EL1 - Assistant Director / Program Manager, Affirmative Measures, First Nations

Australian-Department-of-Infrastructure-and-Regional-Development; Canberra; Hybrid; AUD 127,000 - 144,000; Full time

Job summary

Australian Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts is recruiting for EL1 - Assistant Director / Program Manager within the Land Transport Infrastructure Division. The role involves leading delivery of major infrastructure programs, managing financials and risk, and shaping national land transport policy with a focus on First Nations participation.

The successful candidate will work across branches and states, with flexible and hybrid work

Qualifications

• EL1 level leadership experience in large-scale infrastructure or policy programs.
• Ability to interpret and embed complex public policies and operational frameworks.
• Proven ability to engage, influence and negotiate with senior executives and partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead management of nationally significant infrastructure projects across a state or territory.
• Provide strategic advice on infrastructure investments and policy development.
• Maintain relationships with state/territory and local government counterparts and stakeholders.
• Embed First Nations perspectives into infrastructure policy and program delivery.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Program management

Stakeholder engagement

Public policy

Education

Degree in public policy/engineering/commerce

Job description

Career Opportunities: EL1 - Assistant Director / Program Manager, Land Transport Infrastructure Division, Affimative Measures, First Nations (48266)

Requisition ID48266-Posted19/10/2026-$126,838-$144,278- Location of Position (7) -Ongoing/Non-Ongoing-Full Time/Part Time

EL1 - Assistant Director / Program Manager, Land Transport Infrastructure Division, Affimative Measures, First Nations

Title:

EL1 - Assistant Director / Program Manager, Land Transport Infrastructure Division, Affimative Measures, First Nations

Classification(s):

Employment Type:

Ongoing/Non-Ongoing , Full Time/Part Time

Business Division:

Land Transport Infrastructure

Branch / Section:

Multiple Branches

Location:

We want to recruit the best people to our department. Our roles support flexible work arrangements including the opportunity to work from one of our departmental offices and hybrid (mixture of office and home-based work).

These roles are located in Canberra, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Darwin.

A merit pool may be formed and used to fill future similar vacancies in these locations and other locations within the same metropolitan area.

The filling of this vacancy is intended to constitute an affirmative measure under section 8(1) of the 'Racial Discrimination Act 1975'. This vacancy is only available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait people.

The opportunity we have available

We have a range of roles available at the heart of infrastructure investment delivery and policy, where your ideas and energy can truly make a difference . LTID is full of diverse and meaningful opportunities where no two days are the sam e :

• The State Infrastructure Investment Branches (NSW/ACT, VIC/TAS/SA, WA/NT) are turning big ideas into bridges, roads and future-proof projects in cooperation with our delivery partners in states and territory governments. We juggle the dollars, tame the risks and keep projects on track across the country. We help guide the Australian Government on what should be built next to keep the nation moving forward.
• The Budget, Policy & Assurance Branch is where strategy meets action. You'll be part of a high-impact team that shapes national land transport investments and works closely with Ministers, Infrastructure Australia, and key stakeholders. It’s a fast-paced and politically significant environment that’s perfect for people who thrive under pressure and want to be part of something big.
  *Note: Because of the nature of the work, this branch is primarily based in our Canberra office, right at the heart of decision-making.
• The Infrastructure Investment Reform Branch is all about improving our frameworks and shaping the future. If you enjoy working collaboratively with stakeholders to turn big-picture ideas into practical reform, this is where you’ll thrive. You’ll help implement the government’s reform agenda, support strategic policy development and provide critical analysis that informs national infrastructure planning.
• The QLD Infrastructure Investment and Brisbane 2032 Games Venues Branch is where you will shape the land transport future of Queensland and support delivery of venues for a landmark global event. From keeping key regional connections like the Bruce Highway moving to delivering major regional and urban rail projects, we handle a massive pipeline of critical works. This team is at the forefront of the historic Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

What you will do

This is a bulk recruitment round to support a variety of opportunities at the EL1 Assistant Director level across the division.

Within the VIC, TAS & SA, WA & NT, NSW & ACT Infrastructure Investment and QLD & Brisbane 2032 Games Venues Infrastructure branches, you will:

• Lead and manage the financials, risk and delivery of nationally significant infrastructure projects across a particular state or territory, including projects such as:
  • Coffs Harbour Bypass (NSW)
  • Bruce Highway Upgrade Program (QLD)
  • Melbourne Airport Rail (VIC)
  • North-South Corridor (SA)
  • Tonkin Highway Corridor (WA)
  • Canberra Light Rail Stage 2A (ACT)
  • New Bridgewater Bridge (TAS)
  • Outback Way (NT)
• Assess, prepar e advice and report on Australian Government existing and future infrastructure investments
• Lead and undertak e reviews of programs, and project governance meetings
• Maintain and leverage productive working relationships with s tate , territory, and local government counterparts
• Support the department’s commitments to the National Closing the Gap Agreement and the Our Stories on Country Agreement by embedding First Nations perspectives into infrastructure policy, program delivery, and stakeholder engagement
• Provid e high-level secretariat support and input to State and Territory program meetings
• Provide key program governance functions to LTID to support the delivery of the IIP
• Draft and clear complex briefings to support Ministers, Departmental Executive and Central agencies, including for Senate Estimates, Q uestion T ime B rief s and Q uestion o n N otice
• Oversee the quality assurance, fact checking and prepar ation of media products such as media release s , talking points and event brief ing s .

