Assistant Director General

OnTalent Pty Ltd; Brisbane; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

OnTalent Pty Ltd supports the Queensland Government in appointing an Assistant Director-General for the Justice Reform Office. This executive leads a multidisciplinary team, shaping policy, strategy and complex reform programs across multiple agencies and accountability bodies.

You will provide evidence-based advice, coordinate across portfolios, and represent the Department in high-level forums, building trusted relationships and ensuring practical outcomes for Queenslanders.

Qualifications

• Significant leadership experience in justice, public policy, or public administration.
• Experience leading major reform programs across multiple agencies.
• Strong systems thinking and ability to manage complex service environments.
• Judgement and political acumen to operate within government settings.
• Ability to interpret data and present clear, practical advice to senior decision-makers.
• Exceptional relationship-building, negotiation and influencing skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Justice Reform Office (40+ staff) and oversee policy, strategy, and engagement.
• Set strategic direction and drive whole-of-government reform initiatives.
• Coordinate reforms across agencies, portfolios and partners.
• Provide evidence-based advice to the Attorney-General and senior leaders.
• Represent the Department in high-level forums, boards and committees.

Skills

Leadership experience

Public policy

Public administration

Law

Criminology

Stakeholder engagement

Systems thinking

Decision making

Negotiation

Influencing

Education

Public administration

Law

Criminology

Job description

Lead system-wide reform. Shape the future of justice. Deliver for Queensland.

The Queensland Government is delivering stronger services, safer communities and the infrastructure needed for a growing state. Central to that commitment is a justice system that is fair, effective, responsive and equipped to meet both immediate pressures and long-term community needs.

The Department of Justice is seeking an outstanding executive to lead its Justice Reform Office and help shape the future direction of justice reform across Queensland.

As Assistant Director-General, Justice Reform Office, you will lead a multidisciplinary team of over 40 people responsible for policy and strategy, projects and demand modelling, operations and engagement, and specialist secretariat services supporting key independent law reform and advisory bodies.

This is a rare opportunity to influence reform across an entire justice system. You will work across government, the judiciary, courts, corrections, youth justice, community organisations and other critical partners to understand how decisions in one part of the system affect outcomes across the whole. Your leadership will help turn evidence, insight and reform commitments into coordinated action that delivers meaningful outcomes for Queenslanders.

Your Opportunity to Make an Impact

The Justice Reform Office is the custodian of a whole-of-system perspective. It brings together data, policy, demand modelling, implementation oversight and stakeholder insight to identify emerging pressures, understand system impacts and support sustainable reform.

You will set the strategic direction of the Office and lead the development and implementation of initiatives aligned with whole-of-government priorities. You will work across organisational and portfolio boundaries to coordinate complex reforms, build shared ownership and ensure that implementation remains focused, integrated and achievable.

The role will be central to significant reform priorities, including the government’s response to In Plain Sight and the implementation and oversight arising from the Commission of Inquiry into the Child Safety System. You will also ensure the Office can respond quickly to emerging issues and changing government priorities.

You will provide clear, evidence-based advice to the Attorney-General and senior leaders across government. You will regularly represent the Department in high-level forums, working groups, boards and committees, translating complex issues into clear themes, choices and implications for decision-makers.

The Office also provides expert secretariat support to the Queensland Law Reform Commission, Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council and Public Trustee Advisory and Monitoring Board. You will manage the Department’s strategic relationships with the Chairpersons and members of these independent bodies and support constructive, effective engagement.

The Leader We are Seeking

This role calls for a highly credible, collaborative and adaptable executive who can bring people together around difficult and often sensitive reform challenges.

You will combine strategic and systems thinking with the interpersonal presence needed to build trust across diverse professional, institutional and community environments. You will be comfortable working with complexity, competing perspectives and shifting priorities, while maintaining clarity about the outcomes that matter for government and the Queensland community.

Our ideal candidate will bring:

Significant leadership experience in justice, public policy, public administration, law, criminology, social policy or another complex service system.

A demonstrated ability to lead major reform, policy or implementation programs involving multiple agencies and stakeholders.

Strong systems thinking, with the ability to understand connections, consequences and dependencies across an end-to-end service environment.

The judgement and political acumen to operate effectively within government, legal and public policy settings.

The ability to interpret data and evidence, identify the most important issues and present clear, practical advice to the Attorney-General and senior decision-makers.

Exceptional relationship-building, negotiation and influencing skills, including the ability to establish common ground where perspectives differ.

A leadership style characterised by compassion, humility, optimism, resilience and personal accountability.

The communication presence to represent the Department confidently in a range of settings and forums.

Although not mandatory, relevant tertiary qualifications in public administration, law, criminology or a related discipline will be highly regarded.

Why Queensland, why now?

Queensland is growing and changing. The decisions made now will shape how its justice system responds to population growth, community expectations, emerging risks and increasing service demand.

This role provides the opportunity to contribute at a whole-of-government level, influence reforms with enduring social impact and lead a talented team positioned at the centre of Queensland’s justice policy agenda.

You will join a department committed to delivering justice services with fairness, safety and integrity, and to enabling a fair, safe and inclusive society for all Queenslanders.

If you'd like to view the candidate pack for this position, please visit www.ontalent.com.au/adg-justice-reform/

Applications will close on Friday 20 November 2026 at midnight.