There’s so much diversity at the Department of Treasury and Finance (DTF) - in the work we do, the way we do it and the impact it has. Whether you’re advising on issues the whole state is talking about or helping to empower 100,000+ public servants, DTF is a great place to challenge yourself while building an impressive skillset, resumé and career. Don’t just take our word for it, though. Hear from six of our people why they’ve chosen to stay and grow here.

Complexity at the core

The work we do at DTF is rarely simple, but it is always significant. Because we sit at the heart of government, our teams are often tasked with solving challenges that affect the entire state’s future. For Executive Director Bec , this remit is an opportunity for subject matter experts from across disciplines to collaborate and share their expertise.

“What I am most passionate about is bringing teams together to solve problems - not just from within our branch, but across agencies. It’s about solving the complex issues both across the department and government more broadly.” Thomas is proud of how his team has been able to provide faster, more useful analytics that keep registration costs reasonable for South Australians.

Nathalie, Head of Member Services at Super SA, has found that same complexity on the frontline. Since “falling into” the superannuation industry in her early 20s, she has experienced an incredible variety of work that has kept her engaged for over two decades.

“People often think super is static, but it’s actually incredibly dynamic. It changes all the time, and there is constantly more to learn."

A compelling career path

Doing work this interesting means building a resumé that truly stands out. By moving upwards or sideways between our 12 branches, our people gain exposure to different industries and legislation that enhances their expertise.

As an Operational Team Leader, Farwa is constantly looking for new ways to support her team’s career growth. She values that DTF’s broad structure offers a continuous learning curve.

“I often have discussions with other leaders in my team about different opportunities and cross-skilling. DTF offers a very good learning environment. If you show interest and you’re willing to learn, it leads to something life-changing.”

Payment Strategy Officer Chris’ 27-year career has remained engaging thanks to the sheer breadth of the legislation he navigates. While he feels most at home in the payroll tax area, his experience extends to land tax, emergency services and first-home-owner grants.

“I’ve seen the processes all the way through from assessment to compliance to debt management. We’re in the process of transferring stamp duty collections over, too. It’s been good to follow the journey through and see how it all connects.”

Innovating for impact

By continually evolving and embedding digital systems, we are transforming how South Australians interact with the government. This requires our technical teams to work at a scale few other organisations can offer. Application Development Specialist Giridhar (Giri) is a great example, as he is currently helping to build DTF’s first localised AI models.

“Building an AI model for a personal project is one thing, but implementing it for all of government to use is an insanely good challenge. You have to think about security and scale in a way you usually don’t have to. It’s about building something that 100,000 people can trust.”

As a Senior Project Officer tasked with managing the department’s digital presence, Kavish knows about building trust first-hand. Responding to real-world events, such as the State Budget, means a constant race against the clock to ensure every South Australian can access the clear information they need.

“Budget time is extremely important to the entire state and the public. It may feel like it’s just the technical part of things, but I like to think people are smiling while they’re reading through the website. That’s the outcome we work for.”