Senior Heritage and Cultural Values Officer

Full time, Contract

Hybrid

18h ago , from Victorian Department of Energy and Climate Action

Are you passionate about protecting Victoria’s rich cultural heritage? Do you thrive in collaborative environments and want to make a real impact on Country and community? We’re looking for a dedicated and experienced Senior Heritage and Cultural Values Officer to join our Forest and Fire Planning team in the Gippsland Region.

As a Senior Heritage and Cultural Values Officer, you will provide expert advice on the protection and management of Aboriginal and historic cultural heritage places, objects, and values. You’ll work closely with Traditional Owners, Registered Aboriginal Parties, and partner agencies to ensure cultural heritage is respected and protected during forest and fire management activities. This role involves both desktop and on‑ground cultural heritage assessments, contributing to operational planning and supporting DEECA’s commitment to cultural safety and self‑determination.

Key Responsibilities

- Conduct cultural heritage assessments and provide expert advice during forest and fire management planning and operations.
- Collaborate with Traditional Owners, Aboriginal Victoria, Parks Victoria, and other stakeholders to ensure respectful and integrated heritage management.
- Support compliance with relevant legislation, including the Aboriginal Heritage Act and the Heritage Act.
- Identify emerging risks and contribute to innovative solutions.
- Foster a culturally safe and inclusive workplace.

The ideal candidate will have excellent communication skills, stakeholder engagement and problem‑solving skills, and demonstrate a commitment to cultural safety and working in partnership with Traditional Owners.

Specialist/Technical Expertise/Qualifications





- An appropriate qualification or demonstrated practical experience in Cultural Heritage Management, Archaeology, or Anthropology, and appropriate Geographical Information system (GIS) skills, or ability to acquire these.
- Knowledge of and experience working with the key pieces of legislation for heritage protection and management, with particular emphasis on The Aboriginal Heritage Act and The Heritage Act for the identification, protection, and management of Aboriginal and historic heritage places, and objects.

This is a fixed term position until 30 June 2028. The work location for this position is flexible within the Gippsland Region with hybrid work arrangements available.

Please refer to the Key Selection Criteria provided in the , including the mandatory requirements.

Applications close 11.59pm on Thursday, 03 September 2026.

Preferred candidates will be required to undertake pre‑employment screening, including a Declaration and Consent form and a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check.

To be eligible for appointment to this role, applicants will possess corresponding work rights for the advertised employment period. Appointment to an ongoing position is only available to an Australian/Current Zel citizen or an Australian Permanent Resident.

An inclusive, culturally safe and flexible workplace

DEECA fosters an inclusive workplace culture and is committed to a fair, accessible, and equitable recruitment process.

We strongly encourage Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander people to apply. We recognise the strengths, knowledge and perspectives First Nations people bring and DEECA is committed to a culturally safe and respectful workplace. If you need support to participate, please contact ***************@deeca.vic.gov.au.

We support flexible working arrangements, including hybrid work, varied hours, part‑time work and job sharing. For more information about our recruitment processes, visit applying for a role with us.

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📌 Senior Heritage and Cultural Values Officer (Melbourne)
🏢 Deeca
📍 Melbourne