Department of Local Government, Water and Volunteers

is now recruiting for

Deputy Director-General, Local Government

Apply Now

Applications close midnight, 11 October 2026

Overview

About the Department of Local Government, Water and Volunteers

The Department of Local Government, Water and Volunteers performs work that touches the lives of every Queenslander every day. With over 800 staff in more than 30 offices across the state, we are committed to delivering for Queensland communities.

Our Local Government team supports Queensland’s 77 councils to operate effectively and deliver positive community outcomes. This includes providing expert engineering and project management advice, capital and operating grants to support priority infrastructure projects and services, and guidance on governance and financial management matters; and administering the Local Government Act 2009, City of Brisbane Act 2010 and Local Government Electoral Act 2011.

Our Water teams work across a wide range of essential areas.

We are the dam safety regulator, ensuring more than 100 referable dams throughout the state are safe and operating as intended. We also keep a close eye on the future, assessing bulk water needs across the state and anticipating future demand based on population growth, climate change, and emerging industries.

We are the drinking water regulator, ensuring that the local government water service providers throughout Queensland are delivering safe, reliable drinking water for their communities.

We are responsible for the sustainable and efficient allocation and use of water throughout Queensland, ensuring the needs of the environment, water users and communities are met securely and we manage more than 40,000 water entitlements across the state.

Our Volunteering Policy and Engagement team focuses on volunteering policy and system stewardship. This includes administering the funding agreement for Volunteering Queensland, supporting the Queensland Parliament’s Inquiry into Volunteering in Queensland, developing the government’s response to the inquiry’s report, and overseeing delivery of inquiry recommendations accepted by the government.

What we Value

Our department values a respectful, collaborative and supportive culture. Our Behaviours Charter is a collection of guiding principles, shaped by the people who work here, that spells out the great working environment we want to create and maintain.

These principles include:

collaboration
inclusivity
respect
authenticity
having fun and celebrating our achievements.

Read the DLGWV strategic plan

About the Role

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Useful Links

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About the Role

Deputy Director-General, Local Government

Download Position Description

As a member of the Departmental Leadership Team, you will contribute to whole-of-department perspectives on key strategic issues and work collaboratively to support and implement DLGWV’s strategic direction ensuring it is aligned with Government’s objectives and commitments.

This position will report to the Director-General, DLGWV, and will lead approximately 81 staff including 3 direct reports, driving the values of performance, teamwork, diversity, continuous improvement, innovation, and best practice outcomes.

As the Deputy Director-General, Local Government, you will lead the Local Government Division to partner with councils and work with Queensland Government agencies to deliver an empowered, efficient and sustainable local government sector. You will be the principal advisor to the Queensland Government on local government matters.

The Local Government Division is key in supporting local governments, including by:

connecting local governments throughout the Queensland Government to resolve “real-life” problems faced by local governments.
ensuring relevant legislation empowers local governments and ensures a strong and accountable sector.
building local government capability, including working with councillors and council staff directly to ensure a strong understanding of legislative requirements, asset management and project delivery.
developing and monitoring funding programs to deliver grants and borrowings to local government, delivering improved community outcomes. The Division itself delivers projects on behalf of local governments but also works closely with local governments on projects they are delivering.
facilitating and enabling day-to-day problem solving and providing technical advice to stakeholders.

This role in key in forming and maintaining key relationships with stakeholders and in working collaboratively to advance Government priorities.

As a member of DLGWV’s Departmental Leadership Team you will work closely with the Director-General and your colleagues to collectively contribute to DLGWV’s strategic direction, strengthen our workplace culture, build workforce capacity and capability, and strengthen stakeholder relationships.

Key Duties and Accountabilities

As the Deputy Director-General, Local Government, you will:

Form and maintain strategic relationships with Queensland councils and local government sector stakeholders, working together to deliver an empowered and suitable local government sector.
Develop and manage networks at the local, state and national level, and proactively and collaboratively liaise and negotiate with stakeholder groups in support of the department’s vision and strategic objectives.
Champion the Equal Partners in Government Agreement to ensure a relationship with councils based on genuine and equal partnership to achieve better community outcomes for Queenslanders.
Ensure the successful implementation of Local Government funding programs, including the Works for Queensland program, in line with Government priorities and the appropriate management and oversight of the Commonwealth Governments Financial Assistant Grant to Local Governments.
Take a whole of department perspective on key strategic issues, contribute to strategic decision making and work collaboratively to implement DLGWV’s purpose ensuring it is aligned with the Government's objectives and commitments.
Provide strategic advice to the Director-General and Minister in relation to matters relevant to the local government portfolio, including legislation and legislative reform, capacity building, financial position, governance and integrity, community and stakeholder expectations.
Negotiate with senior state and Commonwealth officials, mayors, councillors and staff of local governments, private sector and community representatives, professional and industry associations, in support of the department’s vision and strategic objectives.
Work in consultation with peak bodies to develop policy positions, share intelligence and deliver complementary capacity building in priority areas.
Work with Local Governments to support the development and implementation of sound governance, and financial and asset management practices and systems
Proactively prompt and engage Councils to mitigate risk and improve outcomes for communities.
Champion and drive DLGWV's purpose and priorities and translate strategic directions into actions, ensuring a high standard of accountability and performance.
Contribute as a member of the DLGWV'S Departmental Leadership Team, and the group's leadership team to foster collaboration within a high performing, high quality, outcomes-focused environment.
Lead a highly skilled and geographically dispersed workforce located across the State. Our workforce is diverse in their knowledge and experience and include project managers, scientists, grant management teams, engineers, and other disciplines, supported by a departmental corporate team including human resources, financial and legal specialists.
Ensure effective management and monitoring of the Local Government Division budget in accordance with statutory responsibilities, government priorities and departmental policies and procedures.
Demonstrate behaviours that reflect the department's values, guiding principles and ethics.
Foster an organisational environment that values performance, collaboration, diversity, continuous improvement, innovation, and best practice outcomes.

Role requirements

While there are no mandatory qualifications for this role, the successful applicant must have a passion for local government, either through experience working for or with local government. This role requires very strong stakeholder engagement and collaboration skills.

Checks to ascertain criminal history, declaration of interests, previous discipline history and other due diligence checks, will be undertaken as required.
Travel away is required. This may involve travel outside of normal office hours and/or overnight accommodation for extended periods.

Building Queensland’s leaders of tomorrow, today.

Leadership Competencies for Queensland

How to Apply

To be considered, please provide the following information in your online application, for the assessment of your suitability:

A brief letter (1-2 pages) telling us why you are interested in this role and how your skills and experience complement this role. This should not be a restatement of your resume. It is your opportunity to tell us about yourself, how you meet the required competencies, key duties and responsibilities, and any specific role requirements including what skills you’ll bring to the role.
Your current CV highlighting your relevant experience, qualifications, and achievements.

DLGWV values equity and diversity so please include information in your resume that will help us understand how you could contribute to our workforce diversity.

Apply Now

Applications for this role close midnight, 11 October 2026