- Full time ongoing position
- Salary range: $143,076 - $166,922 plus superannuation
- Up to $15,900 in salary packaging, flexible hybrid work arrangement

About the role

The First Peoples Cultural Strategy Specialist provides strategic leadership in strengthening Victoria Legal Aid's (VLA) organisational cultural capability, cultural safety, and improving systems, policies and practices for First Peoples employees and service users.

This role leads the design, oversight and continuous improvement of VLA's cultural capability framework, ensuring that organisational culture, workforce practices and internal policies are aligned with First Peoples perspectives, self-determination principles and community expectations. It will provide strategic oversight of relevant policy, workforce capability development, and guidance on embedding of cultural safety practices reflect First Peoples' ways of knowing, being and doing.

This role will provide authoritative cultural advice to senior leaders to improve and embed sustainable and meaningful organisational cultural change.

This role is based at our Melbourne CBD office on Wurundjeri Country.

This is a special measures role and only Australian First Peoples are eligible to apply, as per the Equal Chance Act 2010.

Please ONLY apply if you identify as Australian First Peoples.

About you

As our ideal candidate, you will possess:

Demonstrated cultural authority and deep understanding of First Peoples communities and systems

- Demonstrated understanding of First Peoples cultures, histories and contemporary issues, with the ability to apply this knowledge strategically to strengthen cultural safety, influence organisational practice, and improve outcomes for First Peoples staff and service users.

Proven experience leading cultural strategy and organisational change

- Demonstrated experience designing, implementing and driving strategic initiatives that build organisational cultural capability, influence culture and systems, and embed culturally safe practice across a complex organisation.

Ability to influence senior stakeholders and provide authoritative advice

- Demonstrated ability to act as a trusted advisor to executives and senior leaders, providing high-level guidance on culturally safe leadership, workforce practice,



policy and service delivery, and constructively influencing decisions and outcomes.

Strong capability in stakeholder engagement and partnership building

- Demonstrated experience building and maintaining strong relationships with First Peoples communities, Aboriginal community-controlled organisations, sector partners and internal stakeholders to inform strategy, strengthen accountability and support collaboration.

Experience in governance, monitoring and accountability

- Demonstrated ability to develop and oversee monitoring, evaluation and reporting processes that track progress, identify risks and demonstrate impact in areas such as cultural capability, workforce outcomes or organisational reform.

Highly developed communication skills

- Strong written and interpersonal communication skills, with demonstrated experience preparing high-quality reports, briefings and strategic advice, and communicating sensitively and effectively with diverse audiences.

Understanding of the justice sector and commitment to VLA's values

- Demonstrated understanding of the role of VLA within the justice system, and a strong commitment to VLA's vision, values, self-determination and culturally safe practice.

Don't meet every requirement? At VLA, we understand that your work and life experiences can be just as valuable. If your CV doesn't align perfectly with our job description, we strongly encourage you to apply. You may be just the right candidate. However, we are unable to consider applicants who do not identify as Australian First Peoples.

About VLA
We offer legal representation, family dispute resolution and non-legal advocacy to those who need it most. With over 1400 staff employed in 16 offices across Victoria, we help people with their legal problems by providing information, advice and education with a focus on the prevention and early resolution of legal problems.



Our clients come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds and foster a work culture that's inclusive as well as diverse. Your unique ideas and perspectives are valued so that we best represent the people we serve.

Employee benefits

- A focus on work-life balance, including flexible working arrangements
- Hybrid work from home & office model
- Generous leave benefits, including:
- Three days paid seasonal leave (to be taken between Boxing Day and New Year's Day public holidays)
- Paid gender affirmation leave
- Five days both paid reproductive and fertility leave per calendar year

- Annual 3% salary increase each December plus performance-related salary incentives
- Attractive salary packaging options including General Expenses up to $15,900, Meals & Entertainment up to $2,650 PLUS Novated Leasing
- Discounted annual Myki public transport passes
- Individual learning and professional development opportunities, tailored to your role and career goals
- Free annual flu vaccinations
- Access to gym and end-of-trip facilities at our CBD office
- Access to our Employee Assistance Program, including confidential counselling and access to a range of mental health and wellbeing resources.

How to apply
To be considered for this role, please submit your current resume and a cover letter indicating how your skills and experience are aligned with the expectations of the role.

If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process or need an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our team.

For further information, please review the attached position description or contact Melissa Harrison on 0437892*** or ***********@vla.vic.gov.au.

No agency applications will be expected.

Applications close by 11.59pm on Thursday 3 September 2026.

Other relevant information

It is a requirement that staff attend for office-based days at their primary work location. In line with this requirement, interstate applications will be considered only where the candidate is able and willing to relocate to Victoria, unless part of a border community.

VLA is committed to putting the safety and wellbeing of children first.

📌 Cultural Strategy Specialist (Melbourne)
🏢 Victoria Legal Aid
📍 Melbourne