First Assistant Secretary, Legal and Integrity

Description

Detail

Position title:

First Assistant Secretary, Chief Counsel

Classification:

Senior Executive Service (SES) Band 2

Employment Type:

Ongoing

Group:

Corporate

Division:

Legal and Integrity Division

Location:

Canberra, ACT

Security Clearance:

Negative Vetting Level 2

Contact Officer:

Beaumont and Beaumont

Closing date and time:

11.59pm AEDT, Thursday, 27 November 2025

Work with us

The department is responsible for the design and delivery of the Australian Government's infrastructure, transport, regional development, sport, communications and arts policies and programs. The department's work touches every Australian community and underpins our economy and society.

Our focus is on connecting Australians, enriching communities, and empowering our regions. We do this by providing policy advice to government, and delivering programs, services, and research for the benefit of all Australians.

The department's Legal and Integrity Division provides high quality, practical, technically excellent and timely legal advice, support and services for the department and portfolio Ministers' offices. It also champions our culture of integrity, manages and investigates misconduct, and develops strategic initiatives to enhance ethical practices across the agency. The work is varied across the diverse subject matter of the portfolio, intellectually stimulating and rewarding. Our people are dynamic and collaborative.

The opportunity we have available

The Legal and Integrity Division is a newly created division, bringing together our legal and integrity functions. The legal function in the department provides high quality legal advice and support for the department and ministers' offices, on the diverse areas covered by the portfolio.

These include:

• The regulation of airports and aviation
• Major transport and infrastructure projects
• Infrastructure investment
• Regional development
• Surface transport matters, including road vehicles and shipping
• The administration of non-self-governing territories
• Northern Australia
• The arts
• Sport
• Online safety
• Media and platforms
• Communications infrastructure, including NBN co and Spectrum
• Communications services, including regional communications and Australia Post, and consumer safeguards

Significantly, the legal services function is required to support a wide variety of legal matters ranging from litigation in the High Court to the negotiation of complex commercial arrangements with private parties. We are seeking a candidate with significant experience in the management and delivery of legal services in the Commonwealth government context.

The integrity function in the department delivers and provides high quality support for the Secretary, Executive, leaders and staff.  This includes:

• Oversight of the department's enterprise risk management framework, policies and procedures and enterprise risk register and controls
• Promote a culture of integrity and ethical conduct across the department in accordance with relevant legislation and the APS Values.
• Lead investigations into ethical breaches such as fraud, bribery and corruption, often working with the Chief People Officer and People Branch.
• Management of the department's Freedom of Information, complaints and conflict of interest functions.

The FAS Legal and Integrity is a pivotal role, and in this position, you can expect to:

• Assume overall responsibility for the department's legal matters and the provision of legal advice and direction across the department.
• Act as the trusted legal adviser on sensitive and complex matters, often on an urgent basis, for the portfolio Ministers and their offices, Secretary and Deputy Secretaries.
• Enhance our integrity framework to prevent corruption, fraud and other misconduct.
• Oversee misconduct assessments and investigations and advising on policy and compliance.
• Work collaboratively with our Chief People Officer to promote awareness of APS values and the Code of Conduct and drive strategic risk mitigation.
• Have highly developed management and stakeholder engagement skills and be able to represent the department at a range of forums. You will be required to interact with the portfolio Ministers and their offices, Secretary and Deputy Secretaries, portfolio agencies, central agencies and other senior stakeholders.
• Ensure there are effective quality assurance protocols and business planning arrangements to support the delivery of timely and high quality outputs.
• Provide overall leadership of staff within your division, including building and developing a high performing team to deliver on the core priorities of your division and across the department.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of strategies that strengthen the department's culture and leadership.

Who are we looking for? 

As the FAS Legal and Integrity, you must demonstrate you are collaborative and agile leader with the ability to strategically manage in the context of contributing to the achievement of government policies in a legally appropriate way. You will have the demonstrated ability to provide strategic and overall leadership to your division and manage with a proven record of delivering high quality legal services in a complex, politically sensitive and operationally diverse environment.

