Head of Service Guidance & Operational Excellence

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. 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.