Director, Workforce

Australian Energy Regulator; Canberra; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) is seeking a Director – Workforce to drive high‑performing HR operations following its structural separation. You will lead capability, recruitment, payroll and workforce reporting, and provide strategic advice on trends, requirements and risks across the agency.

You will collaborate with senior leaders to shape workforce plans, develop capability frameworks and ensure governance, policy, and reporting excellence in a complex regulatory environment.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary HR teams and building capability.
• Experience implementing better practice HR services across payroll and recruitment.
• Strategic workforce planning aligned to agency priorities and future needs.
• Tertiary qualifications in psychology or HR; AHRI accreditation preferred.
• Ability to deliver projects using defined methodologies, including workforce restructures and papers for Boards.

Responsibilities

• Lead and embed better practice HR services across Capability, Recruitment, Payroll and Workforce Reporting.
• Establish governance, policies, processes and reporting across the portfolio with a high-performing team.
• Oversee payroll, recruitment and analytics functions to ensure compliance and effectiveness.
• Guide workforce planning efforts including the AER Workforce Plan.
• Provide strategic workforce insights to senior leaders on risk, resourcing and capability.

Skills

HR leadership

Multidisciplinary teams

Workforce strategy

Project management

Data-driven advisory

Education

HR/Organisational psychology degree

AHRI accreditation

Tools

Payroll systems

Workforce analytics tools

Job description

JOIN OUR TEAM

The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) works to make energy consumers better off, now and in the future. We focus on ensuring a secure, reliable and affordable energy future for Australia as it transitions to net zero emissions.

We regulate electricity networks and covered gas pipelines, in all jurisdictions except Western Australia. We set the amount of revenue that network businesses can recover from customers for using these networks.

From 1 July 2026, the AER structurally separated from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and transitioned into a standalone non-corporate Commonwealth entity with its own accountable authority, staff and budgetary control.

The separation of the AER from the ACCC is a significant regulatory reform aimed at improving the governance and operational autonomy of the AER, and is an exciting time to join us and help shape our new agency.

THE OPPORTUNITY

On 1 July 2026, the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) and Australian Competition and Consumer Commission legally separated. The AER has established and is operating foundational human resources services, systems, processes and practices. Initially, the Director – Workforce’s priority will be to lead the evolution of operational human resources functions from foundational services, systems, practices and procedures to a high performing human resources operation.

As better practice services, systems, process and practices are embedded, the Director – Workforce will lead the design and delivery of contemporary workforce strategies that ensure the AER can attract, develop and retain the skills and capability required to deliver its strategic priorities. This will require the Director – Workforce to work collaboratively across the AER and provide strategic advice to senior leaders on workforce trends, requirements, risks and strategies.

Working under broad guidance and exercising discretion the Director - Workforce will:

• lead teams to define and embed better practice services, systems, process and practices across the Capability, Recruitment, Payroll and Workforce Reporting functions.
• establish governance, policies, processes and reporting frameworks across the portfolio, while leading and developing a high-performing multidisciplinary team.
• oversee the Capability, Recruitment, Payroll and Workforce Reporting functions to ensure these functions are effective, efficient and adhere to all applicable legislative, industrial instrument and policy requirements.
• lead agency-wide workforce planning and capability initiatives, including the design and delivery of the AER Workforce Plan, to support strategic priorities and future workforce needs
• oversee the development and delivery of the AER’s capability framework, leadership development and professional development initiatives
• lead APS Census, workforce reporting and analytics, translating data and insights into actionable advice for senior leaders
• provide high-level strategic advice to the Executive General Manager, General Manager Corporate and Senior Leadership Team and senior stakeholders on workforce strategy, capability, resourcing and emerging people risk.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We invite applications from people with the following experience, skills and attributes:

• Demonstrated experience developing and leading multidisciplinary HR teams, building capability and creating a high-performing, collaborative and inclusive culture.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing better practice services, systems, practices and procedures across multiple human resource disciplines. Preferably including payroll and recruitment.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing strategic workforce, recruitment, capability and talent strategies aligned to agency priorities and future workforce needs
• Relevant tertiary qualifications in psychology, human resources, AHRI accreditation and/or equivalent relevant experience.
• Ability to deliver discrete projects through defined project methodologies including workforce restructures, strategic workforce plans, briefing papers and packs for Boards and Senior Executives.

ELIGIBILITY

• Australian Citizenship – our successful candidate must be an Australian Citizen
• Security clearance – our successful candidate is required to hold, or have the ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance at the required level
• Employment check – your suitability for employment will be assessed through a screening process.

CONTACT OFFICER AND CLOSING DATE

For further information about the role, please contact Matthew Defaweux on [phone]. Applications close at 11.30pm AEST Sunday 27 September 2026.

To learn more about working at the AER, please visit Working at the AER | Australian Energy Regulator (AER)