Executive Assistant

Downer; Ryde; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare discounts

Retail/vehicle purchase savings

Training & development

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Downer is seeking an Executive Assistant to the Head of Defence to provide comprehensive executive and administrative support within the Defence leadership team. This 12-month FTC parental cover role will help deliver high-quality outcomes across essential services in Australia.

You will manage complex diaries, prepare reports and materials, and maintain records with discretion while collaborating with executives, employees and suppliers.

Qualifications

• Experience providing executive or senior-level support in a large organisation.
• Proven ability to manage complex schedules and confidential information.
• Proficient in MS Office and document management systems.
• Strong written and verbal communication with diplomacy

Responsibilities

• Coordinate complex diary commitments, meetings, travel and executive workplace requirements.
• Monitor correspondence and workflows on behalf of the Head of Defence.
• Prepare reports, presentations, newsletters, speeches and meeting materials.
• Prepare agendas, take minutes and provide secretarial support at meetings.
• Process expenses and maintain organisational charts and service-award records.

Skills

Executive support experience

Advanced MS Office

Organisation & time management

Professional communication

Discretion & confidentiality

Job description

We currently have an opportunity for an Executive Assistant to Head of Defence. Join our Defence team within SI&CS and play a key role in supporting the effective operation of our Defence leadership team. Reporting to the Head of Defence, you'll provide comprehensive executive and administrative support while helping deliver high-quality outcomes across our essential services.

This position is a 12 month FTC parental cover role.

What You'll Do

This role offers a broad scope, with key responsibilities including:

• Coordinate complex diary commitments, meetings, functions, travel and executive workplace requirements.
• Monitor and action correspondence, emails, enquiries and workflows on behalf of the Head of Defence.
• Prepare, quality-assure and format reports, presentations, newsletters, speeches and meeting materials.
• Prepare agendas, take minutes, maintain documents and records, and provide secretarial support at meetings.
• Process expenses, credit-card reconciliations and departmental costs, while maintaining organisational charts and service-award records.

What You'll Bring

• Demonstrated experience providing executive or senior-level administrative support within a large professional organisation.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills and experience maintaining effective document and record-management systems.
• Excellent organisation and time-management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and tight deadlines.
• Professional written and verbal communication skills, with the diplomacy to engage effectively with executives, employees, clients and suppliers.
• Sound judgement, discretion and integrity, with the ability to maintain confidentiality and work effectively with minimal supervision.

Why Downer?

Downer plans, creates and sustains essential public services across Australia and New Zealand. From hospitals to data centres and defence partnerships, we manage critical infrastructure that keeps communities thriving.

What It Means to Belong at Downer

We're proud of our high-performance culture and commitment to diversity, offering:

• Training and development to support and diversify your career.
• With 30% of vacancies filled internally, you'll find real opportunities to advance your career.
• Perks@Downer, including healthcare discounts and savings on retail and vehicle purchases.
• Employee Assistance Program, providing professional support for you and your family when needed.

You want your work to matter and so do we. With over 26,000 people across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, our team is made up of individuals with unique perspectives, backgrounds and ideas.

We know that diversity makes us stronger, and we actively celebrate it through our commitment to inclusion and belonging.

We're committed to building a team that reflects the diverse communities we serve, and we welcome people of all ages, genders, sexual orientations, cultures, abilities and lived experiences. We especially encourage applications from people whose voices have traditionally been underrepresented in our industry, including women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, Māori and Pasifika Peoples, veterans, people with disability and neurodivergent individuals.

As a WORK180 Endorsed Employer, we support flexibility that works for your life, inclusive leadership that values your voice, and equitable access to opportunity so you can do your best work and bring your whole self to it.

If you need support or adjustments through the recruitment process, just let us know. We're here to help you put your best foot forward.