Deputy Program Director

The role

The Deputy Program Director serves as the principal VPS executive for technology delivery governance and program execution within the Communities and Families Transformation Program (CFTP), reporting to the Program Director. This position carries the formal delegations that the contractor Program Director cannot exercise, including authority over finance, procurement, technology resources, and people management across the technology function. When the Program Director is unavailable, the Deputy Program Director steps in to provide leadership continuity and formal succession for the program.

The role also leads the Lean Program Management Office (Lean PMO), with responsibility for delivery tracking that is execution-led and metrics-based across all program workstreams. It works closely with governance and reporting teams in the Service Transformation area to convert program data into formats suitable for government reporting. In addition, the role has direct line management responsibility for around 30 to 40 VPS employees working in both contractor-led and embedded team arrangements, and maintains a functional reporting line to the DFFH Chief Information Officer on formal VPS technology governance matters.

As a senior leader within the program, the Deputy Program Director works alongside the Program Director and the Executive Director – Service Transformation in a shared leadership model. This arrangement depends on open information sharing, transparent accountability, active support for one another’s responsibilities, and agreed processes for resolving differences. The role must be comfortable operating both within formal reporting lines and within a broader matrixed structure, including the Program Director’s day-to-day direction, ICT delegations from the CIO, and partnership with the Executive Director on commercial and governance issues.

This is a significant SES 1 executive opportunity at the centre of a major Victorian social services technology program. It is a true leadership position with formal governance powers, people management responsibility, and succession authority over a program valued at $126 million. The successful candidate will bring delivery discipline, strong institutional credibility, the ability to build trust across a mixed workforce of VPS staff and contractors, and the confidence to step into full program leadership without delay.

Key accountabilities

• Provide senior advisory, operational, and people leadership under the Program Director’s daily direction, extending the Program Director’s influence across delivery, governance, and culture through sound judgement, credibility, and strong relationships.
• Work as an equal partner within the senior leadership team with the Program Director and the Executive Director – Service Transformation, sharing information, supporting the execution of each leader’s accountabilities, and addressing tensions in a constructive and open way.
• Use CIO-delegated technology authority at the program level to ensure all technology decisions align with enterprise governance standards, remain visible within departmental frameworks, and are backed by a trusted relationship with the CIO.

How to apply

Review the position description for further details. Applications should be submitted online and must include a CV and a cover letter of up to two pages that address the Key Selection Criteria. Candidates must be an Australian citizen, a permanent resident, or hold a valid work permit or visa. Work eligibility will be verified during recruitment.

Shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete pre-employment checks, including a national police check and misconduct screening.

File uploads are accepted in .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt, and .rtf formats.

Additional information

This role offers direct involvement in the most complex technology governance and delivery challenges in Victoria’s human services environment.