EL1 - Assistant Director, Ministerial Liaison, Government Services 

Executive Level 1  

The department supports workplace diversity and values the contribution of people from diverse backgrounds. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, people with cultural and linguistic diversity, and LGBTQIA+ people. The department is committed to achieving gender equality and, in particular, supporting women’s progression into senior leadership.

The opportunity we have available

The Government Services Branch is seeking to fill the role of EL1 Assistant Director within the Ministerial Liaison Team. This role provides direction and high level support to the Ministerial Liaison Team and Ministerial Offices through the management of a range of complex operational mechanisms that support the department's DLO Program.

The Government Services Branch delivers essential services and expert advice with integrity, supporting internal and external stakeholders to achieve department goals. The Branch plays a critical role in upholding accountability, transparency, and effective communication between the department, ministerial offices and key stakeholders by providing a range of professional services, including ministerial, parliamentary, Cabinet and Freedom of Information. There are 3 sections in the Branch:

• The Freedom of Information Section has overall responsibility for managing the department’s FOI requests, internal reviews, and Information Commissioner reviews; and supports portfolio Minister’s offices and agencies in relation to the processing of FOI requests.
• The Parliamentary Services Section assists and tracks the department’s involvement with Parliamentary processes and committees.
• The Ministerial Services and Cabinet Section oversees the management and administration of ministerial workflows, and coordinates the portfolio’s Cabinet business and classified material.

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 a high performing candidate to support the department's DLO program and ministerial liaison function. As the EL1 Assistant Director, you will be responsible for:

• decisions made in relation to the daily operational management of the Ministerial Liaison team and DLOs
• effectively implementing, maintaining and continuously improving the department's DLO program, including the management of recruitment, training, risk management, reporting and compliance
• leading the ongoing development of the department's DLO Framework, guidance materials, procedures, policies and guidance to ensure we are delivering the best operational outcomes for the department and our ministerial offices
• setting clear priorities for the section and managing time and resources effectively
• providing outstanding client services to ministerial offices, the DLO cohort and departmental stakeholders, and driving a culture of continuous improvement
• ensuring processes, procedures and systems are supporting the delivery of services to ministerial offices, and effectively managing the resolution of issues as they arise
• providing strategic direction and advice to senior executives and key stakeholders on DLO activities.

The role requires the successful candidate to periodically travel to the Australian Parliament House to liaise directly with our departmental DLO cohort. As such, the successful applicant should be located in Canberra, ACT.

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.

The suitable candidate will demonstrate:

• proven experience in stakeholder liaison roles, with strong interpersonal, negotiation, collaboration and coordination skills
• proven organisation skills and attention to detail, including the ability to proactively anticipate priorities, identify issues and provide effective solutions
• resilience and flexibility, with the ability to deliver quality work within tight or highly evolving deadlines
• sound verbal and written communication skills
• effective judgement, with the ability to think strategically with ministerial expectations and departmental priorities in mind
• highly developed leadership and people management skills, including the ability to lead, mentor, coach and build a positive team culture
• experience in planning, managing and embedding change
• effective management of confidential and sensitive issues with discretion and professionalism
• experience in managing the interface between a department and their ministerial offices would be highly regarded.

RecruitAbility minimum requirements

Minimum requirements for this role include:

• Proven experience in stakeholder liaison roles, with strong interpersonal, negotiation, collaboration and coordination skills.
• Proven organisational skills and effective attention to detail, including the ability to proactively anticipate priorities, identify issues and provide effective solutions.
• Sound verbal and written communication skills.

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?

We are dedicated to fostering personal and professional development, empowering individuals to set goals, acquire new skills, and cultivate unique qualities that define who they are. We believe that this not only leads to a more fulfilling and happier life but also enhances the overall quality of our work. Some of the benefits this role offers includes:

• Exposure to a dynamic and high level work environment, with visibility of the intersection between department and ministerial matters.
• A positive performance culture to build your skills, capability and experience through out commitment to learning and development and professional opportunities.
• A collaborative and supportive environment where you are valued for your expertise, experiences and ideas.
• Flexible working opportunities, which could include home based work arrangements on agreement with your supervisor.
• Generous leave entitlements of 20 days personal circumstances leave per year, with one month’s accrual of leave credited on commencement and 150 hours of paid annual leave (based on a full-time employee), plus a range of other miscellaneous leave options to support you.

Join our department and embark on a journey of growth, fulfillment, and wellbeing. Experience personal and professional development and be part of a vibrant and positive culture that empowers individuals and drives exceptional performance.

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.
• Police check: The successful candidate must satisfactory complete an Australian Federal Police criminal history check.
• Integrity and Performance check: The successful candidate must satisfy the requirements in an Integrity and Performance check which is completed by your most recent employer.

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.

Applications open: 13 October 2025

Applications close: 26 October 2025

Application shortlisting: 30 October 2025

Further assessments: 10 November 2025

Selection report finalised: 18 November 2025

Offers and announcements: 25 November 2025

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, Sunday 26 October 2025.

In applying for this position, you are not required to address individual selection criteria. Rather, you should provide in a PDF document a statement of no more than 1 page outlining your background, capabilities and experiences, and how these align with the advertised role.

You should also provide a tailored CV in PDF, no more than 3 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 recruitment team on 02 6136 8989 or via email at [email protected] to discuss an alternative way to submit your application.

Please advise the contact officer 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 [email protected] 

Work with us. Apply now!