Assistant Director

EL 1 - $120,290 - $129,379 per annum plus superannuation
- Portfolio Strategy Division
- Adelaide, SA,Brisbane, QLD,Canberra, ACT,Darwin, NT,Hobart, TAS,Melbourne, VIC,Perth, WA,Sydney, NSW

This position is an ‘Identified’ position which signifies that the role has a strong involvement in issues relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The successful applicant must have an understanding of the issues affecting Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and an ability to communicate sensitively and effectively with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander People.

**Who we are**
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. We lead on strategic policy, whole-of-portfolio projects, and work to build the department's policy capability.

The First Nations Branch is focused on engaging across the department to develop an understanding of policies and programs which impact First Nations people and their communities. Our work identifies opportunities to embed and deepen the department’s work on the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, develop strategies to ensure that we are more consistent and strategic in our approach and support the department to build and maintain strong and respectful relationships with First Nations people.

First Nations Policy and Programs; First Nations Cultural Competency and Engagement Practices; and the Advisory Committee Support section are responsible for:

- Providing strategic oversight and delivery of a long-term First Nations strategy. This will align the departments work to the National Agreement on Closing the Gap priority reforms and targets and other whole of government priorities.
- Leading cabinet and budget approaches.
- Working collaboratively across the department to provide strategic advice and coordination of departmental engagement activities and cultural capability uplift.
- Providing the Secretariat to the Indigenous Advisory Committee and working across the department to improve collaboration across the department’s First Nations advisory committees.

**The Job**
As an Assistant Director within the First Nations Branch your responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:

- Ability to work under limited supervision, manage workloads and prioritise work with competing deadlines.
- Lead engagement across the department and other agencies to develop and deliver on key policies, programs and engagement priorities, including the development and implementation of strategies and projects and identify policy, program and engagement gaps.
- Develop key products such as placemats, reports, briefs, ministerial correspondence and talking points.
- Demonstrate excellent written and verbal communication skills and ability to develop and maintain working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, senior executives and the ministers office.
- Ability to represent the branch in committees and forums in relation to policy development and/or programs and effectively liaise, negotiate and influence across a range of business areas.
- Ability to be strategic, resilient, innovative and form sound judgements on complex issues and identify emerging opportunities or risks and respond quickly and proactively.
- Demonstrate strong leadership skills and self-awareness, with a focus on supporting and fostering the development of staff across the Branch.
- Lead a small team and support and contribute to a respectful, open, inclusive, high-performing team culture.
- A high level of cultural acumen and demonstrated cultural capability including a respect for diversity and ability to communicate sensitively with First Nations people.

**What we are looking for**
**Knowledge and experience**
- Sound knowledge of First Nations culture and understanding of their spiritual connection to country, cultural authority, traditional lores, customs and values for managing Country.
- An in depth understanding of First Nations policy, programs, management and/or environmental reform and departmental programs with an insight into how First Nations expertise and engagement can drive better outcomes.
- A collaborative approach to problem-solving, continuous improvement, and a sense of optimism.
- Ability to be self-motivating and resilient in the face of leading and implementing change
- Ability to work collaboratively across the Branch and broader department to identify better practice and to translate that into a common standard of practice through developing and implementing guidance, training, tools and targeted advice to drive cultural capability uplift across the department.
- Ability to respectfully engage with First Nations communities and stakeholders to achieve impactful and sustainable outcomes for the department and its people.

**Skills and capabilities**