Director – Closing the Gap - Identified Position

Department of Employment and Workplace Relations; Darwin; On-site; AUD 152,000 - 183,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations invites applications for a senior role overseeing the Closing the Gap agenda. Reporting to the Assistant Secretary, you will provide strategic leadership, drive department-wide reform, and foster genuine partnerships with First Nations groups.

You will influence senior stakeholders, guide governance committees, and ensure Closing the Gap reforms are embedded in policies and programs across the department.

Qualifications

• Leads the Closing the Gap agenda and strategic reform across the department.
• Builds and sustains high-level partnerships with First Nations organisations and other stakeholders.
• Shapes priorities and provides authoritative advice to senior executives and ministers.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for DEWR's Closing the Gap agenda and drive implementation of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
• Lead organisational reform to strengthen partnerships and culturally informed approaches.
• Shape priorities and provide advice to governance committees and ministers on complex policy issues.
• Influence executives to embed Closing the Gap reforms into policies and programs.
• Build and maintain high-level relationships with key stakeholders.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Governance

Policy advice

Job description

• Adelaide, SA; Alice Springs, NT; Bendigo, VIC; Brisbane, QLD; Canberra, ACT; Darwin, NT; Hobart, TAS; Mackay, QLD; Melbourne, VIC; Newcastle, NSW; Orange, NSW; Perth, WA; Rockhampton, QLD; Sydney, NSW; Townsville, QLD
• $152,362-182,891

• Executive Level 2
• Adelaide, SA; Alice Springs, NT; Bendigo, VIC; Brisbane, QLD; Canberra, ACT; Darwin, NT; Hobart, TAS; Mackay, QLD; Melbourne, VIC; Newcastle, NSW; Orange, NSW; Perth, WA; Rockhampton, QLD; Sydney, NSW; Townsville, QLD
• $152,362-182,891

About The Department Of Employment And Workplace Relations

We are committed to empowering futures, ensuring rights and enriching lives. We support people to have safe, 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 are 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.

It is our ambition to do things differently, to create the ‘department of great jobs’– where our people reflect our purpose.

The Role

Reporting to the Assistant Secretary, Closing the Gap, Directors are responsible for providing strategic leadership for DEWR's Closing the Gap agenda and influencing organisational reform across the department. The roles involve inspiring and challenging DEWR business units to critically assess their approaches, their successes and drive innovative solutions for working in genuine partnership with First Nations stakeholders. The roles will also lead monitoring and reporting activities, including providing strategic input to internal governance committees and embedding Closing the Gap Priority Reforms across all of DEWR’s business.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Providing strategic leadership for DEWR's Closing the Gap agenda and driving implementation of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap across the department
• Leading organisational reform initiatives that strengthen genuine partnerships, shared decision‑making and culturally informed approaches across DEWR
• Shaping strategic priorities and providing authoritative advice to senior executives, governance committees and ministers on complex policy, program and organisational issues
• Influencing executive stakeholders to embed Closing the Gap Priority Reforms into departmental policies, programs and ways of working
• Building and maintaining high‑level relationships with First Nations organisations, community leaders, peak bodies, government agencies and other key stakeholders
• Leading collaboration across government to identify systemic issues, share better practice and support coordinated reform efforts
• Leading monitoring, evaluation and reporting activities to assess organisational performance and inform strategic decision‑making
• Managing teams, resources and work priorities to achieve results in complex and evolving environments.
• Fostering an inclusive, culturally safe and high‑performing workplace through coaching, mentoring and capability development of staff.

Eligibility

Please note, under section 22(8) of the Public Service Act 1999, employees must be Australian citizens to be employed in the APS unless the Agency delegate has agreed, in writing.

Citizenship

to be eligible for employment with the Department, you must be an Australian Citizen or, in limited circumstances, in the process of obtaining it.

Security Clearance

our successful candidate is required to hold, or have the ability to obtain, and maintain a Baseline security clearance.

Please refer to the Job Information Pack for more information about the role.