Vic IT chief on the hunt for deputies

The Victorian Government has created four new executive IT roles with a whole-of-government remit to assist chief technology advocate and deputy secretary Grantly Mailes.

The new roles have been borne out of a review of the innovation, services, small business and technology division of the Department of State Development, Business and Innovation (DSDBI), which Mailes heads.

As chief technology advocate, Mailes directs the implementation of the state’s one-year-old ICT strategy.

DSDBI is looking for four candidates with “a demonstrated record of achievement at a senior executive level” to help him in this task. Three will answer directly to the chief technology advocate.

An executive director of digital government will be handed responsibility for “the development and implementation of the Victorian government’s ICT agenda, policies and a range of projects”, according to the job advertisement.

A director of ICT innovation will oversee “the development and implementation of significant and innovative cross-government ICT projects and initiatives and key departmental ICT platforms”.

A director of ICT procurement will implement the changes to buying conditions arising out of the state’s ICT strategy.

The final role, director of Information Victoria, will answer to the digital government director and will manage DSDBI’s online business services and the ‘Victoria Online’ portal.

All candidates will be expected to have "a strong understanding of leading and innovative ICT and technology products, platforms and services and their application to both contemporary business and citizen services, and more broadly government".

Just over 12 months since Victoria released its inaugural whole-of-government ICT strategy, it is reporting that 24 of the 50 action items it set for itself are now complete.

Technology minister Gordon Rich-Phillips this week announced that the development and subsequent implementation of a cyber security strategy will be the next job on the state’s IT to-do-list.