Victorian Defence Industry Advocate (VDIA) and Ex-Officio Defence Council Victoria (DCV) Chair

The DCV is a Group C Band C2 (b) body, which, under the Department of Premier and Cabinet's Appointment and Remuneration Guidelines (‘the Guidelines'), is defined as:

• A body established by legislation or at the direction of a Minister (or Government) to investigate/monitor and advise/report to Government on issues considered to be of importance within the portfolio or where there is a high degree of concern within certain sections of the community.

The role of the DCV is to:

• Provide advice to government on initiatives to both sustain existing capability and develop new and unique capabilities within the defence industry sector;
• Provide advice to government on defence-related matters;
• Identify strategic partnership(s) and export opportunities for Victoria's defence industry;
• Advise the government on Victoria's defence industry profile nationally and internationally and to recommend improvements to its competitiveness; and
• Provide advice on other matters as requested by the Minister.

The DCV currently has seven sitting members and one vacancy.

The Victorian Defence Industry Advocate (VDIA) also serves as the ex-officio Chair of the DCV. The VDIA provides strategic representation, advocacy and engagement on all defence matters for the Department, Minister and Victorian Government.

The role of the VDIA (‘the Advocate’) is to:

• Provide strategic representation and advocacy to assist the Department to deliver Victoria’s defence sector priorities as outlined in the Victorian Defence Vision Statement.
• Closely engage with senior political representatives, Commonwealth Government executives and defence industry C-suite executives to assist the Department to deliver Victoria’s defence sector priorities as outlined in the Victorian Defence Vision Statement.
• Connect their strategic representation, advocacy and engagement roles to the provision of high-quality sector advice to the Premier, the Treasurer, the Minister for Industry and Advanced Manufacturing, the Defence Council Victoria (DCV) and the Department of Jobs, Skills Industry and Regions (DJSIR).
• ‘The Advocate’ is responsible to the Minister for Industry and Advanced Manufacturing for performance of their duties. The duties include, but are not limited to:
• Represent Victoria on defence industry related matters and be an identifiable champion of that industry.
• Advocate for Victoria’s defence industry to key stakeholders nationally and internationally. Key stakeholders include all tiers of government, significant defence industry business and organisations.
• Engage as required with the media in the promotion of Victoria’s defence industry.
• Identify opportunities for possible Victorian government support and assistance, not limited to financial support and assistance, that could be offered to businesses and organisations to secure significant economic value for Victoria.
• Provide strategic advice on defence industry related issues, particularly on actions to grow and sustain Victoria’s defence industry in the short, medium and long term.
• Provide strategic advice on other matters relevant to the Industry and Advanced Manufacturing portfolio, as required.
• Act as the ex-officio DCV Chair and provide strategic direction as an advisory council on all defence related matters to the Minister for Industry and Advanced Manufacturing.
• ‘The Advocate’ will carry out the duties over 7-days per calendar month (PCM) and be available generally for advice and contact as required.
• The Department’s Defence, Aviation and Aerospace branch will provide limited administrative support to the Advocate.
• ‘The Advocate’s’ principal point of contact within the Department is the Senior Manager, Defence, Aviation and Aerospace.

The Department is seeking to recruit a contemporary, high-quality, defence and public sector respected professional to the VDIA position.

The successful candidate will be instrumental in supporting Victoria to secure defence investment, grow its supply chain and promote the defence sector both nationally and globally. These outcomes will contribute to economic growth within the State through the creation of high-value jobs, capital expenditure (CAPEX), research and development (R&D) expenditure and innovation. Based on this, the appointment of the pre-eminent candidate is a key priority for DJSIR and the Victorian Government.

The successful incumbent will also be required to exercise sound political judgement and demonstrate business acumen. They will need work collaboratively with Ministers, senior executives and others within the Victorian Government and Victorian Public Service. Qualitative consideration of intangible personal characteristics like levels of influence, general disposition and attitude are also important in assessing the suitability of an applicant for the role.

The recommended applicant, from a shortlisted pool, will be appointed by Cabinet based on the recommendation of the Minister for Industry and Advanced Manufacturing based on an assessment of their background, their strategic business acumen, sector knowledge and influence, interpersonal skills and general disposition and expertise.

Shortlisted candidates will possess:

• Recent senior level experience in government, industry or research relevant to defence and Victoria’s equities and competitive advantages in the sector;
• Representational skills and experience at senior government, industry or research level with relevance to defence;
• Experience in formulating and delivering advice of a strategic nature to government(s) or large corporations.
• Demonstration of specialist skills and experience and expertise across the following criteria would be highly regarded:
• Experience and understanding of the political environment at a Commonwealth and State level, particularly with relevance to the defence sector
• Experience and understanding of the strategic context and environment within defence
• Experience and understanding of defence capability acquisition, and the strategic processes related planning and decision-making
• Experience and understanding of Victorian Government decision-making processes
• Sound knowledge of the national defence industry
• Ability to engage with senior political representatives, Commonwealth Government executives and defence industry C-suite executives
• Ability to engage with defence Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
• Ability to engage with universities and other research organisations
• Experience in the formulation and implementation of strategy.

Applicants are required to register an account on the Join a Public Board website (https://www.boards.vic.gov.au) prior to applying online.

Applicants will have the opportunity to outline their relevant qualifications and experience and address the key selection criteria before completing the online application.

Applicants should view all documents attached to the advertisement prior to applying.

Applicants are required to complete the Expression of Interest (EOI) form and provide a current Curriculum Vitae (CV) as part of your online application.

Attachments should be uploaded as Microsoft Word files in .doc or.docx formats.

Applicants with further enquiries may contact Michael Cross at michael.x.cross@ecodev.vic.gov.au

Applications close at 11:59pm on Friday 5 September 2025.

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

The Victorian Government’s commitment to diverse representation

The Victorian Government is committed to ensuring that government boards and committees reflect the rich diversity of the Victorian community. Diversity of skills and expertise, and the perspectives and lived experiences of people from different backgrounds, contribute to good governance and help ensure that boards are making decisions in the interests of the Victorian community.

Applications are encouraged from people of all ages, First Nations people, people with disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and from lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, gender diverse, intersex, and queer people, and those aged 25 years old or under.

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.

If you identify as any of the above, we 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.