Senior Program Adviser, Health Service Interface, Collaboration & Maternity

Department of Health Victoria; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working arrangements

Growth opportunities

Work-life balance

Job summary

Department of Health Victoria seeks a Senior Program Adviser to support Team 3, reporting to the Manager, Health Service Interface and Collaboration. The role liaises with hospitals and health services across Barwon, Grampians, Parkville, West Metro and South West regions to strengthen system stewardship and deliver high‑quality care.

Responsibilities include policy development, budget oversight for VPTAS, internal reporting, and driving program objectives within timeframes.

Qualifications

• Provide high quality policy advice, options and recommendations to senior management and government based on comprehensive research and analysis.
• Forge strong connections across the department and with the health sector to share information and facility partnership approach to implementation of key initiatives.
• Work across multiple projects engaging with internal and external stakeholders to meet pressures and demands.
• Oversee, monitor and deliver projects to ensure compliance with legislation and guidelines.
• Initiate and maintain relationships with peer and senior stakeholders.
• Draft material including Cabinet and Ministerial briefings, meeting papers, agendas, and reports.

Responsibilities

• Provide policy advice and options to senior management and government.
• Build and maintain cross‑sector relationships to implement key initiatives.
• Manage multiple projects with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ensure projects meet legislative and regulatory requirements.
• Prepare Cabinet/Ministerial briefings and related documents.

Skills

Policy advice

Stakeholder engagement

Project management

Cabinet briefs

Analytical thinking

Education

Tertiary qualification in health/public policy/management

Job description

Department of Health Victoria – Melbourne VIC

The Senior Program Adviser sits within Team 3 and reports to the Manager, Health Service Interface and Collaboration. The team is the primary liaison between the department and the hospitals and health services within the Barwon, Grampians, Parkville, West Metro and South West regions of Victoria. The team builds trusted relationships, gathers rich system intelligence, and coordinates timely responses to operational issues and sector concerns. Through proactive engagement, high-quality analysis and effective collaboration across departmental functions, the team strengthens system stewardship and supports the delivery of safe, high-quality and sustainable care. The team also has responsibility for other programs such as the Victorian Patient Transport Assistance Scheme (VPTAS) and the health service annual report process.

In addition to functions outlined above, this role involves program management elements of the VPTAS, including policy development and implementation, budget and funding oversight, internal reporting, and delivery of program objectives within agreed timeframes. The position requires the ability to build and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including health service executives and a range of policy and program areas across the department. The successful candidate will also contribute to a positive team culture through collaboration, shared problem-solving, and constructive engagement with stakeholders and colleagues.

About us:

At the Victorian Department of Health we want a future where Victorians are the healthiest people in the world. A Victoria where our children and people thrive, our workplaces are productive and safe, and our communities are more connected.

We see it as our job to support Victorians to stay healthy and safe. And to deliver a world-class healthcare system that ensures every single Victorian can access safe, quality care that leads to better health outcomes for all.

About you:

Can you demonstrate the following?

• Providehigh quality policy advice, options and recommendations to senior management and government based on comprehensive research and analysis
• Forge strong connections across the department and with the health sector to share information andfacilitatea partnership approach to implementation of key initiatives.
• Work across multiple projects, including engaging with internal and external stakeholders, to meet emerging pressures and demands, asrequired.
• Oversee, monitor and/or deliver projects, to ensure they are delivered in accordance with relevant legislation and government regulations and guidelines.
• Initiates and maintains relationships with peer and senior internal and external stakeholders.
• Draft and develop material including the preparation of Cabinet and Cabinet related material, Ministerial and Secretary briefings and meeting papers, agendas, minutes and reports.

Qualifications / Specialist Expertise

• A tertiary qualification in fields related to health,public policy, businessand/or managementisdesirable.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and experience in managing and supporting ministerial, cabinet, parliamentary and departmental executive functions and processes would be desirable.
• Demonstrated knowledge and/or experience in the health sector and/or health service delivery would be desirable, with skills and experience in program management.

What we offer:

• The opportunity to perform meaningful work, making direct contributions toward enablingVictorians to be the healthiest people in the world.
• A wide range of growth and development opportunities within the department and wider Victorian Public Service.
• A strong commitment to work-life balance, including a diverse array of flexible working arrangements.

We are committed to developing and supporting a workforce that is well equipped and highly motivated to provide responsive and quality services to all Victorians. We continue to build an inclusive workplace that embraces diversity of backgrounds and differences to realise the potential of our employees for innovation and delivering services aimed at enhancing the lives of all Victorians. All roles can be worked flexibly and we encourage applications from Aboriginal people, people with disability, LGBTIQ+ and people from culturally diverse backgrounds. Please contact us if you require any adjustments to participate in the recruitment process at*********@health.vic.gov.au. For more information on our commitment to inclusion and diversity seeinclusion and diversity at the Department of Health.

If you have any queries in relation to participation in recruitment processes at Health, or experience any issues in applying, please feel free to email ***************@health.vic.gov.au. If you have questions regarding the role, please message the contact person listed on the advertisement directly.

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