SES Behaviours

As a member of the Senior Executive Service team in the department, you will:

• Promote, uphold and exemplify the APS Values, the Secretaries Charter of Leadership Behaviours (DRIVE), the General Counsel Charter; and the Statement of Expectations of Australian Government Lawyers.
• Model, develop and sustain a culture of professional and accountable behaviour, self-reflection, integrity and stewardship.
• Empower, build and develop capability in others, by encouraging a culture of continuous learning.
• Commit to cultural learning and safety of First Nations and cultural and/or linguistically diverse staff.
• Embed diversity and inclusion outcomes.
• Reward and recognise staff.
• Foster a culture of psychological safety.
• Enact on your Work, Health and Safety obligations.
• Examine own performance and regularly seek feedback from others.

RecruitAbility minimum requirements

All of our roles are advertised under the RecruitAbility scheme unless Affirmative Measures – disability.

RecruitAbility is a scheme which aims to attract and develop applicants with disability and also facilitate cultural changes in selection panels and agency recruitment.

Job applicants with disability who met the requirements are advanced to the next stage of the selection process:

• Opt into the scheme
• Declare they have a disability, and
• Meet the minimum requirements of a vacancy advertised in the scheme

More information can be found at RecruitAbility scheme: A guide for applicants | Australian Public Service Commission.

What else can we offer?

• Make an impact by supporting Australians in a way that enriches our communities, empowers our regions, and connects all Australians
• Have exposure to, and strategically influence, high profile and exciting projects
• Learn from inspiring leaders and build professional networks with others who support innovation and diversity across the department and the wider APS
• Receive career advancement opportunities, including professional and capability development that is focused on your individual career goals
• Receive ongoing support including mentoring and access to the department's Professional Coaching Scheme
• Enjoy flexible working arrangements where appropriate, including part time hours, home based work and job sharing
• Support for women's progression into senior leadership

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 Negative Vetting Level 2.  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.
  • Police check: The successful candidate must satisfactory complete an Australian Federal Police criminal history check.
  • Qualifications: A Bachelor of laws of a Juris Doctor from an Australian tertiary institution (or a comparable overseas qualification.  You will need to currently hold an unrestricted practicing certificate in the ACT or competent jurisdiction or be eligible to hold one.

Timeline and assessment

A selection panel will be established to assess your suitability against the advertised role.

If a merit pool is established it will be valid for 18 months from date it first appeared in the APS Gazette.

Anticipated timeline for recruitment milestone dates:

Applications open: Monday, 10 November 2025

Applications close: 11.59pm AEDT, Thursday 27 November 2025

Application shortlisting: First week of December 2025

Further assessments: Week of 8 December 2025

Selection report finalised: 10 days after further assessments

Offers and announcements: within a week of process finalised

The above is indicative only, please reach out to the contact person if you have any questions on the recruitment process or timeframes.

Your application will be assessed against the requirements of the job and the Work level standards. Once the entire applicant pool has been assessed, the panel will create a shortlist of applicants. If your application is shortlisted, you may be asked to undertake further assessment, this may include work sample testing, interviews, and reference checks.

How to apply

Applications for this opportunity close at 11.59pm AEDT, Thursday 27 November 2025.

In applying for this position, you are not required to address individual selection criteria. Rather, you should provide a statement of no more than 2 pages outlining your background, capabilities and experiences, and how these align with the advertised role. You should also provide a CV, no more than 4 pages. The capabilities and behaviours required to be successful for this role are identified in the 'Who are we looking for' section.

Your application should be received through the department's online recruitment system.  Applications via Indeed will not be accepted.

If you experience any issues with the system please contact the SES Unit via email at to discuss an alternative way to submit your application.

Please advise the contact officer or the SES Unit at if you require reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process. The department is committed to the accessibility of our systems. If you identify as someone with disability and you require accessibility assistance or more information, please email  

Work with us. Apply now

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