Assistant Secretary, Digital Solutions and Enablement

Who we areThe Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) leads the Australian Government's efforts to support, protect and grow the country's food and fibre production industries.

We play a pivotal role in developing and promoting Australia's sustainable agricultural production practices, increasing trade and international market access, maximising economic opportunities for Australia's First Nations peoples and helping our producers become more productive, profitable and resilient.

As a department, we deliver world-class work in areas such as agricultural economics, plant and animal sciences, and use digital technology to deliver better regulatory outcomes. We help keep Australians safe through effective biosecurity. Each day, we protect our industries, communities and natural environment from potentially devastating pests and diseases. We support every clean, safe meal that Australians sit down to enjoy.

Our work touches the lives of all Australians, particularly those living in regional and rural areas.

The Digital Business Division supports the full lifecycle of digital products and services – from strategy and design to delivery and evaluation. It simplifies agricultural trading processes, co-designs user-centred solutions with stakeholders, reduces biosecurity risks, and drives transformation of Australia's agricultural export and import systems by streamlining operations and easing compliance.

The Digital Solutions and Enablement Branch leads the strategic delivery of digital capabilities and integrated systems that support cross-border trade and safeguard Australia's biosecurity. This role ensures that digital platforms and data-driven technologies enable efficient trade, passenger and vessel flows while proactively identifying, assessing, and managing biosecurity risks across the supply chain.

The Job

As the Assistant Secretary, Digital Solutions and Enablement, the duties of the role include:

• Strategic Leadership

     o Develop and execute a digital delivery roadmap that aligns with DAFF's trade and biosecurity priorities.

     o Lead cross-agency and cross-border digital initiatives to streamline trade processes and enhance biosecurity intelligence.

• Digital Capability Delivery

     o Oversee the design, development, and implementation of digital platforms that support import/export operations, regulatory compliance, and risk management.

     o Ensure systems are scalable, re-usable, secure, and interoperable across jurisdictions and international partners.

• Operational Excellence

     o Ensure continuity and reliability of existing digital systems ("keep the lights on") while driving iterative improvements to enhance performance, usability, and resilience.

     o Establish robust service management practices and incident response protocols to maintain system integrity and availability.

• Biosecurity Risk Management

     o Integrate advanced analytics, AI, and real-time data to detect and respond to biosecurity threats.

     o Collaborate with scientific, regulatory, and operational teams to embed biosecurity protocols into digital workflows.

• Stakeholder Engagement

     o Build strong partnerships with industry, government agencies, international bodies, and technology providers.

     o Represent the department in national forums on digital trade and biosecurity innovation.

• Governance & Assurance

     o Ensure digital systems and capabilities comply with legislative, privacy, and cybersecurity requirements.

     o Monitor financial and performance metrics and continuously improve system effectiveness and user experience.

Desirable qualifications

• Relevant tertiary qualifications in information technology, public administration, or a related field.

• Postgraduate qualifications or executive training in digital systems engineering, or trade are highly desirable.