SES Band 2
Canberra, ACT
Identified Position
About the Department
We are committed to empowering futures, ensuring rights and enriching lives. We support people to have protected, secure and well-paid work with the skills for a sustainable future as we ourselves strive to be a model employer.
We provide the framework for fair and productive relationships between employers and employees. We also oversee skills development and training initiatives to support those entering the workforce or re-training to take advantage of emerging employment opportunities.
With us your work directly contributes to shaping the employment landscape. Whether you're engaging in policy development, program implementation, or direct support services, your efforts will have a tangible impact on job seekers, employees and the economy by giving them a framework to build a future anchored and realised through employment.
Please note, this opportunity is for ongoing Department of Employment and Workplace Relations/APS employees only. Kindly discuss the possibility of release with your manager before applying.
The Role
As Executive Director, Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), you will be responsible for all facets of the operation of a secondary statutory body, as you lead a team responsible for designing and delivering high quality evidence-based advice to government with a focus on potential implications for policy in skills, employment, migration and the labour market. JSA has been established with a strong expectation of tripartite engagement, and this engagement informs all our work. The role has responsibility for overseeing JSA’s engagement strategy covering Commonwealth and State and Territory governments, unions, business, education and training providers and peak bodies representing employers.
JSA’s work is at a unique intersection of rich, specialised data, analysis and research and deep, broad external engagement which adds additional evidence and grounds our analytical work in real world impacts for people. One of the key roles of the Commissioners and Executive Director is to ensure that the broad stakeholder engagement we undertake is effectively harnessed for the benefit of analytical teams in JSA and to ensure that the analytical teams’ work is effectively promoted with skills system participants.
The Executive Director enables the Office of the Commissioners (OOC), which encapsulates the offices of the Commissioner, Deputy Commissioners and Executive Director. The OOC is responsible for both strategic advice to the organisation, and the operational requirements of the offices, with the Director of the Office reporting directly to the Executive Director.
Executive Director – Responsibilities
- provides high level oversight over all projects, recognizing that detailed oversight is provided by Assistant Secretaries, including technical advice on data and methodological issues, and the evidence base supporting findings and recommendations
- ensures general quality assurance is undertaken
- manages internal governance, communications and culture development within the organisation
- ensures appropriate resourcing across projects and business as usual activities in consultation with Assistant Secretaries
- oversees engagement with DEWR and other government departments and agencies to ensure that the portfolio and Ministers have sufficient visibility and input (where appropriate) on JSA projects
Skills and Capabilities
The successful candidate will have a strong economics background, preferably with labour market knowledge and deep data analytic skills essential to the role. Further, an eye to innovative methods is essential as the team works to develop large scale economic models, surveys and an Australia wide skills taxonomy. The successful candidate will need to apply high level strategic judgement to prioritise JSA’s efforts towards achieving the greatest impact across the national skills system.
The successful candidate will have sound judgement and initiative, an excellent understanding of strategic communication and be an outstanding leader and manager. You will have a demonstrable record of achievement in leading teams to deliver outcomes and a proven ability to balance multiple competing priorities. You will be able to think strategically and creatively to identify and maximise opportunities with intersecting policies and programs across government, in a complex, challenging environment.
In Addition, You Will Have
- a mature understanding of the Australian labour market and the complex dynamics of the Australian skills system
- demonstrated the capacity to apply multiple analytical frameworks to confidently provide advice and manage complex risks, multi-faceted challenges and high work volumes
- highly developed interpersonal, communication and negotiation skills including the capability of working across multi-disciplinary responsibilities
- the ability to manage a high performing team through a period of significant external scrutiny
- anticipate, identify, and actively manage strategic risks
The Successful Candidate Will Have
- An understanding of the issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (Identified position criteria).
- An ability to communicate sensitively and effectively with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people (Identified position criteria).
The Opportunity
This position is available to ongoing Department of Employment and Workplace Relations and APS employees as a temporary transfer at level and/or a temporary performance (Acting) opportunity for a period of 12 months with a possibility of extension.
Eligibility
Our successful candidate will need to hold a valid Negative Vetting 1 clearance to undertake the role.
How To Apply
Applicants are required to provide up to a one-page summary (no more than 500 words) that outlines skills, knowledge, and experience and why you should be considered for this vacancy. You should take into consideration the position overview (including any detailed position specific requirements) when drafting your response. Where possible include specific relevant examples of your work.
In eRecruit (the department’s online recruitment system) you will also need to:
- upload a Curriculum Vitae
- provide contact details for 2 Referees.
Please refer to the Job Information Pack for more information about the role.
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📌 Executive Director, Jobs and Skills Australia
🏢 Department of Employment and Workplace Relations
📍 Australia