First Assistant Director-General Operations

Australian Secret Intelligence Service; Canberra; On-site; AUD 320,000 - 420,000; Full time

Job summary

Australian Secret Intelligence Service seeks a high‑level executive to lead Operations at the First Assistant Director-General level. The role guides the division’s strategic direction, complex operational planning, and delivery of intelligence outcomes across domestic and overseas operations.

The successful candidate will align division activities with government priorities, manage risk, and work closely with SES peers and other agencies to advance national security objectives while upholding

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in planning, delivering and managing intelligence operations, including as an SES officer and overseas.
• Sophisticated understanding of national security issues.
• Recent professional development.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and strategic direction for the Division and organisation.
• Drive nimble and innovative operations in line with government requirements.
• Ensure effective and timely executive decision-making.
• Demonstrate commitment to ASIS values and governance practices.
• Maintain key stakeholder relationships and represent the organisation at cross-agency and international levels.

Skills

SES Level 2

Strategic leadership

Intelligence operations

Risk management

Stakeholder relations

Education

National security expertise

Job description

The ASIS First Assistant Director-General Operations, is responsible for the conduct of effective operations across a Headquarters-based Division. It is a high-level and high-profile strategic position that contributes significantly to the management and leadership of ASIS.

The ASIS First Assistant Director-General Operations, is responsible for the conduct of effective operations across a Headquarters-based Division. It is a high-level and high-profile strategic position that contributes significantly to the management and leadership of ASIS.

The key duties of the position include:

The First Assistant Director-General Operations, will drive operational activities in line with government priorities and manage risk across a range of operating environments. The successful applicant will align the operational efforts of their Division to meet organisational objectives and strategy; to enhance ASIS efforts against key operational targets; and to ensure their Division and ASIS can proactively respond to challenging and continually changing global intelligence priorities.

The First Assistant Director-General Operations will lead their Division through close collaboration with SES counterparts across the Service. They will also work in close collaboration with senior officers in the Australian National Intelligence Community and other government agencies.

The First Assistant Director-General Operations will oversee and drive the operational efforts of, officers in Australia and overseas undertaking delivery of diverse operational outcomes, through clearly articulated strategic vision. The position involves significant engagement with foreign liaison counterparts, and has responsibility for ensuring that outcomes are achieved in compliance with the regulatory framework within which ASIS operates, and in accordance with key risk protocols.

The successful applicant will have extensive experience in the planning, conduct and management of intelligence operations; and a demonstrated ability to deliver organisational outcomes against complex work programs; build and maintain high level strategic relationships; manage operational risk at senior levels and provide outstanding strategic direction and leadership. The successful applicant will also have the demonstrated ability to operate in accordance with, and actively promote, ASIS's values and ethical standards.

Role responsibilities

Key responsibilities of the First Assistant Director-General Operations role include:

• Provide leadership and strategic direction for the Division and organisation
• Drive nimble and innovative operations in line with government requirements
• Ensure effective and timely executive decision-making
• Demonstrate commitment to and promotion of the ASIS Values
• Contribute to ongoing capability development to support ASIS now and into the future
• Anticipating and advancing long term Divisional goals and organisational capabilities in response to changing global and technological developments
• Participating actively in the ASIS Senior Leadership team to set organisational culture, nurture talent and engender shared purpose
• Maintain key stakeholder relationships and represent the organisation at cross-agency, and international levels
• Establish strategic relationships across the NIC and other government agencies to enable effective development of whole-of-government approaches to intelligence priorities
• Ensure the effective management of corporate and operational risk
• Ensure strong, transparent and well-communicated governance and risk management systems operate to examine and mitigate organisational risks
• Provide timely and considered advice for the Director-General on operational activities
• Ensure the effective management of resources
• Effectively utilise resources to ensure operational agility and organisational responsiveness
• Contribute to the evolution of policy in line with organisational and whole-of-government needs
• Ensure ASIS's long-term sustainability through operational assets

Core Skills

We encourage applicants with the following skills and attributes to apply:

• Demonstrated performance at SES Band 2 level in accordance with APSC Integrated Leadership System, Work Level Standard and the Secretaries’ Charter of Leadership Behaviours
• Proven ability to provide outstanding strategic direction and senior leadership, particularly in an intelligence capacity
• Extensive experience in the planning, conduct and management of intelligence operations, including as an SES officer and overseas
• A demonstrated ability to deliver organisational outcomes against complex work programs
• An ability to build and maintain high level strategic relationships
• Demonstrated experience in managing enterprise-level operational risk

Education, Qualifications and/or Experience

The following education, qualifications and/or experience are mandatory:

• Extensive experience in planning, delivering and managing intelligence operations, including as an SES officer and overseas. Experience planning, delivering and managing foreign intelligence operations is highly desirable.
• A comprehensive and sophisticated understanding of national security issues
• Recent professional development

Eligibility

To be eligible for a role you must:

• Be an Australian citizen
• Be assessed as suitable to hold and maintain a TOP SECRET-Privileged Access security clearance

For more information on eligibility please see the Protective Security Policy Framework which is publicly accessible at https://protectivesecurity.gov.au, Release 2026 section 18.5 provides information on Eligibility and suitability.

The position is Canberra based, with conditions similar to those in the Australian Public service including superannuation.

Notes

ASIS is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment for candidates to participate in all stages of the selection process. Please let us know if you require any additional assistance or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process and we will work with you to manage this throughout. If you are successful in gaining employment, reasonable adjustments can also be made available to you in performing your role.

Please note: ASIS does not provide feedback to applicants

Applications close: please refer to website

Getting to know the Australian Secret Intelligence Service

ASIS is Australia’s overseas secret intelligence collection agency. Its mission is to protect and promote Australia’s vital interests through the provision of intelligence services as directed by the Government. Its work can involve collecting intelligence relating to national security, international relations and economic issues. It also contributes to Australia’s coordinated national efforts against terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and trans-national issues such as people smuggling.