The key duties of the position include:
The Role
Contestability Division seeks to ensure Defence capability investment proposals deliver the best outcomes for the Australian Defence Force (ADF), Government and taxpayers. It achieves this through a decision support function, providing independent, evidence based advice to senior decision makers.
Contestability Division is seeking motivated individuals who want to directly contribute to the delivery of the 2026 National Defence Strategy by supporting the development and delivery of optimal capability outcomes. In this role, you will undertake critical and constructive analysis, test assumptions, and challenge ideas to ensure Defence invests in effective, affordable and executable capabilities.
You will engage closely with project sponsors and delivery groups to understand proposed capabilities, develop written briefs based on your analysis, and provide verbal briefings to senior leaders on your advice.
About Our Team
Contestability Division is an inclusive, collaborative and professional team. We are an integrated civilian–military workforce that leverages a diverse range of skills and experience to provide unbiased, honest and timely advice. Defence and APS Values are at the core of our culture.
We offer flexible working arrangements and a range of formal and informal professional development opportunities. While we offer a high degree of flexibility in the way we work, each position is located in Canberra. As such, successful applicants from outside Canberra will need to relocate to Canberra.
This recruitment activity will be used to fill multiple vacancies.
Our Ideal Candidate
We are seeking highly motivated, resilient and collaborative individuals to join our Division. To succeed in this role, you will have well developed critical thinking and reasoning skills, and the ability to analyse complex documentation to identify risks and issues.
You will have experience presenting analysis and advice to decision makers, both in writing and verbally, and will be able to effectively engage with a diverse range of stakeholders.
Candidates may bring broad experience across financial assurance, program and project management, engineering, commercial and procurement, and policy and strategy. While this experience is desirable, it is not essential. More importantly, curiosity, adaptability, and a strong desire to learn about Defence capability are key attributes for success in this role.
Eligibility
Security Clearance
Applicants must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance at “Negative Vetting Level 1”.
Getting to know the Department of Defence
The Department of Defence employs around 18,000 Australian Public Service (APS) employees. Defence APS employees work in a wide variety of critical roles, Australia wide, enabling our three services Navy, Army and Air Force, to do their job. Defence has a range of Australian Public Service (APS) career opportunities that offer interesting, challenging, and unique work. Our workforce includes administrative support, accountants, intelligence analysts, engineers, policy advisors, graphic designers, lawyers, social workers, IT specialists and contract managers to name a few. We offer a rewarding career that includes professional development, work-life balance, recognition, a flexible and supportive work environment and a diverse workforce. To find out more about a career with Defence please visit https://www.defence.gov.au/jobs-careers