Applications close at 11:30pm AEDT, Sunday 8 February 2026 The Opportunities DFAT is seeking to build on its existing First Assistant Secretary (Senior Executive Service Band 2) capability, to broaden and deepen our strong executive leadership team with highly talented, skilled individuals who excel at working collegiately, have an eye to the future, can anticipate and respond to the changing world and can agilely manage resources to achieve outcomes in complex, demanding circumstances. To address Australian Government priorities and efficiently manage the department, DFAT is divided into seven strategic groups. The Trade and Investment Group advances Australia's interests in global trade and investment, through the multilateral trading system, regional economic architecture, our network of free trade agreements and our investment in global trade law and economic security. The Group manages Australia's relations with Latin America and the Caribbean. The Strategic Planning and Coordination Group is focused on addressing Australia's strategic challenges. It shapes relationships with key nations, and aligns diplomatic, economic, defence, intelligence, and strategic communications efforts in DFAT and across government. It provides strategic advice, develops and implements policy, brings all areas of statecraft to bear, and tells Australia's story. The South and Southeast Asia Group drives Australia's efforts to enhance strategic engagement and cooperation with South and Southeast Asia, including through ASEAN and Indian Ocean regional forums. Its work spans the political, economic, security, development, multilateral and maritime spheres, leveraging a network of 29 diplomatic posts. The Office of the Pacific leads Australia's whole of government efforts to deepen bilateral and regional engagement with the Pacific. It supports Pacific Island countries' economic, climate, development and security needs and builds closer political, cultural and people to people links, including through administering a complex $2 billion development assistance program. The Development, Multilateral, and Europe Group oversees policy governing Australia's $5 billion ODA program, and supports implementing areas with procurement, monitoring and evaluation, and effectiveness. The group leads Australia's climate diplomacy and cutting-edge climate finance solutions for the green energy transition; humanitarian work, responding to catastrophes around the world and preparing our neighbours for natural disasters; gender equality advocacy globally, helping ensure gender remains a high priority in all aspects of DFAT's work. It also manages Australia's ambitious multilateral agenda, including at the UN through posts in New York and Geneva, and our bilateral relationships with Europe through more than 20 posts. The International Security, Legal and Consular Group advances Australia's interests in the Middle East and Africa, and in international legal and security affairs. The Group delivers passport and consular services to travelling Australians. It is responsible for enabling and coordinating Australian Government responses to international crises. The Enabling Services Group responds to a complex, dynamic and fast moving domestic and overseas operating environment. It provides high quality and integrated services in financial management, human resources, information technology, security, overseas and domestic property and support to Ministers and the Executive through corporate governance, ministerial and parliamentary services, protocol and audit. For further information, please refer to the Applicant Information Pack The key duties of the position include You will be active in driving change and shaping a Division. Your roles and responsibilities will be aligned to the SES Band 2 Work level standards and the Secretaries' Charter of Leadership Behaviours. Your key duties will include: providing specialist, strategic and high-level advice to Senior Executive, overseeing implementation of administered and departmental programs and budgets, consulting, negotiating, and liaising with internal stakeholders and other government agencies, chairing inter-departmental and inter-governmental meetings, appearing before parliamentary committees and representing the department at conferences/meetings, providing leadership, including guiding, mentoring and advising areas within the Group and Division to promote quality outputs; and developing an environment that ensures efficient planning, effective risk management, compliance with legislative and DFAT framework, continuous improvement and coordinated service delivery focus. All employees of the department are expected to abide by the APS Values and Code of Conduct and the DFAT Values Statement. SES employees at DFAT are held to a high standard of personal behaviour, are viewed as role models of integrity and professional conduct and expected to exemplify the highest standards of professionalism. SES employees have a responsibility to promote the APS Values and Code of Conduct .