Senior Privacy Officer

As a Senior Privacy Officer at the Department of Education, this role provides expert advice, strategic support and leadership around privacy across the department's functions including schools and its Early Learning Victoria (ELV) centres. The role achieves this through a range of activities including providing strategic and operational privacy advice on a broad range of departmental initiatives, managing privacy impact assessment reviews, responding to privacy complaints and incidents, leading training and resource development, and helping to identify and address privacy risk across the department's activities and operations.

About the Division

At a high level, Assurance, Knowledge and Executive Services Division (AKESD) provides the following key functions and services across the department, schools and early childhood sectors:

• Ministerial services, including Cabinet and Parliament support and board appointments.
• Freedom of Information services.
• Knowledge, privacy, copyright and records management policies, services, advice and support.
• Mail, courier and digitisation services.
• Internal Audit planning, delivery and advice and coordination of VAGO performance audits.
• Supporting the department's Audit and Risk Committee
• Supporting the Secretary with PAEC Financial and Performance Outcomes.

 

The Knowledge, Privacy and Records Branch (KPRB) within AKESD is responsible for leading the department's management of knowledge, privacy, intellectual property and records, which includes supporting departmental compliance with relevant legislation, policy and standards.

About the Role

As a Senior Privacy Officer at the Department of Education, this role's purpose is to provide expert privacy advice, support and engagement to corporate, school and Early Learning Victoria staff, and to support a broad range of departmental programs and projects. As a senior member of the Privacy Team, the role achieves this purpose through a range of activities, including providing privacy advice on departmental initiatives, privacy impact assessment reviews, responding to privacy complaints and incidents, supporting training and resource development, and helping to identify and address privacy risk across the department's activities and operations. Privacy work intersects with many areas and functions, and the role requires engagement with key areas including information technology and security, legal, procurement, communications and digital learning. The team supports privacy compliance right across the department, including its regional offices and 1,600 government schools, as well as its Early Learning Victoria centres. Privacy Officers also engage with and support members of the public in relation to privacy complaints and incidents. 
 
Attributes

The Senior Privacy Officer works in a busy and collegiate team and will use their skills in investigation, influence and customer service to help the department meet its legislative and policy obligations around the management of personal and health information. Key attributes include a close adherence to Victorian public sector values, strong written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to manage their own workload as well as support other team members and team goals.  

Desirable Qualifications and Experience

Detailed knowledge of Victorian privacy legislation and practice is required, and experience working in government and/or education settings is highly desirable. An understanding of the changing landscape of information privacy and technological innovation, including generative AI, is also highly desirable.

Further Information

For more details regarding this position please see attached position description for the capabilities to address in application.

The department values diversity and inclusion in all forms - gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. For more information about our work, working for the Department, diversity and inclusion, and our employment conditions visit the Department website and our Diversity and Inclusion page

Applicants requiring adjustments can contact the nom inated contact person.

Information about the Department of Education's operations and employment conditions can be located at www.education.vic.gov.au.

For further information pertaining to the role, please contact Anna Gifford – Manager, Privacy and Knowledge Management via ph. 8688 7813 or email [email protected].

Preferred applicants may be required to complete a police check and may be subject to other pre-employment checks. Information provided to the Department of Education will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Please let us know via phone or email if you require any adjustments to ensure your full participation in the recruitment process or if you need the ad or any attachments in an accessible format (e.g. large print) due to any viewing difficulties or other accessibility requirements.

Applications close 11:59pm on Monday 26 November 2026.