Senior Director Safety and Wellbeing | Full-time Temporary

Australian Capital Territory; Canberra; Hybrid; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working options

Job summary

ACT Government in Canberra seeks a Senior Director of Safety and Wellbeing to lead WHS management arrangements, assurance/audit, performance reporting, and stakeholder consultation. The role blends operational delivery with strategic influence, directing a team of WHS professionals to ensure a safe and healthy workplace across the directorate.

The temporary nine-week appointment runs from 2 November 2026 to 4 January 2027, with potential extension to February 2027.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in a senior officer role of a similar nature or complexity.
• Experience in a public sector environment will be highly regarded.
• Relevant tertiary qualifications in work health and safety or a related field are highly desirable but not essential.

Responsibilities

• Lead the directorate's development and implementation of WHS management arrangements, including assurance/audit, performance reporting and consultation.
• Balance operational delivery with strategic leadership and the ability to influence organisational outcomes.
• Work with WHS experts and stakeholders to ensure a safe workplace across the directorate.

Job description

Senior Director Safety and Wellbeing
Full-time Temporary

Details: We are seeking an adaptable and highly motivated leader to temporarily fill the role of the Senior Director, Safety and Wellbeing. The position is available for nine weeks with possibility of extension. The temporary period is from 2 November 2026 to 4 January 2027, with possible extension to February.

The Senior Director works closely with Directorate executives, managers, WHS coordinators, Health and Safety representatives and other stakeholders to lead the directorate's development and implementation of WHS management arrangements, including assurance/audit, performance reporting and consultation.

The role is a combination of operational and strategic focus and a strong ability to influence and shape organisational outcomes is required.

You'll be supported by a team of WHS experts who help ensure everyone in the directorate has a safe workplace.

We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where people with diverse thoughts, lived experience, and perspectives can thrive and contribute their unique talents to the ACTPS and ACT community. We encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, people with culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, veterans, younger and older workers, and people with diverse genders, sexes and sexualities to apply.

Eligibility/Other Requirements

• Demonstrated experience in a senior officer role of a similar nature or complexity.
• Experience in a public sector environment will be highly regarded.
• Relevant tertiary qualifications in work health and safety or a related field are highly desirable but not essential.

Notes: This is a temporary position available from 2 November 2026 to 4 January 2027 with the possibility of extension to February 2027. This position is available to ACT Government officers and employees only.

A merit pool will be established from this selection process and may be used to fill future identical vacancies over the next 12 months.

Selection may be based on application and referee reports only.

Opportunities for flexible working options could include hybrid working, being a combination of working from home, designated office based and FlexiSpace working locations across the ACT, part-time hours, job-sharing, flexible start, and finish times. Please note, under ABW arrangements, officers will not have a designated workstation/desk.

Note: Under the ACTPS employment framework you may be placed in another role where required for the efficient administration of the service.

Where an offer of employment is for a fixed-term period, any related temporary contracts within the Territory will be issued in compliance with the requirements and applicable exceptions outlined in the Fair Work Act.

The ACT public service is committed to closing the gap, underpinned by the belief that when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a genuine say in the design and delivery of policies, programs and services that affect them, better life outcomes are achieved. More information can be found here ACT Closing the Gap Implementation Plan - ACT Government Transparency Portal .

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Note

This is a temporary position available from 2 November 2026 to 4 January 2027 with the possibility of extension to February 2027. This position is available to ACT Government officers and employees only.