Job Opportunities in Australia

Our Department Values

Our values set the direction for what it means to work in our department. They inform the standard and expectations of behaviours, skills and capabilities and the attributes we currently have, will continually work to achieve and develop, and that we use to acknowledge and attract, retain and recruit into our department.

The department supports workplace diversity and values the contribution of people from diverse backgrounds. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, people with cultural and linguistic diversity, and LGBTQIA+ people. The department is committed to achieving gender equality and, in particular, supporting women’s progression into senior leadership.

The opportunity we have available


We are seeking experienced candidates to fill the role of Assistant Director, Divisional Support Unit (DSU) in various divisions within the department.


The Assistant Director supports the Director, DSU and the division to deliver executive support and manage divisional business and corporate related activities. These activities include coordination of: corporate coordination requests, governance, administered budget and reporting, business planning, recruitment, performance and annual reporting, and senate estimates preparation, briefing and questions on notice.


The Assistant Director engages extensively with the corporate areas of the department, and provides quality assurance and ensures consistency across the division on its corporate/financial obligations.


As part of the DSU you will have the opportunity to have direct exposure to Senior Executives and the breadth of departmental programs, policy and regulation. You will gain valuable experience in enabling services to further enhance your career and the opportunity to use your governance, human resource, financial and/or coordination expertise to support the team to deliver high quality services to the division.


You will establish and embed processes, practices and tools to operationalise corporate policies and procedures in the division. You will assist the Director in leading a small team and build a service focused culture to meet the needs to the Senior Executive and division.


To succeed in this role, experience in, or the ability to quickly learn, government corporate/financial processes to oversee the business of the division, including administered and departmental budgets. While the focus of your work is within the division, you will have an outward view, and establish networks across divisions and corporate areas.

Who are we looking for?


We are looking for emerging leaders with a blend of strategic facilitation, co-ordination and administration skills. Experience in finance, human resources, executive or ministerial support and/or enabling services would be highly regarded, as well as the ability to contribute to embedding a service focused culture in to support the division to deliver on its priorities.


The ideal candidate will thrive in a self-directed work environment and react proactively to new or unexpected events while exercising sound judgment and assessing risk. They will have an ability to ensure Senior Executives are provided the tools required to make decisions in a timely manner, while employing a collaborative approach to working with colleagues, and change management.


To succeed in the position you will demonstrate excellent organisational, communication, interpersonal and liaison skills and demonstrate:

Achieve results and quality outcomes by showing initiative and leadership, working in a small team delivering multiple activities at any given time, often within tight timeframes.

Communicate effectively both written and verbal, delivering information in a variety of formats for a range of audiences.

Collaborate across diverse teams, using your exceptional interpersonal and engagement skills to engage with Senior Executives and a wide variety of stakeholders, valuing different perspectives, contributions and backgrounds.

Have a growth mindset with a willingness to continue to learn, develop, and foster an environment for team members to do the same.

Think strategically, evaluating complex information from a variety of sources to make connections and prepare sound advice by exercising good judgement.

Professionalism, personal drive and integrity, including demonstrated ability to take responsibility and achieve objectives in challenging circumstances.

Candidates from diverse backgrounds and experiences are encouraged to apply.

Recruit Ability minimum requirements


Minimum requirements for this role include:

• Communicate effectively both written and verbal, delivering information in a variety of formats for a range of audiences.
• Collaborate across diverse teams, using your exceptional interpersonal and engagement skills to engage with Senior Executives and a wide variety of stakeholders, valuing different perspectives, contributions and backgrounds.
• Think strategically, evaluating complex information from a variety of sources to make connections and prepare sound advice by exercising good judgement.

Recruit Ability is a scheme which aims to attract and develop applicants with disability and also facilitate cultural changes in selection panels and agency recruitment.


Job applicants with disability who met the requirements are advanced to the next stage of the selection process:

• Opt into the scheme
• Declare they have a disability, and
• Meet the minimum requirements of a vacancy advertised in the scheme

More information can be found at Recruit Ability scheme: A guide for applicants | Australian Public Service Commission (apsc.gov.au).

