EL2 - Director, First Nations Employment and Procurement Team, Affirmative Measures, First Nations

Australian-Department-of-Infrastructure-and-Regional-Development; Adelaide; Hybrid; AUD 150,000 - 179,000; Full time

Job summary

Australian-Department-of-Infrastructure-and-Regional-Development is seeking an EL2 Director to lead the First Nations Employment and Procurement team within the Infrastructure Investment Reform Branch. You will drive policy design, oversee the Indigenous Employment and Supplier‑Use Framework, and coordinate with LTID state teams and Ministers on performance targets.

The role requires strategic leadership, stakeholder engagement, and people management, with flexible/hybrid work options and

Qualifications

• Strategic capability: Experience leading policy reform or program delivery.
• Negotiation and collaboration: High-level negotiation with internal and external stakeholders.
• Reporting and governance: Ability to coordinate reporting across Indigenous Participation Plans.
• Communication and influence: Superior written and oral communication skills.
• People and culture leadership: Lead teams and develop staff capability.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-level strategic leadership and oversight.
• Oversee development and implementation of the Indigenous Participation Framework.
• Coordinate performance reporting on First Nations employment and supplier-use targets.
• Deliver executive briefings and ministerial updates on framework performance.
• Lead a capable, inclusive team with clear performance expectations.

Job description

Career Opportunities: EL2 - Director, First Nations Employment and Procurement Team, Affir... (48148)

-$149,636-$178,980-Ongoing/Non-Ongoing-Full Time/Part Time

EL2 - Director, First Nations Employment and Procurement Team, Affir...

Title:

EL2 - Director, First Nations Employment and Procurement Team, Affir...

Classification(s):

Employment Type:

Ongoing/Non-Ongoing , Full Time/Part Time

Business Division:

Land Transport Infrastructure

Branch / Section:

Infrastructure Investment Reform, First Nations Employment & Procurement

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).

This role is located in Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney, Darwin, Brisbane, Townsville and Cairns.

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

The Infrastructure Investment Reform Branch, situated in the Land Transport Infrastructure Division (LTID), is responsible for implementation of the Australian Government’s land transport infrastructure reforms, including the Federation Funding Agreement Schedule on Land Transport Infrastructure Projects 2024-2029.

This includes strategic advice, policy design and coordination to ensure the Commonwealth is a more informed investor and can leverage its significant investment to achieve broader policy objectives (including First Nations economic empowerment opportunities). The Branch also provides governance and assurance functions for the Infrastructure Investment Program (IIP).

The Branch has an exciting opportunity available as Director of the First Nations Employment and Procurement team. As Director, you will lead a small team responsible for driving improved socio-economic outcomes for First Nations people by leveraging investment in land transport infrastructure.

Currently the team is responsible for the implementation and oversight of the Indigenous Employment and Supplier‑Use Infrastructure Framework, which seeks to improve First Nations participation (through direct employment and the use of First Nations suppliers) in the delivery of transport infrastructure projects. The team is currently leading the development of a new Framework to establish a more ambitious approach to improving socioeconomic outcomes for First Nations people.

What you will do

As an EL2 Director, you will provide high-level strategic leadership, section oversight, and operational policy execution. Your responsibilities will include:

• Framework development: Lead the strategic design, rollout, and implementation of the new Framework. You will also be responsible for overseeing the existing Indigenous Employment and Supplier‑Use Infrastructure Framework until the new Framework takes effect.
• Framework implementation (including assessing Indigenous Participation Plans): Manage the rigorous assessment of incoming Indigenous Participation Plans (IPPs) and lead negotiations to establish required employment and supplier‑use targets, collaborating closely with LTID state teams, the department’s First Nations Partnerships Division, and state and territory officials.
• Data coordination: Oversee the national coordination of performance reporting relating to First Nations employment and supplier‑use targets under the Framework.
• Executive briefing: Provide authoritative strategic advice and high-quality written briefings to senior executives and Ministers on performance under the Framework.
• People leadership: Shape a supportive, inclusive, and high‑performing team culture while ensuring clear performance expectations and strategic capability alignment.

Inherent requirements for the role

To be considered for this position, you must demonstrate the following capabilities evaluated against the Executive Level 2 Work level standards :

• Strategic capability: Experience leading policy reform or program delivery, with the ability to drive the development and implementation of improved socio-economic, procurement, and/or employment outcomes.
• Negotiation and collaboration: Proven high-level negotiation skills with the capability to partner with internal and external stakeholders (including state and territory officials) to ensure strong implementation of the new Framework.
• Reporting and governance: Strong analytical capacity to coordinate reporting across Indigenous Participation Plans and maintain framework integrity.
• Communication and influence: Superior written and oral communication skills, with a track record of producing high-level executive briefings and successfully influencing diverse senior stakeholder groups.
• People and culture leadership: Proven capacity to lead teams with commitment, taking responsibility for shaping team culture, developing staff capability, steering workflows under tight deadlines, and making an active and positive contribution to the culture and leadership of your work area.

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.

• Experience in infrastructure policy, employment policy, or procurement policy.
• Relevant tertiary qualifications in public policy, business, law, or project management.

Cultural capability requirement

The department believes every role contributes to cultural safety and that building staff cultural capability helps us deliver better policies, programs or 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 Our Stories on CountryAgreement and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategy 2025–28.

As an EL2 you will be expected to:

• Provide strategic leadership to embed cultural capability across programs, policies or functions.
• Influence senior leaders on culturally informed approaches.
• Drive partnerships and co-design with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander organisations and communities where applicable or appropriate.

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. We believe that this not only leads to a more fulfilling and happier life but also enhances the overall quality of our work.

Some of the benefits we offer include:

• Access to our study Assistance Program that provides paid leave and financial support for you to undertake courses of study that contribute to the improvements of your professional skills and knowledge relevant to our work and broader Australian Public Service.
• Through our investment in learning and development opportunities, and a positive performance culture, we provide diverse career pathways for our people to enable their mobility and adapt in a rapidly changing world.
• Improve your leadership skills, through the department’s Professional Coaching Scheme and tailored leadership opportunities for staff members.
• Flexible working opportunities, including part‑time hours and home‑based work.
• We offer generous leave entitlements of 20 days personal circumstances leave per year, with one month’s accrual of leave credited on commencement and 150 hours of paid annual leave (based on a full‑time employee), plus a range of other miscellaneous leave options to support you.

Join our department and embark on a journey of growth, fulfillment, and well‑being. Experience personal and professional development, prioritise your health, and be part of a vibrant and positive culture that empowers individuals and drives exceptional performance.

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 Clearance 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: 16 September 2026

Application shortlisting: 1 October – 7 October 2026

Further assessments: 14 October – 21 October 2026

Offers and announcements: 9 November 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.