Branch Head, First Nation Policy and Engagement

Senior Executive Service Band 1
- Portfolio Strategy Division
- Canberra, ACT

**Affirmative measure, Indigenous employment** - The filling of this vacancy is intended to constitute an affirmative measure under section 8(1) of the
- be an Aboriginal person and/or a Torres Strait Islander person.
- identify as an Aboriginal person and/or a Torres Strait Islander person, and
- be accepted by their community as being an Aboriginal person and/or a Torres Strait Islander person.

Successful applicants will be required to provide evidence of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander status before they are appointed to the role.

**Who we are**:
We are the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. We lead Australia’s response to climate change and sustainable energy use, and help protect our environment, heritage (including First Nation heritage), and water. Our vision is to contribute to an Australia that is prosperous because it is sustainable, with community and Country at the heart of our actions.

We deliver policies and programs to:

- help address climate change and build a more innovative, future ready energy system
- help protect, restore, and manage Australia’s land and ocean environment
- manage and protect Australia’s rich cultural heritage, with a particular focus on places of significance to First Nations Peoples
- improve the health of our rivers and freshwater ecosystems and manage Australia’s water resources for industry and regional communities
- advance Australia’s interests in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean.

The First Nations Policy and Engagement Branch is being established to provide strategic advice on the department’s work with First Nations people and communities across the breadth of our responsibilities. It will drive the department’s engagement with and implementation of whole-of-government priorities, including delivering on the Closing the Gap Targets and Priority Reforms, and implementing the Uluru Statement from the Heart in full.

**The job**
As the Branch Head of the First Nations Policy and Engagement Branch, you will be responsible for providing strategic policy advice to Ministers and Senior Executive Service staff, and lead engagement with key government agencies on First Nations policy.

Your duties will include but are not limited to:

- Baseline, uplift and monitor the department’s improvement of how we work with First Nations peoples and communities in line with the Closing the Gap Priority Reforms. This will include leading the coordination of First Nations engagement across the portfolio.
- Embed and deepen the department’s work across the Closing the Gap Targets.
- Lead engagement across the department to ensure First Nations perspectives and advice is at the forefront of policy design and integrated across the portfolio.
- Engage with key external and departmental committees, forums, and meetings on our work with First Nations peoples and communities.
- Lead the department’s engagement and advice on First Nations policy across Government.
- Promote a high-performance culture, whilst focusing on continuous improvement of employee and organisational performance and continuous communication.
- Promote integrity practices by displaying a high level of ethical behaviour in accordance with the APS Code of Conduct, APS Values and APS Employment Principles.
- Lead in a manner consistent with the Secretaries Charter of Leadership Behaviours (be Dynamic, be Respectful, have Integrity, Value others and Empower people).

**What we are looking for**
To be successful for this role you will need to meet the Senior Executive Service capability for the SES Band 1 level, and you will have the following:

- Ability to collaborate and be agile, with a proven record of delivering high quality and innovative outcomes in a complex and operationally diverse environment, and particularly in relation to First Nations policy and programs.
- Proven ability to drive broad transformational change and uplift.
- Outstanding leadership skills, a substantial record of achievement and a reputation for innovation and delivery of results.
- Excellent stakeholder relationship skills and experience in engaging with internal and external stakeholders at all levels to explore opportunities and solve complex problems.
- Demonstrated strategic perspective and ability to manage competing demands and work to tight deadlines.
- Ability to communicate effectively with all audiences, be articulate and persuasive and capable of guiding negotiations to a point of resolution in a facilitative way.
- Demonstrated public service professionalism and probity.
- A high level of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural competency, including an understanding of the issues affecting First Nations people and the ability to communicate sensitively and effectively with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples.

**Desirable qualifications**
Relevant qualifications or stron