EL1 - Assistant Director - Freedom of Information, Government Services

***We want to recruit the best people to our department. Our preference for this role is for candidates to be located in one of our departmental offices in
Canberra
or
Brisbane
due to our current staff locations.

As we do support flexible work arrangements, we would also consider candidates working from one of our departmental offices in
Sydney
or
Melbourne
in the event that they had the most suitable skills and experience.***

The opportunity we have available

The Government Services Branch is seeking to fill the role of Assistant Director for the Freedom of Information (FOI) Section. The Assistant Director will provide leadership and direction to the FOI team and function.

Government Services Branch delivers essential services and expert advice and plays a critical role in upholding accountability, transparency, and effective communication between the department, Minister's Offices and key stakeholders. There are 5 teams in the branch:

• Freedom of Information
  (FOI) ensures that the department meets its obligations under the FOI Act.
• Ministerial Liaison
  supports the Departmental Liaison Officers.
• Ministerial Services
  oversees the management and administration of ministerial workflows, including through PDMS+, of submissions, briefs and correspondence for multiple ministerial offices.
• Cabinet
  Services
  coordinates the portfolio's Cabinet business and classified material.
• Parliamentary Services
  assists and tracks the department's involvement with Parliamentary processes and committees.

Government Services Branch is undergoing a structured change management process, aimed at improving service delivery, enhancing internal processes, and strengthening capability across teams. This transformation is focused on modernising systems, streamlining workflows, fostering a supportive culture of continuous improvement, and aligning operations with strategic departmental priorities.

What will you do?

We are looking for applications from high performing candidates with either recent experience in FOI or with a legal background.

The Assistant Director FOI is responsible for managing FOI workflow, including escalations and sensitive consultations and maintains positive, cooperative and professional relationships while undertaking FOI processing between ministerial offices, portfolio agencies and the department.

The Assistant Director's responsibilities include:

• managing, leading and mentoring a team of FOI Case Officers, maintaining a positive working environment
• setting priorities and monitoring case-loads, managing resources effectively to ensure compliance with statutory timeframes
• analysing and distilling complex information, anticipating issues and contributing to ongoing issues management
• providing high quality technical FOI advice to authorised Decision Makers and Action Officers
• manage Internal Reviews and Information Commissioner Reviews, where required to do so
• assisting and supporting portfolio ministers and agencies with the processing of FOI requests, where required to do so
• developing and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders including portfolio Ministers' offices, portfolio agencies and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
• contributing to the ongoing improvement of the FOI Processing Framework within the Department
• entering and maintaining data into Departmental systems to ensure accurate record keeping
• Other duties as directed.

Who are we looking for?

The successful candidate for this position will be able to demonstrate their capability against the Executive level 1 Work level standards, and will include being dynamic and respectful, having integrity, valuing others and empowering people by:

• Thinking strategically
  -
  providing clear direction by aligning daily activities with the Department's strategic objectives, clearly communicating purpose, expectations, and how individual contributions support broader goals - demonstrating a strong understanding of the Department's mission, considering the long-term impacts of decisions, and ensuring operational alignment - using sound judgment and critical thinking, gather and analyse information from diverse sources, exploring different perspectives, identifying gaps, and developing innovative, evidence-based solutions to support effective outcomes.
• Achieving results
  -
  reviewing operational performance to identify opportunities for continuous improvement and enhanced outcomes, while supporting key talent and contributing own expertise to team goals - remaining adaptable to changing requirements, valuing specialist input, and leveraging the knowledge of others - developing clear work plans, monitoring progress, adjusting as needed, and ensuring timely, high-quality delivery - supporting others through change, fostering collaboration by sharing information, and seeking stakeholder feedback to inform improvements.
• Cultivating productive working relationships
  -
  building and maintaining strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, offering support to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes - anticipating and responding to stakeholder needs through open communication and collaboration, working effectively as part of a team - promoting diversity, encouraging different perspectives, and fostering inclusive, high-performing team environments - identifying development opportunities, delegating tasks to build capability, setting clear expectations, and providing timely feedback—while addressing underperformance promptly and professionally as required.
• Exemplifying personal drive and integrity
  -
  adopting a principled approach, consistently upholding the APS Values and Code of Conduct while acting with professionalism, ethics, and impartiality - representing the Department effectively, providing forthright, impartial advice and constructively challenging issues where appropriate - demonstrating accountability, taking ownership of your work, showing initiative, and persisting in achieving goals despite challenges - reflecting on your performance, seeking feedback, learning from mistakes, and pursuing continuous personal and professional development with a proactive and growth-focused mindset.
• Communicating with influence
  -
  communicating with clarity and confidence, using concise and unambiguous language tailored to your audience - structuring written and verbal communication for maximum impact, actively listening to others, and ensuring mutual understanding - preparing thoroughly for negotiations, anticipating different perspectives, and framing arguments strategically - engaging stakeholders to build support and work toward outcomes that deliver mutual benefit

Eligibility requirements

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

• Citizenship
  : candidates 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. 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.

How to apply

Applications for this opportunity close at
11.59pm AEST, Wednesday 3 September 2025.