The Director, Communications reports to the Chief Communications Officer (CCO) and plays a key role supporting the CCO to lead a strong, high performing division in a fast-paced, complex environment. As a senior executive, this role provides high level strategic advice and guidance to the division and to senior leaders on managing emerging issues, developing high quality and impactful strategies and content that showcase the department’s work. The role also helps to deliver best practice and customer-focused communication to help to build and protect the department’s reputation, including opportunities to strengthen the department’s internal and external channels.
About us
The Department of Government Services (DGS) was established on 1 January 2023 to improve everyone's experience of doing business and interacting with the Victorian government. We bring important day-to-day services together in one department to make things easy and seamless for Victorians and businesses. We are doing this by connecting and digitising our systems and platforms across state and local government as well as streamlining our corporate and procurement services.
The Communications Division
DGS' Communications division builds and protects the department's reputation and actively promotes its role in improving everyone's experience of doing business and interacting with the Victorian Government.
We deliver impactful strategies, effective channel governance and engaging content that supports the department's vision, purpose and values.
We provide strategic advice and guidance on media, marketing, engagement, digital and internal and external communication to best position DGS and deliver informative and educational content to staff, the media, stakeholders and the community.
About the role
The Director, Communications reports to the Chief Communications Officer (CCO) and plays a key role supporting the CCO to lead a strong, high performing division in a fast-paced, complex environment.
As a senior executive, this role provides high level strategic advice and guidance to the division and to senior leaders on managing emerging issues, developing high quality and impactful strategies and content that showcase the department's work.
The role also helps to deliver best practice and customer-focused communication to help to build and protect the department's reputation, including opportunities to strengthen the department's internal and external channels.
A key responsibility for this position is leading the department's emergency communication response capability, including contributing to the department's emergency preparation and response planning and liaising with counterparts in the State Control Centre and across the VPS. The role will contribute to establishing practical and efficient processes and protocols to manage risk across the department, including policies guiding best practice, approvals and workflow.
About you
We are seeking applications from candidates with demonstrable experience in the following:
* Demonstrated experience leading and building a high performing and customer-focused workforce.
* Strong track record of managing high-level strategic communication issues and delivering a wide range of contemporary and new communication, engagement and marketing techniques and outcomes.
* Strong awareness and understanding of economic and political trends that may affect the department's reputation, including an ability to manage complex risk.
* Demonstrated experience devising and implementing complex strategies to build buy-in and support from key internal and external stakeholders.
* Build strong stakeholder relationships and mutually beneficial partnerships and find innovative solutions to resolve stakeholder issues and manage expectations.
* Create a climate of service excellence to deliver best practice communication and support the delivery of department priorities.
* Represent the department at key forums, VPS initiatives, on committees and relevant working groups as required to ensure the department's needs and interests are promoted and to build effective relationships across government.
* Play a lead role in managing and guiding emergency responses across government, including providing a strategic communications coordination and liaison role across the VPS and the State Control Centre, where required.
Experience and / or qualifications
* Relevant tertiary degree and/or post graduate qualifications in communication, politics or related discipline is highly desirable.
* A proven record of achievement in an executive role, providing high-level strategic and tactical advice on a range of matters to senior stakeholders.
* Demonstrated knowledge of Victoria's emergency management arrangements and experience leading an emergency management communication function, including cyber incident response best practice.
For specific responsibilities please review the attached position description.