Assistant Director

EL 1 - $115,663 - $124,403 per annum plus superannuation
- Portfolio Strategy Division
- Canberra, ACT
- Exciting opportunities exist at the EL1 in two Sections in the National Security and International Coordination Branch to contribute your interest or expertise in international or national security policy towards a greener, more sustainable and resilient future._
- Both sections within the branch aim to:_
- _Build DCCEEW’s capability and influence to shape Australia’s national security and foreign policy agendas._
- _Support DCCEEW to have a strategic and joined up approach to national security and international engagement._

**Who we are**
The Portfolio Strategy Division is the department's central policy area. The division supports our ministers and the department to engage with the complex cross-cutting policy challenges in Australian climate, energy, environment and water policy. In addition to our national security and international policy work, our Division leads on the Cabinet and Budget processes, strategic policy, First Nations policy, whole-of-portfolio projects, and work to build the department's policy capability.

**National Security and International Coordination Branch** leads the Department’s engagement with national security and foreign policy issues. We support our Ministers, Secretary and senior executive to drive climate action and the transition to net zero, enhance prosperity through sustainability, and uphold our interests and values in the Antarctic and Southern Oceans, both domestically and globally, whilst facing increasing challenges from geostrategic competition and a warming planet. We provide a centre of excellence to uplift our department’s knowledge and awareness of national security and geostrategic issues, and enhance its capability to achieve outcomes in bilateral, multilateral and international forums.

The
**International Strategy Section** promotes connection with and understanding of the department’s international work in the context of its strategic priorities, including through mapping international engagements and supporting cross-cutting international policy positions. The section supports international ministerial travel, overseas counsellors and executive’s international engagement on whole of portfolio issues. We are responsible for developing and maintaining an International Practitioners Network, SES international forum, and capability uplift though development and promotion of training and development materials and facilitating linkages across the portfolio.

The
**National Security Capability Section **leads the department’s strategic engagement with intelligence. We provide critical context for senior decision-making through curating and translating intelligence information, providing insight on geostrategic and national security developments relevant to the Department's goals. We coordinate the department’s engagement in formal intelligence governance processes, and we work with intelligence agencies and departmental customers to identify opportunities for intelligence to support our portfolio’s domestic and international goals. The National Security Capability Section is building a new capability in the department. We are curious and customer-focused self-starters who are energised by solving problems and creating and continuously improving new ways to support our department and our teammates to achieve our goals.

**The Job**

We are seeking experienced policy officers with strong leadership and people skills to fill a number of Assistant Director positions across National Security and International Coordination Branch:
Depending on the role, the key duties of the positions may include, but are not limited to:

- Build, lead and manage diverse and high performing teams, including in fast-paced environments.
- Understand the international and/or national security context in which the department works; and draw linkages across the portfolio to support strategic decision making, briefing and engagement.
- Build and maintain internal and external stakeholder relationships to identify, understand and deliver on customer requirements, develop, and implement work plans, and establish the team as a source of trusted advice.
- Source, develop and assist with strategic products for a range of audiences and stakeholders that shape and communicate DCCEEW’s international and national security engagement and capability priorities, strategies, and processes.
- Plan and support the development of work on cross-cutting international and/or national security issues, staff capability uplift and internal communities of practice, including organising events, developing, and maintaining resources and associated platforms to deliver services.
- Assist and support the development, review and analysis of program, projects and budget or contract management.

Noting the regular requirement to engage in classified work, national security roles are Canberra-ba