* Ongoing | Full-time
* Canberra, ACT
.ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY
The Department of Finance is seeking high calibre senior leaders to join the department as Assistant Secretaries (SES Band 1).
An Assistant Secretary leads a Branch within the Department of Finance and is responsible for shaping its strategic direction, delivering high quality outcomes, and ensuring alignment with departmental and whole-of-government priorities.
The role plays a key part in applying judgement, providing authoritative advice to senior executives, building organisational capability, managing risk, and representing Finance in targeted cross agency and stakeholder forums. The position requires forward thinking leaders who translate organisational strategy into operational plans, provide context to others, and manage complex programs in an environment of uncertainty.
You will be responsible for:
* Setting and delivering the strategic direction for the branch, ensuring alignment with departmental and whole-of-government priorities, and contributing to strategic planning, reform initiatives, and transformation programs.
* Providing high level, evidence based advice to senior executives and senior stakeholders on complex policy, financial, operational, and governance matters.
* Representing the department in forums including intergovernmental committees, parliamentary hearings, and external negotiations, and building and maintaining strong relationships across government, industry, and community sectors.
* Leading the development, implementation, and evaluation of complex and often sensitive programs, policies, and initiatives, ensuring compliance with relevant governance, regulatory, and legislative frameworks.
* Building organisational capability by developing high performing teams through coaching, mentoring, feedback, and targeted capability development, and managing workforce planning, succession planning, and resource allocation to achieve results.
* Establishing systems to monitor progress, manage risk, and ensure closure on intended outcomes.
* Fostering a high performing, inclusive, and values riven culture, and modelling behaviours consistent with APS Values and the Secretaries’ Charter of Leadership Behaviours.
* Embedding innovation, continuous improvement, and evidence based decision making to enhance departmental outcomes and service delivery.
ABOUT THE GROUPS
Budget
Budget Group provides policy and financial advice on government expenditure and non-taxation revenue matters to the Minister for Finance, other senior ministers, and a number of Cabinet committees, including the Expenditure Review Committee (ERC) of Cabinet.
Budget Group supports the Government to prepare, deliver, and manage the Budget. The Group assists Commonwealth agencies to meet their financial management and reporting obligations. Budget Group aims to ensure the analysis, policy advice, and costing information provided to government supports informed decision-making, and that all economic updates meet legislative requirements and timeframes.
The Group is responsible for the Department’s enterprise data governance and our data analytics capabilities, including the management of requests for Finance’s data under the Data Availability and Transparency Act 2022.
Business Enabling Services
Business Enabling Services (BES) works with the Secretary, Executive Board and other business groups within the Department to enhance, promote and sustain Finance's role as a trusted and professional adviser to the government. Business Enabling Services provides corporate services and information, technology and workplace support, and is implementing Finance’s internal transformation program.
The group also provides current parliamentarians and their staff (approximately 1,850), and former Senators and Members, with a range of facilities and services.
Commercial
Commercial Group provides advice on the Australian Government's Government Business Enterprises (GBEs) and commercial entities, manages the domestic non-Defence property portfolio and undertakes the review and reform of such assets including divestment, where relevant. It also develops and maintains the Australian Government's procurement policy framework (including the initiation and management of a range of whole of government contracts), and manages the Australian government's special claims, insurance and risk management operations.
Governance and Resource Management
Governance and Resource Management Group develops policy and advises on the resource management and governance frameworks for public sector agencies, government investment funds, and superannuation arrangements for members of parliament and Commonwealth employees. The group consolidates budget updates, prepares the appropriation bills and the Commonwealth’s monthly and annual consolidated financial statements, manages the Official Public Account, and provides accounting policy advice.
Governance and Resource Management Group also provides policy leadership on grants administration, manages the Gateway assurance review process and advises the government on electoral policy. The group leads Commonwealth whole-of-government data policy and the work to continue developing Australia’s expanded Digital ID system. The Office of the National Data Commissioner also sits within the Group.
Through the Government and Defence Division, the Group also provides policy advice and financial analysis to Government on strategic Defence policy and acquisitions, intelligence issues, security, law and justice, foreign affairs, trade and overseas development assistance, immigration and border protection, territories, financial and economic regulation, revenue collection, superannuation and the central operations of the Executive Government and the Parliament.
DETAILED VACANCY INFORMATION
For detailed information about these roles, including the job specific capabilities, please refer to the downloadable vacancy pack, which can be accessed by clicking the hyperlink at the bottom of this page.
ELIGIBILITY ADVICE & CANDIDATE NOTES
* Under section 22(8) of the Public Service Act 1999, employees must be Australian citizens to be employed in the Australian Public Service (APS) unless the Agency Head has agreed otherwise, in writing.
* Successful applicants will be required to undergo the process to obtain and maintain, or continue to hold the required security clearance level for the role as indicated in the downloadable job pack. All Finance staff are required to have a minimum baseline security clearance prior to commencement.
* As provided in subsection 27(2) of the Directions, agencies will need to ensure that applicants are persons with Disability. Evidence of Disability is not to include information about the type of Disability, unless the vacancy itself has been restricted to persons with a particular type of Disability. Suitable evidence of Disability would be a certificate or letter from a registered medical practitioner.
* We encourage and welcome applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with Disability, LGBTQI+ people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and mature aged people.
CONTACT INFORMATION
* For specific questions relating to this job vacancy (including requests for adjustments), please refer to the details on the contact officer located in the downloadable job pack.
* We can provide adjustments, including alternate formats of the application form, to the recruitment process for candidates including individuals with disability. If you require an adjustment to be made during the recruitment process (including alternate formats or have an enquiry about the support provided, please contact the SES Unit via *******@finance.gov.au or call (02) 6215 1*** between 8:30am - 5:00pm AEDT Monday to Friday.
* For questions relating to the online lodgement of your application, please email the SES Unit via *******@finance.gov.au or call (02) 6215 1*** between 8:30am - 5:00pm AEDT Monday to Friday.
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Frequently Asked Questions Opens in new window
People Capability Framework SES Opens in new window
Job Pack Opens in new window
Job Pack Opens in new window