What else can we offer?

We are dedicated to fostering personal and professional development, empowering individuals to set goals, acquire new skills, and cultivate unique qualities that define who they are. We believe that this not only leads to a more fulfilling and happier life but also enhances the overall quality of our work. Some of the benefits we offer include:

• Access to our study Assistance Program that provides paid leave and financial support for you to undertake courses of study that contribute to the improvements of your professional skills and knowledge relevant to our work and broader Australian Public Service.
• Through our investment in learning and development opportunities, and a positive performance culture, we provide diverse career pathways for our people to enable their mobility and adapt in a rapidly changing world.
• Improve your leadership skills, through the department’s Professional Coaching Scheme and tailored leadership opportunities for staff members.
• Flexible working opportunities, including part time hours, home based work and job sharing.
• We offer generous leave entitlements of 20 days personal circumstances leave per year, with one month’s accrual of leave credited on commencement and 150 hours of paid annual leave (based on a full-time employee), plus a range of other miscellaneous leave options to support you.

Our breadth of work provides unmatched opportunities to apply your subject matter expertise while discovering new interests across our diverse portfolio. You can contribute to work that enriches our communities, empowers our regions, and connects Australians.

Eligibility requirements


Employment with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts is subject to conditions prescribed within the Public Service Act 1999 including:

• Citizenship: To be eligible for employment with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts applicants must be an Australian citizen at the time of submitting your application.
• Health Assessment: the preferred candidate may be required to undergo a medical examination conducted by the department’s preferred medical provider.
• Security Clearance: the successful candidate must be able to obtain and/or maintain a security clearance at Baseline Vetting. You must be willing to disclose all relevant and required information. You must have lived in Australia, or have a checkable background, for at least the preceding five years for Baseline Vetting clearances. More information on the security clearance vetting process is available on the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) website.
• Qualifications: Finance qualifications are desirable, but candidates with experience working with finance systems and concepts are welcome to apply.

How to apply


Applications for this opportunity close at 11.59pm AEDT, Wednesday 30 October 2024.


In applying for this position, you are not required to address individual selection criteria. Rather, you should provide a statement of no more than two pages outlining your background, capabilities and experiences, and how these align with the advertised role. You should also provide a CV, no more than three pages. The capabilities and behaviours required to be successful for this role are identified in the ‘Who are we looking for’ section.


Your application will be assessed against the requirements of the job. Once the entire applicant pool has been assessed, the panel will create a shortlist of applicants. If your application is shortlisted, you may be asked to undertake further assessment, this may include work sample testing, interviews, and reference checks. Selection of Suitable candidates may be based on application and referee reports only.


Your application should be received through the department’s online recruitment system. Applications via Indeed will not be accepted.


If you experience any issues with the system please contact the recruitment team on 02 6136 8989 or via email at recruitment@infrastructure.gov.au to discuss an alternative way to submit your application.


Please advise the contact officer if you require reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process. The department is committed to the accessibility of our systems. If you identify as someone with disability and you require accessibility assistance or more information, please email Diversityand Inclusion@infrastructure.gov.au

Timeline and assessment

A selection panel will be established to assess your suitability against the advertised role.


If a merit pool is established it will be valid for 18 months from date it first appeared in the APS Gazette.

Applications open: Wednesday 16 October 2024
Applications close: Wednesday 30 October 2024
Application shortlisting: Week beginning Monday 11 November 2024
Further assessments: Week beginning Monday 18 November 2024
Selection report finalised: Week beginning Monday 25 November 2024
Offers and announcements: Week beginning Monday 25 November 2024

The above is indicative only, please reach out to the contact person if you have any questions on the recruitment process or timeframes.


Your application will be assessed against the requirements of the job and the Work level standards. Once the entire applicant pool has been assessed, the panel will create a shortlist of applicants. If your application is shortlisted, you may be asked to undertake further assessment, this may include work sample testing, interviews, and reference checks.

Work with us. Apply now!