Set the standard for design-led innovation at City of Melbourne and help drive transformation from problem framing through to delivery ensuring end-to-end integrity of design intent

Senior Officer Contract up to three years

As a leading local government, the City of Melbourne aims to achieve our goal for Melbourne to be a bold, inspirational and sustainable city. Each year we deliver a vast range of projects and programs, designed to ensure we remain one of the world’s most sustainable, accessible and equitable cities.

The City of Melbourne is committed to providing a safe working environment that embraces and values child safety. We actively support diversity, inclusion and flexibility in our workplace and in turn are seeking people who can demonstrate and display our City of Melbourne values of accountability, integrity, courage, respect for self and others, and the desire to strive for excellence. Together we Make the Difference. 

How this position will Make the Difference to City of Melbourne…

The Head of Innovation Practice owns CityLab’s practice of design-led innovation and oversees its application in CityLab projects and across the City of Melbourne.

Your role will primarily focus on leading the development of design practice standards for CityLab and the organisation to hold ourselves accountable. You provide people leadership to the CityLab Educator and help drive collaboration with key stakeholders, and work with branch leadership to scope and plan future projects.

Drawing on your previous experience in a similar role, you will be a strategic thinker with a track record of managing high performing teams. You will be highly proactive with exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, (both in conversation and in writing), with an emphasis on pitching and presentations to senior stakeholders, running work-sessions, and articulating and defending design decisions.

You will be accountable for:

• Develop and grow CityLab’s practice of design-led innovation from a transdisciplinary design, systems thinking and futures perspective

• Drive the design of new and refined CityLab team offerings that meet organisational and end-user goals

• Provide design leadership to empower project teams; providing guidance, provoking thought, and removing barriers so that all team members can reach their full potential

• Provide creative oversight of all CityLab projects; steward design craft and quality outputs, ensuring innovative and bold outcomes

• Create opportunities to solve business challenges with design excellence. Understand macro trends and how they are influencing the environment in which CoM operates to drive new opportunities

• Develop pitch decks and project approaches that lead to exciting, inspiring, and well-shaped work

• Cultivate productive relationships with new and existing stakeholders internally and externally

• Create environments where project teams can do high-quality work for the City of Melbourne

• With support from the CityLab Educator, strengthen the multidisciplinary skillsets of CityLab team members and build capability in design-led innovation approaches across City of Melbourne

You can bring… (Selection criteria)

• Ability to demonstrate and display City of Melbourne Values – accountability, integrity, courage, respect for self and others, and striving for excellence

• Extensive experience excelling in a diversity of environments, including a design consultancy

• Mastery in multiple areas of technical expertise including service, strategic, experience and visual and communications design utilising Human-centred Design, Lean and Agile methodologies. Your expertise is coupled with a deep love of craft

• Ability to shape strategies and design solutions with a systems thinking mindset

• Proven history enabling cross-functional teams to create powerful, effective, and coherent solutions

• Excellent leadership skills, problem resolution abilities, and good judgment

• Ability to learn new software quickly; experience with Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite, Sketch, and InVision is a plus.

   

How to apply…

To apply, please visit www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/careers 

The Advertised Close Date and other important information can be found on www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/careers

The City of Melbourne respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land, the Boon Wurrung and Woiwurrung (Wurundjeri) peoples of the Kulin Nation and pays respect to their Elders, past and present. We also recognise the strength and value of Aboriginal people and encourage their applications.

For those interested in working with us, the City of Melbourne offers a great range of benefits. If you have any questions, or for more information, please contact careers@melbourne.vic.gov.au

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