Within the Budget Policy & Assurance and Infrastructure Reform branches you will :

• Lead the management and reporting on the overall financials for the Australian Government’s Investments within the Infrastructure Investment pipeline
• Provide key advice to government and executives to enable decision making on the government’s Infrastructure investments to develop Australia’s land transport network
• Administer the National Land Transport Act 2014 and Federation Funding Agreement Schedule
• Drive the strategic management and development of the First Nations Participation policy, including processing of Participation Plans and stakeholder engagement
• Provide advice on whole-of-government policy
• Provide policy advice and formulate strategy for land transport infrastructure investments and the Government’s Infrastructure Policy Statement
• Coordinate and develop biannual infrastructure Investment Cabinet submissions at the Federal Budget and MYEFO periods
• Manage robust governance and risk frameworks for land transport infrastructure investments.

Inherent requirements for the role

The inherent requirements for this role include:

• The successful candidate for this position will be able to demonstrate their capability against the EL1 Work level standards .
• Proven strategic leadership and program management skills, including a clear ability to develop, interpret, and embed complex public policies and operational frameworks.
• Effective people management and leadership skills, with a track record of building positive team culture, managing performance, and mitigating project risk.
• Demonstrated high-level capability to engage, influence, and negotiate officially with senior level executives, state jurisdictions, and corporate delivery partners.

The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts is committed to supporting the employment and career development of people with disability. Our participation in APS RecruitAbility means we will progress an applicant with disability to a further stage in the recruitment process, where they opt into RecruitAbility and meet the minimum requirements for the vacancy.

The RecruitAbility minimum requirements are listed above under ‘inherent requirements for the role’.

You will be asked to indicate if you wish to opt into RecruitAbility in the application form. You must tick the 'opt in' box to participate in RecruitAbility. Simply declaring that you have a disability will not automatically include you.

We provide reasonable adjustments such as access, equipment or other practical support at relevant stages of
the recruitment process. Please advise in the application form or get in touch with the contact officer if you need any adjustments made.

Qualifications or extensive practical experience in public policy, project management, financial/data analysis, commerce, legal frameworks, or engineering/infrastructure delivery is highly desirable but not mandatory.

Cultural capability requirement

The department believes every role contributes to cultural safety and that building staff cultural capability helps us deliver better policies, programs and services for First Nations people and the broader Australian community. Candidates will be required to demonstrate their willingness to develop their cultural capability as part of the assessment process. In making it a requirement across all roles in our department, we are taking a practical step in delivering our commitments under the Our Stories on CountryAgreement and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategy 2025–28 .

As an EL1 you will be expected to:

• Lead the integration of cultural considerations into work area outcomes.
• Build trusted relationships with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander stakeholders.
• Champion cultural capability within teams and challenges culturally unsafe practices.

What else can we offer?

We are dedicated to fostering personal and professional development, empowering individuals to set goals, acquire new skills, and cultivate unique qualities that define who they are. Some of the benefits we offer include:

• Access to our Study Assistance Program providing paid leave and financial support for courses relevant to our work.
• Diverse career pathways, learning and development investments, and a positive performance culture.
• Professional Coaching Schemes and tailored leadership opportunities.
• Flexible working opportunities, including part-time hours, home-based work, and job sharing.
• Generous leave entitlements of 20 days personal circumstances leave per year and 150 hours of paid annual leave.

Eligibility requirements

This is an affirmative measure vacancy – This vacancy is open only to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.

This is an affirmative measures – First Nations applicants only position. The filling of this vacancy is intended to constitute an affirmative Measure under section 8(1) of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975. To be eligible to apply under the affirmative Measures initiative, applicants must:

• Be an Aboriginal person and/or a Torres Strait Islander person
• Identify as an Aboriginal person and/or a Torres Strait Islander person, and
• Be accepted by their community as being an Aboriginal person and/or a Torres Strait Islander person

Employment with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts is subject to conditions prescribed within the Public Service Act 1999 including:

• Citizenship: candidates must be an Australian citizen at the time of submitting your application.
• Health Assessment: The preferred candidate may be required to undergo a medical examination conducted by the department’s preferred medical provider.
• Security Clearance: The successful candidate must be able to obtain and/or maintain a security clearance at Baseline level. You must be willing to disclose all relevant and required information. You must have lived in Australia, or have a checkable background, for at least the preceding five years for Baseline Vetting clearances. More information on the security clearance vetting process is available on the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) website .
• Police check: The successful candidate must complete an Australian Federal Police criminal history check.
• Integrity and Performance check: The successful candidate must satisfy the requirements in an Integrity and Performance check which is completed by your most recent employer.

Timeline and assessment

A selection panel will be established to assess your suitability against the advertised role.

If a merit pool is established, it will be valid for 18 months from date it first appeared in the APS Gazette.

Applications open: 20 October 2026

Application shortlisting: 10 November 2026

Further assessments: 17 November 2026

Offers and announcements: 4 December 2026

The above is indicative only, please reach out to the contact person if you have any questions on the recruitment process or timeframes.

Your application will be assessed against the inherent requirements of the role , the Work level standards and in comparison, to other candidates who applied . Once the entire applicant pool has been assessed, the panel will create a shortlist of applicants. If your application is shortlisted, you may be asked to undertake further assessment, this may include work sample testing, interviews and reference checks.