Assistant Director

EL 1 - $115,663 - $124,403 per annum plus superannuation
- Trade & International Division
- Canberra, ACT
- _This role works in a team that provides operational and financial support to the Agriculture counsellors posted overseas. _
- _This includes developing and managing their budgets, expenditure, accruals, payment of accounts and invoices and managing contracts. _
- _This role also provides budgetary and financial support to the division, as well as providing regular financial reports to the division's executive and financial advice and guidance to divisional staff._

**Who we are**
The Trade and International Division (TID) maximises the impact and influence of the department’s international work by:

- engaging in relevant multilateral and regional fora to shape global rules and norms consistent with Australia’s interests
- maintaining and improving our agriculture trade and market access through support for free trade agreement negotiations, tackling non-tariff barriers to trade, leading high level bilateral meetings and mobilising the counsellor network
- ensuring the department has joined up and informed policy and posture across all international functions
- investing in the departments culture and capability to deliver on our international interests.

The International Strategy and Engagement Branch supports the department to prioritise its international work and provides a focal point for engagement within the department and with other agencies on whole of government international issues. We undertake market intelligence to inform decision-making on international trade and environment priorities. We lead the department’s international engagement on ocean policy and whales. We provide administrative and corporate support for the overseas counsellor network and the divisions finance and security functions.

The Overseas Posts and Operations Support team provides support to the agriculture counsellors posted overseas by way of administration, property, security and finance. This team has a large stakeholder group both internal and external that they work across daily. In addition, the team also provides support to the Trade and International Division for all its financials (budgets, accounts, contracts), as well as a range of co-ord functions.

**The Job**
Under limited direction, the Assistant Director will be responsible for some, or all of the activities listed below:

- providing team leadership, mentoring and coaching to program officers
- assisting the director, with setting the strategic direction and forward work program for the section and contributing to the strategic direction of the division
- providing high level advice on one or more of the following: governance, finance, administration and resource management issues, staff training, business planning and assurance of policies and procedures
- managing projects undertaken by section that aim to deliver more efficient and effective business processes, including streamlining information management and reporting
- provide budget and financial management to the Agriculture counsellors based at our overseas posts
- representing the division at a variety of forums and establishing and maintaining effective and productive relationships with departmental staff
- working effectively across the department to achieve improved, nationally consistent finance and reporting services for the division
- managing the administration of Trade and International Division’s financial/budget/training/payroll/procurement/
- develop and maintain productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders by identifying their needs and proactively providing appropriate communication and support.

**What we are looking for**

**Knowledge and experience**
The successful applicants will have some or all the following:

- substantial experience in financial management in a government department, including an understanding of the budget processes
- demonstrated use of the Technology One finance management system or other FMIS systems
- sound knowledge of relevant legislation and legislative frameworks, regulation and decision-making
- demonstrated ability to effectively lead and manage teams in a high-pressure environment with multiple and changing deadlines

**Skills and capabilities**
The successful applicant will have some or all the following:

- demonstrated high-level written skills including an ability to effectively communicate more complex ideas to a range of audiences in a range of styles (e.g., budget reports, correspondence, presentations) and listen and respond to stakeholder views
- well-developed interpersonal skills and the ability to develop and maintain productive working relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders
- demonstrated ability to make decisions using sound judgement and work as part of a team
- demonstrated ability to supervise and manage staff and lead a high performing team to produce high quality work