Sessional Divisional Chairperson - Adult Parole Board

The Adult Parole Board of Victoria (the Board) is an independent statutory body established under the Corrections Act 1986, with jurisdiction over the appropriate release of prisoners on parole. The Board is mandated to make decisions, under a statutory framework, about the reintegration of eligible prisoners into the community. The Board's paramount consideration is the safety and protection of the community.

The Board's functions include making decisions about whether to grant, deny, defer, vary or cancel a prisoner's parole. As a statutory entity, the Board has no inherent power and can only perform functions under delegated authority of legislation.

Members are Governor in Council appointments, on terms and conditions consistent with the Department of Justice and Community Safety and for an initial term of three years.

Divisional Chairpersons should be available to preside over at least one Board hearing each month but greater availability is preferable.

The Board is located at 50 Franklin Street Melbourne.

The primary role of the Divisional Chairperson is to preside over Board hearings with two other members on a sessional basis.

The responsibilities of a Divisional Chairperson include:

• Sit as a Member of the Board and participate in the Board functions conferred by legislation including the Corrections Act 1986 and other related legislation.
• Attend regular professional development education seminars to enhance Members’ knowledge.
• Keep informed of developments in risk assessment, legislative changes, relevant research and practice changes within the corrections and justice services environment to inform the decision-making process.
• Adhere to policies related to probity, conflicts of interest, information security and code of conduct.
• Use the Board’s electronic case workflow system and Zoom (as required) to prepare for and participate in hearings.
• Determine any questions of law arising on their panel of the Board.
• Other duties and responsibilities relevant to the role and as directed by the Chairperson.
• Assist and support the Chairperson in the performance of their duties.

For more information about the Board, please visit the website at:

https://www.adultparoleboard.vic.gov.au/

Applicants must be current or retired judicial officers or legal practitioners of more than 10 years’ experience and should be able to demonstrate:

• Extensive experience in law (preferably criminal) and in the criminal justice system.
• An understanding of the Victorian legislation, policy and issues relating to prisoners.
• Demonstrated ability to apply the practices, policies, procedures, and statutory responsibilities of the Board.

Knowledge and skills

• Demonstrated ability to review large volumes of complex information and reports in order to participate in panel discussions and collaboratively make decisions.
• An understanding of risk identification and risk management as it relates to community safety along with the ability to apply this understanding to individual prisoners and those prisoners on parole.
• Demonstrated capacity to appreciate and address the underlying barriers to a prisoner successfully completing parole.

The Victorian Government is committed to ensuring that government boards and committees reflect the rich diversity of the Victorian community. We encourage applications from people of all ages, Aboriginal people, people with disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and LGBTIQ+ people. We will provide adjustments to the recruitment process upon request.

You do not have to disclose any personal information if you do not want to, but it can help us understand how we can support you through the recruitment process and beyond. We invite you to tell us if you identify as Aboriginal, a person with disability, from a culturally or linguistically diverse background, LGBTIQ+ or a young person, aged 25 years old or less. If you identify as any of the aforementioned, we would welcome the opportunity to contact you and discuss how we can support you through the recruitment process. Sharing this information will help you access support should you need it and will also help us to better understand the impact of our work.

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.

All appointments are subject to reference checks, pre-employment misconduct screening and criminal record checks. Some positions may also be subject to a medical check and/or ‘Working with Children Check’.

Applicants with further enquiries may contact Luke Bishop at Luke.bishop@justice.vic.gov.au

Applications close at 11:59pm on Sunday 11 June 2023.

An independent panel will assess all applications and interview a short-list of candidates.