Senior Relief and Recovery Officer South West

• Fixed Term, flexible work location(s) within Geelong and the Grampians to June 2027.
• Suit candidate(s) seeking flexible work arrangements including job share and/ or part-time hours.
• VPS5 salary between $116,413 - $140,849 + superannuation.

About Us

Emergency Management Victoria (EMV), within the Department of Justice and Community Safety, is responsible for the overall coordination of the emergency management system in Victoria. EMV drives the integration of policy, strategy, operational coordination, and planning across Victoria's emergency management sector.   

The agency supports the emergency management sector to work together and strengthen the capability of individuals, communities, government, agencies and business to achieve our shared vision of safer and more resilient communities and to rebuild and recover after an emergency.

The Relief and Recovery Division, provides strategic leadership for whole-of-government relief and recovery activities, as well as Aboriginal culture and healing. It supports locally led relief and recovery efforts to assist councils and ensure that community remains at the heart of government action. The division promotes a culture aligned with the Victorian Government's commitment to community-led recovery and fostering community resilience.

The Division also provides strategic leadership on whole-of-government relief and recovery initiatives and delivers state-wide recovery outcomes. The regional team supports and guides locally led relief and recovery efforts through councils, to ensure community is at the centre of relief and recovery activities and programs.

The Regional Relief and Recovery West Branch, coordinates and leads regional relief and recovery efforts to ensure communities affected by emergencies in Barwon South West, Grampians, Loddon Mallee, and North West Metro regions receive timely, culturally safe, and effective support to heal, recover, build resilience, and prepare for future emergencies.

What will the role do?

In this role, you will primarily be part of a team based in the Grampians and / or the Barwon South West region. However, it is expected you will have capability and capacity to work across multiple geographical areas to support relief and recovery operations as required.  

Working effectively in complex and high-pressure environments, you will have the capacity to bring together agencies, councils and communities, be a trusted relationship builder, have the ability to project manage, possess strong communication, analytic and interpersonal skills, be highly motivated, passionate and have the ability to forward plan and manage competing priorities.

You will have strong initiative, the ability to adapt to changing priorities and work proactively at a strategic level. You will have excellent administrative and organisational skills, as well as exceptional relationship management capability.

We are seeking candidates with solid understand of emergency management arrangements in Victoria, the planning environment at all tiers and experience working across multiple levels of government and particularly local government.

In response to emergency events experienced across the state, you may also be required to be deployed by EMV to support relief and recovery operations in other areas of Victoria. This might require you to work outside normal business hours on operational rosters or standby arrangements. 

Key Accountabilities

Key responsibilities (see full PD) include:

• Actively contribute to the research and problem solving of issues and evolving policy to address challenges in relief and recovery by collaborating with peers and stakeholders, ensuring emerging issues are identified and resolved in accordance with statutory responsibilities, emergency management and recovery governance arrangements, and government policy.
• Stakeholder engagement and relationship building is key, as you assist local governments to optimise community outcomes including by assisting them to understand and excel at relief and recovery funding protocols and processes.
• This position is well suited to an experienced professional with a background in emergency management operational program development and delivery.
• Strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to influence and achieve outcomes are key components of the role. Knowledge and experience of the state's arrangements to manage emergencies, and familiarity with the State Emergency Management Plan and structures, is an essential foundation for this position.

The successful applicant(s) will require strong organisational, interpersonal, and decision-making skills, work effectively as a member of a team, enjoy flexible working arrangements and undertake a wide variety of work across the branch.

Please refer to the position description for more detail.

Technical Expertise

• Experience working within Victoria's emergency management arrangements at regional and municipal levels.
• Demonstrated ability to analyse emerging issues and translate findings into timely, practical advice, plans and briefs.
• Experience working with multiple agencies, councils and communities at regional or municipal level.

Mandatory requirements

• A full Victorian driver's licence is required due to the need to respond to emergencies potentially across the State, at short notice and outside business hours as required. This role requires work-related travel across regional Victoria.
• The department will consider all reasonable adjustments for candidates with a disability.
• A tertiary qualification in fields related to emergency management, community services, community engagement or business management is highly desirable as is experience in disaster relief and/or recovery.

If this sounds like a compelling role for you and your skill set and experience are a great match, APPLY NOW. Applications close 26 August 2026.

How to apply

Please click the Apply button on this advertisement. Applications should include a resume and covering letter. Attachments can be uploaded in .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt or .rtf formats.

The successful candidate will be required to undergo pre-employment checks which may include national police checks and misconduct screening.

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 get in touch with the contact person(s) listed.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

CHILD SAFE STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT:

The Department of Justice and Community Safety is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. We seek to prevent harm of any kind impacting children and young people and have zero tolerance for racism, child abuse and inequality. Children and young people's rights, relationships, identity, and culture must be recognised and respected, their voices heard, and their concerns acted upon. We aim to foster a culturally safe, child safe and child friendly environment for all children and young people we have contact with, deliver services to, or are impacted by our work.