Senior Project Officer - ADR Strategy and Capability

Victorian Government; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fitness passport

Job summary

Court Services Victoria is seeking a Senior Project Officer to lead the ADR Strategy and Capability workstreams, coordinating delivery of programs and liaising with internal divisions and external partners. Based in Melbourne, this fixed-term VPS5 role focuses on implementing ADR strategy, building capability, and driving continuous improvement to strengthen dispute resolution across the Courts Group.

The ideal candidate will bring experience in complex programs, strong strategic thinking, and

Qualifications

• Experience supporting complex programs or strategic initiatives in the public sector.
• Strong strategic thinking, planning and problem-solving capabilities.
• Experience supporting organisational change or continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate defined initiatives and workstreams arising from ADR Strategy and related priorities.
• Develop and maintain practical implementation plans, deliverables, actions and milestones, monitoring progress.
• Progress work, coordinate contributions, address risks and escalate as needed.
• Prepare high-quality reports, briefings, presentations and governance documents.
• Coordinate stakeholder engagement across VCAT divisions and external partners.
• Contribute to capability, change and continuous improvement initiatives for ADR.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Planning and problem-solving

Change management

ADR knowledge

Systems thinking

Cross-functional collaboration

Delivering quality outcomes

Education

Program/Project/Change management qualification

ADR accreditation

Job description

Location: Melbourne - CBD and Inner Metro suburbs

Reference: VG/C01320DR

• Opportunity to join the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal
• Support the implementation of VCAT’s Appropriate Dispute Resolution (ADR) strategy
• Melbourne CBD, VPS5, Fixed term 2-years, Full-time

About Us

Court Services Victoria provides corporate services and facilities to support the performance of the judicial, quasi-judicial and administrative functions of Victoria's courts and tribunal, Judicial College and Judicial Commission.

Collectively, Victoria's Supreme, County, Magistrates', Children's, and Coroners courts, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), the Judicial College of Victoria, the Judicial Commission of Victoria, and Court Services Victoria (CSV) are referred to as the ‘Courts Group'.

Our people enable the Courts Group to deliver on each jurisdiction's own strategic priorities while also pursuing strategic opportunities that are interconnected and deliver benefits more broadly.

About the Role

The Senior Project Officer - ADR Strategy and Capability supports the implementation of VCAT's Appropriate Dispute Resolution (ADR) Strategy and associated organisational capability and reform initiatives.

Working closely with the Program Manager - ADR Strategy and Capability, and in collaboration with the Head and Deputy Head of the ADR Division, the role coordinates the delivery of defined projects, initiatives and workstreams that contribute to VCAT's strategic ADR priorities.

Key accountabilities include:

• Coordinating the delivery of defined initiatives and workstreams arising from VCAT's ADR Strategy and associated capability and reform priorities.
• Developing and maintaining practical implementation plans, deliverables, actions and milestones for assigned initiatives, and actively monitoring progress against agreed outcomes and timeframes.
• Progressing assigned work proactively, coordinating contributions from others and address emerging risks, issues and dependencies, escalating matters requiring direction or decision to the Program Manager or Executive Director as appropriate.
• Preparing high-quality reports, briefings, presentations and governance documentation, drawing on relevant information and analysis to support executive decision‑making and oversight.
• Coordinating stakeholder engagement and consultation across VCAT divisions and with external partners, building productive relationships, navigating competing priorities and securing commitment to agreed implementation actions.
• Contributing to the design and delivery of capability, change and continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen ADR practice and its integration across VCAT.

THIS is a fixed term opportunity for 2years.

About You

The ideal candidate will have demonstrated experience supporting complex programs or strategic initiatives in a public sector, justice or similar complex environment. You will have proven strong strategic thinking, planning and problem‑solving capability together with experience supporting organisational change, capability uplift or continuous improvement initiatives.

You will be able to demonstrate:

• familiarity with ADR practice or accreditation frameworks, or the ability to rapidly acquire domain knowledge
• well‑developed systems thinking to consider the wider context or situations and break them into smaller parts to gain better insights
• proven ability to synthesise ideas and concepts acro ss diverse disciplines
• experience working in a highly collaborative environment, encouraging and inspiring others
• superior commitment to the delivery of quality outcomes

Qualifications

A qualification in program, project or change management and/or mediation or ADR accreditation is desirable

• A strong sense of belonging to a collaborative team with strong support among colleagues.
• Access to purchase a 'fitness passport' supporting your health and wellbeing with access to gyms at a discounted rate
• A sense of purpose helping those within the community access fair and efficient justice

Other information

Court Services Victoria(CSV) has a firm commitment through its Koori Employment Plan to increase participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across our workforce.

We value the unique backgrounds, experiences, and contributions that each person brings to our community and encourage and celebrate diversity. Those from the LGBTQIA+ community, women, people of all ages, with disabilities, culturally and linguistically diverse people, and those who are neurodiverse, are encouraged to apply.

We aim to create a workforce that reflects the community in which we live.

If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process or require an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to email the contact person listed in the advertisement.

As part of our commitment to a safe and respectful workplace, CSV conduct pre‑employment checks, including reference checks, police checks and misconduct screening. These checks are handled confidentially, with care and are a standard part of our hiring process to ensure the right fit for both candidates and Court Services Victoria.

Applications close Friday 23 October 2026 at 11.59pm