Assistant Director - Strategic Policy

DFP Recruitment; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 94,000 - 128,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid flexibility

Job summary

DFP Recruitment seeks an Assistant Director – Strategic Policy for a NSW-based federal government client. This hybrid role leads stakeholder engagement and policy reform initiatives, guiding teams and contractors to deliver high-quality policy documents and recommendations.

The position requires strong analytical skills, strategic thinking, and the ability to manage complex issues with limited direction. Initial 3-month contract with extension potential and hybrid NSW locations.

Qualifications

• Analytical and problem-solving skills to translate high-level thinking into strategic papers, reports, and briefings.
• Ability to work at pace using hypothesis-led or structured problem-solving methods.
• Stakeholder management expertise and sound judgement for complex issues.
• Adaptability to changing priorities in a complex environment.
• Ability to quickly build and maintain productive stakeholder relationships.
• Ability to work with limited direction.

Responsibilities

• Lead delivery and implementation of reform projects within the Agency's reform program.
• Lead analysis of policy issues for implementation and communicate recommendations to a high standard.
• Engage with stakeholders to influence and negotiate practical policy solutions.
• Lead teams to develop policy and corporate documents to a high standard.
• Collect and analyse data to inform advice and recommendations.
• Identify, build and manage stakeholder relationships.
• Design and lead engagement activities.
• Apply sound judgement to evaluate risks in a complex environment.
• Contribute to branch leadership and build a high-performing team culture.

Job description

• Multiple NSW locations – Hybrid flexibility
• 3-month initial contract with view to further extension
• $602.55 per day + super

Our Federal Government Client provides funding to eligible people with disability to gain more time with family and friends, greater independence, access to new skills, jobs, or volunteering in their community, and an improved quality of life. They also connect anyone with disability to services in their community.

The Role:

The Assistant Director – Strategic Policy is responsible for actively managing key internal and external stakeholder relationships and where required will represent the Agency to advance their interests across a range of forums. Additionally, they provide leadership, planning, resource management, people management and decision making for the team membership and assigned contractors working within the work area. They apply judgement to manage highly complex and sensitive issues in a timely manner and to a high standard.

Key duties and responsibilities:

• Leading delivery and implementation of reform projects in line with the Agency's wider reform program
• Leading analysis of policy issues for implementation and communicating recommendations to a high standard.
• Engagement to influence and negotiate practical solutions for policy implementation
• Leading teams to develop policy and corporate documents to a high standard.
• Collecting and analysing data to inform advice and recommendations.
• Identifying, building and managing relationships with stakeholders.
• Designing, contributing to, and leading engagement activities.
• Applying sound judgement and decision-making to evaluate risks in the context of a complex and changing environment.
• Contributing to branch leadership, building a positive and high performing team culture.

Essential criteria

• Analytical, conceptual, and problem-solving skills - Ability to rapidly translate high level thinking into strategic products for senior executives and Ministers (papers, reports, presentation, briefings and correspondence) that clearly convey complex issues.
• Ability to work at pace using hypothesis-led or other structured problem-solving methods and available information
• Stakeholder management expertise and strong levels of judgement required for this role including the ability to clearly and succinctly communicate information, including to support the building of unified positions and taking on feedback without discomfort.
• Strong ability to flexibly adapt, respond and lead changing priorities in a complex operating environment.
• Ability to quickly build and maintain productive stakeholder relationships
• Demonstrated capacity to work with limited direction

Desirable criteria

• Program governance and or project planning methodologies and expertise desirable.
• Coaching and or leadership capacities desirable.
• Knowledge and or expertise in disability reform space would also be very well received.
• Experience delivering complex procurement, cognisant of political context

DFP welcomes applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds and people with disability. In addition, DFP will provide reasonable adjustments for individuals with disability throughout the recruitment process. If you identify as a person with disability and require adjustments to the application, recruitment, selection and/or assessment process, please advise [e-mail]1300 337 000and indicate your preferred method of communication (email, phone, text) so we can keep in touch and meet your accessibility needs.