial advice on complex projects and transactions for executives and Ministers.
• Coordinate with advisers to develop transaction strategies and integrate legal, financial and commercial input.
• Engage stakeholders across public and private sectors to optimise the State's financial interests.
• Identify and develop significant government reform opportunities and complex transactions.
• Drive alignment across departments to deliver projects and ensure governance and processes are followed.
• Support strategic planning, decision-making and continuous improvement within the team.
• Coach and develop staff to achieve high performance and knowledge sharing.

Skills

Policy development

Risk management

Commercial advisory

Stakeholder engagement

Negotiation

Project management

Leadership

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Education

Commerce or Economics or Finance or Law degree

Job description

$142,790 to $191,084 plus superannuation

Department of Treasury and Finance (DTF) serves the government by providing leadership in economic, financial and resource management. We influence outcomes that can have a real impact on people's lives. We strive for excellence in financial and economic management to improve the lives of all Victorians. We value our people and motivate them to lead, influence, collaborate and innovate.

DTF upholds and demonstrates the values of the VPS and is the embodiment of VPS leadership. DTF's values are adopted from the Public Administration Act 2004:

• Leadership
• Integrity
• Responsiveness
• Impartiality
• Accountability
• Respect
• Commitment to Human Rights

The Commercial Transactions team provides transaction advisory services and advice on whole of State negotiations and commercial transactions. This includes identifying asset reform opportunities to optimise outcomes for the State as well as overseeing post transaction governance for complex commercial transactions.

Our objective is to ensure the benefits, costs and risks are understood so that Government can make informed decisions.

The team has broad expertise in a range of disciplines including project management, economics, finance, accounting, policy development, industrial relations and law. As a result, we can quickly provide concise, considered and expert advice on complex matters.

The Senior Manager plays a lead role in delivering complex commercial transactions and reform initiatives, including leading workstreams, shaping strategic advice, and managing stakeholder relationships across government and the private sector. The position also contributes to team leadership, capability uplift, and strategic direction of the Commercial Transactions group.

Key Accountabilities

• Lead the development and provision of policy, risk management and commercial advice on complex projects and transactions, delivering authoritative, decision-ready advice to executives, departments, agencies and Ministers.
• Lead and manage engagement with specialist advisers to develop and implement transaction strategies, ensuring integration of legal, financial and commercial advice into cohesive and outcome-focused solutions.
• Lead consultation, engagement and negotiation with key stakeholders across the public and private sectors, including managing competing interests, to ensure advice is informed and the State's commercial and financial interests are optimised and protected.
• Manage activities related to the identification, analysis and development of significant government reform opportunities and complex transactions, including structuring commercial arrangements, assessing financial implications and shaping strategic options.
• Lead and manage collaboration with departments and agencies to drive project delivery, resolve complex issues and ensure alignment with Government priorities and operational requirements.
• Drive the development and consistent application of best practice policy, governance frameworks and commercial processes, influencing standards and approaches across projects and the broader team.
• Lead and contribute to the team's strategic planning, decision-making and continuous improvement, setting direction for workstreams and fostering a cohesive, high-performing and strategically aligned team environment.
• Lead, coach and develop staff; drive capability uplift and high performance across the team, and help to drive continuous improvement, innovation and uplift of frameworks, tools and practices.

About You

• We are seeking applicants who have demonstrated experience from the following criteria: Highly developed analytical and conceptual skills with demonstrated experience in identifying or supporting significant government reform opportunities and providing strategic and pragmatic advice and recommendations to departmental officers and Ministers.
• Excellent communication skills, including demonstrated experience in presenting written information and data to highlight key findings and clear options for decision makers within tight timeframes and demonstrated ability to visually and verbally present information to a variety of audiences.
• Highly developed interpersonal skills with an ability to build networks and work collaboratively both internally and externally, and effectively represent the department by leading the negotiation of appropriate financial and commercial arrangements.
• Strong project management and organisational skills with a proven ability to display initiative, be responsive and provide the required outcomes in a timely manner.
• Strong people leadership skills and the ability to share knowledge and information, particularly through coaching and management of junior team members and peers.

Mandatory requirements

• Strong background and experience in a commercial, economics, public policy or analysis role, including the provision of complex strategic advice to senior management and other clients.
• Formal qualifications in a related field (Commerce, Economics, Finance, Technology or Law would be well regarded).

The following requirements are not mandatory but will be well regarded:

• Experience supporting public sector decision-making, including preparing written briefing information and preparing data to support
• Experience in understanding and interpreting financial models and balance sheets.
• Experience in procurement initiation and delivery consistent with organisational policies.
• Experience in developing and preparing documents for both internal and public distribution.
• Relationship building, influencing and negotiation skills.

These roles are fixed term positions. These positions are only open to applicants with relevant rights to work in Australia.

For more information, please see the Position Description

To be eligible for appointment to this role, applicants will possess corresponding work rights for the advertised employment period. Appointment to an ongoing role is only available to an Australian/New Zealand citizen or an Australian Permanent Resident. Preferred applicants will be required to undertake pre-employment screening. DTF actively promotes diversity, inclusion and an equal opportunity workplace. We welcome applicants from all diverse backgrounds, including people with disabilities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. All roles at DTF can be worked flexibly, however it may differ from role to role.