Senior Secretariat Officer

Australian Department of Veterans' Affairs; Canberra; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Veteran Employer of Choice

Job summary

Australian Department of Veterans' Affairs in Canberra seeks a Senior Secretariat Officer to support forums, committees and events that build strategic relationships across government, the veteran community and international partners.

The role focuses on delivering high‑quality secretariat support, coordinating meetings and travel, and providing professional written material while engaging with the Minister's office, the Secretary and other senior stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Organised, proactive and people‑focused professional with strong engagement skills.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication abilities for diverse audiences.
• Secretariat expertise combined with strong project management and problem‑solving capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain and strengthen key strategic relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Communicate clearly with stakeholders and provide guidance to achieve outcomes.
• Provide high‑quality secretariat, event and ICT support for governance committees and forums.
• Coordinate agendas, minutes, records and action item registers.
• Support ministerial and SES international travel, events and inbound delegations.
• Prepare briefs, reports and budgets to a high standard.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Communication skills

Secretariat expertise

Project management

Problem solving

Job description

Australian Department of Veterans' Affairs – Canberra ACT

If you are an organised, proactive and people-focused professional who thrives in fast-paced environments, this is your chance to help shape high-profile engagement across government, the veteran community and international partners. As a Senior Secretariat Officer, you will play a central role in supporting important forums, committees and events that build strategic relationships, drive action and deliver meaningful outcomes.

The International and Stakeholder Relations Section oversees the coordination, planning, secretariat support and delivery of a range of high-profile external forums and committees. This includes supporting the Commission and Partnership Forums, The National Consultation Framework forums, Defence-DVA partnership forums and the interjurisdictional Veterans’ Ministerial Council and the Commonwealth, State and Territory Committee. The section also manages international visits to the department, international travel for the Minister, Secretary and departmental SES and the departments involvement in bilateral and multilateral international discussions and forums.

This position is ideal for someone who combines excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills with strong secretariat expertise, project management and problem‑solving skills. You will engage with the offices of the Minister, Secretary, Deputy Secretaires and business areas across the department as well as a wide range of government agencies, ex‑service organisations, representatives of state and territory governments, and international counterparts. Success in this role will require sound judgement, attention to detail, the ability to manage competing priorities, and a genuine commitment to building respectful and productive working relationships.

This is an exciting opportunity for confident communicator, a capable organiser and a relationship builder who enjoys turning complexity into action to contribute to a high‑profile section at the centre of DVA’s stakeholder and international engagement work.

If you are an organised, proactive and people-focused professional who thrives in fast‑paced environments, this is your chance to help shape high‑profile engagement across government, the veteran community and international partners. As a Senior Secretariat Officer, you will play a central role in supporting important forums, committees and events that build strategic relationships, drive action and deliver meaningful outcomes.

The International and Stakeholder Relations Section oversees the coordination, planning, secretariat support and delivery of a range of high‑profile external forums and committees. This includes supporting the Commission and Partnership Forums, The National Consultation Framework forums, Defence‑DVA partnership forums and the interjurisdictional Veterans’ Ministerial Council and the Commonwealth, State and Territory Committee. The section also manages international visits to the department, international travel for the Minister, Secretary and departmental SES and the departments involvement in bilateral and multilateral international discussions and forums.

This position is ideal for someone who combines excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills with strong secretariat expertise, project‑management and problem‑solving skills. You will engage with the offices of the Minister, Secretary, Deputy Secretaires and business areas across the department as well as a wide range of government agencies, ex‑service organisations, representatives of state and territory governments, and international counterparts. Success in this role will require sound judgement, attention to detail, the ability to manage competing priorities, and a genuine commitment to building respectful and productive working relationships.

This is an exciting opportunity for confident communicator, a capable organiser and a relationship builder who enjoys turning complexity into action to contribute to a high‑profile section at the centre of DVA’s stakeholder and international engagement work.

The key duties of the position include:

• Develop, maintain and strengthen key strategic relationships with a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Communicate clearly and confidently with stakeholders, providing advice and guidance on to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.
• Provide high‑quality secretariat, event and ICT support for the professional organisation and delivery of governance committees, consultative forums and stakeholder meetings.
• Coordinate and produce core secretariat products, including agendas, meeting packs, minutes, records of meeting and action item registers.
• Work collaboratively with business areas and stakeholders for papers, monitor responses, follow up on outstanding actions and ensure deadlines are met.
• Support the planning and administration of ministerial, Secretary and SES international travel, international events and inbound delegations to the department.
• Prepare written correspondence, reports, briefings, budgets and other materials to a high standard with strong attention to detail.
• Contribute strong project management and problem‑solving skills to support the successful delivery of complex and high‑profile work.
• Develop, update and maintain secretariat guidelines, procedures and continuous improvement practices.
• Provide administrative support including record keeping, travel coordination and financial management, and assist other teams within the section as required.
• Other duties as required.

Eligibility

• Under section 22(8) of the Public Service Act 1999, employees must be Australian citizens to be employed in the Australian Public Service (APS).
• Any successful candidate external to DVA offered employment will be required to undergo a pre‑engagement screening check, even if they have a security clearance. The screening check is conducted in accordance with the Australian Government Protective Security Policy Framework requirements.
• Any successful candidate will also be required to obtain and/or maintain, a baseline Vetting (AGSVA) security clearance as a minimum.

Notes

This recruitment process may be used to fill ongoing and/or non‑ongoing position/s. For more information about the role, please see the Candidate Information Pack.

A merit pool of suitable applicants may be created which may be used to fill future ongoing and non‑ongoing vacancies should they become available over the next 18 months.

Successful applicants engaged into the APS will be subject to a probation period.

We welcome people with diverse skills, experiences and perspectives. DVA is committed to building a workforce that reflects the community we serve and encourages applications from:

• Veterans and former Australian Defence Force members, whose skills and experience are highly valued across the APS
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• People with disability
• People who identify as LGBTQIA+
• People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds

We are a Veteran Employer of Choice! This means you benefit from a workplace actively supporting veterans and families of veterans – one that understands and values military experience. You’re joining an organisation publicly recognised for its commitment to fostering veteran‑friendly employment pathways and long‑term career success.

Getting to know the Department of Veterans' Affairs

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) exists to fulfil the nation’s duty to support our serving and ex‑serving Australian Defence Force members and their families. We do this through programs of care, compensation, commemoration, income and Defence support services. Our aim is to enhance self‑sufficiency, quality of life, financial wellbeing and community recognition for those we support.DVA is both a policy and service delivery agency. We have strong relationships with Australian ex‑service organisations, Federal and State Government agencies and the veteran community.DVA’s vision is to honour veterans, and empower them and their families to continue life after service, within a society that understands and values their military service and their ongoing contribution to the community.