EL1 Assistant Director- Service Guidance

DFP Recruitment; Adelaide; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

DFP Recruitment is seeking an experienced EL1 Assistant Director – Service Guidance to join a Federal Government agency on a 12-month contract. This role leads a small team responsible for developing clear operational guidance and knowledge resources to support effective service delivery.

You will work in a complex government environment, providing strategic leadership, managing priorities and strengthening stakeholder relationships to drive continuous improvement in service outcomes.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading and delivering complex operational outcomes.
• Experience developing or reviewing government policies, guidance or knowledge resources.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, translating complex information into clear guidance.
• Experience managing projects with competing priorities and resources.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and cross‑agency collaboration.
• Analytical, problem‑solving and decision‑making skills with attention to detail.
• Experience identifying operational risks and advising senior stakeholders.
• Commitment to accessibility, inclusion and high‑quality public services.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support a small team responsible for developing operational guidelines, correspondence and knowledge articles.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to support guidance development.
• Provide strategic advice on operational processes, policy requirements and service delivery improvements.
• Coordinate complex projects to develop and implement guidance materials.
• Identify and manage complex issues and risks, reporting to senior management.
• Oversee workloads, resources and performance to ensure key deliverables are met; drive improvements in efficiency.
• Provide high‑level advice to senior executives and multidisciplinary teams.
• Foster a collaborative and inclusive team environment through leadership and coaching.

Skills

Team leadership

Policy and procedure knowledge

Written communication

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical thinking

Risk management

Accessibility & inclusion

Job description

DFP Recruitment is seeking an experienced EL1 Assistant Director – Service Guidance to join a Federal Government agency on a 12-month contract, with potential for extension.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced leader to oversee a small team responsible for developing clear, accessible and consistent operational guidance and resources that support effective service delivery.

Working in a complex government environment, you will provide strategic leadership, manage competing priorities, strengthen stakeholder relationships and drive continuous improvement initiatives to support organisational objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, manage and support a small team responsible for developing operational guidelines, correspondence and knowledge articles.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to support the development of effective guidance and resources.
• Provide strategic advice on operational processes, policy requirements and service delivery improvements.
• Coordinate complex projects and initiatives to support the development and implementation of guidance materials.
• Identify, assess and manage complex issues and risks, providing timely advice and reporting to senior management.
• Oversee team workloads, resource allocation and performance to ensure key deliverables are achieved.Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance operational efficiency and service delivery outcomes.
• Provide high-level advice and recommendations to senior executives and multidisciplinary teams.
• Foster a collaborative and inclusive team environment through effective leadership, coaching and capability development.

About You

• Proven experience leading and managing teams to deliver complex operational or strategic outcomes.
• Strong experience developing, reviewing or implementing government policies, procedures, operational guidance or knowledge resources.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex information into clear and accessible guidance.
• Demonstrated experience managing projects, competing priorities and resources within a fast-paced environment.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to build relationships, influence decisions and collaborate across business areas.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills, with a high level of attention to detail.
• Experience identifying and managing operational risks and providing strategic advice to senior stakeholders.
• A strong commitment to accessibility, inclusion and delivering high-quality services to diverse communities.

Highly Desirable:

• Previous experience within the Australian Public Service or a similar government environment.
• Experience developing Plain English resources in accordance with government style guidelines.
• Knowledge of accessibility principles and inclusive content development.
• Experience managing teams within a hybrid working environment.
• Understanding of government legislative frameworks, policies and decision-making processes.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be Australian citizens and be willing to undertake relevant pre-employment screening, including a National Criminal History Check and any additional security checks required for the position.

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 via ••••@dfp.com.au or 13•• ••• 000 and indicate your preferred method of communication (email, phone, text) so we can keep in touch and meet your accessibility needs.