Senior Security Advisor - DISP

Downer; Canberra; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare discounts

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Downer is seeking a Senior Security Advisor to lead DISP compliance, governance, risk management and incident response within Defence programs in Canberra. The role provides leadership to Security Advisors and collaborates with senior stakeholders to strengthen security capability.

This almond? 6-month contract offers immediate start and focuses on audit readiness, enterprise security documentation and proactive security culture across Commercial & Risk.

Qualifications

• Proven experience delivering DISP compliance, audits, governance and reporting.
• Strong leadership, mentoring and supervision of Security Advisors.
• Expertise in security risk, incident management and governance processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead DISP compliance activities and drive audits and reporting.
• Oversee security incident management and continuous improvement actions.
• Develop and maintain enterprise security documentation and controls.“
• Mentor and support Security Advisors and Deputy Security Officers.
• Drive security awareness initiatives and strengthen organisational security culture.

Skills

DISP compliance

Security governance

Incident management

Leadership & mentoring

Stakeholder engagement

Defence/security frameworks

Security clearance

Education

Defence security accreditation

Tools

DISP framework

Job description

Join our Defence security team as a Senior Security Advisor, supporting DISP compliance, security governance, risk management and incident response. 6-month contract with an immediate start.

We currently have an opportunity for a Senior Security Advisor to join our Commercial and Risk team and play a key role in leading enterprise security support, ensuring compliance with Defence Industry Security Program (DISP) requirements and strengthening organisational security capability.

The position provides leadership to Security Advisors, drives governance and audit readiness, and promotes a proactive security culture to support Defence-related operations.

Working within Commercial & Risk, this position partners with senior stakeholders across Defence programs to deliver security governance, risk management, and compliance.

What You'll Do

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

• Lead DISP compliance activities, including audits, governance and reporting
• Oversee security incident management and continuous improvement actions
• Develop and maintain enterprise security documentation and controls
• Mentor and support Security Advisors and Deputy Security Officers
• Drive security awareness initiatives and strengthen organisational security culture

What You'll Bring

• Proven experience in DISP compliance and Defence security frameworks
• Strong leadership capability with experience supervising and mentoring teams
• Expertise in security risk, incident management and governance processes
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills across complex environments
• 5+ years' experience in Defence or national security, and relevant security or risk qualifications/accreditation desirable
• Defence security clearance

More than anything, you'll bring a strong work ethic, a positive attitude, and a commitment to delivering high-quality outcomes for our clients.

Why Downer?

At Downer, we plan, create, and sustain 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: healthcare discounts, great savings on retail purchases, car purchases and much more.
• Employee Assistance Program: professional support for you and your family when you need it most.

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 those 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. Even if your experience doesn't align perfectly with this role, we'd still like to hear from you.

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.