SES Band 1, Assistant Secretary

Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR); Sydney; On-site; AUD 230,000 - 290,000; Full time

Job summary

DEWR in Sydney seeks SES Band 1 leaders to shape its direction and position the department for future challenges. You will apply strategic judgement and executive leadership across policy, programs, service delivery and transformation to deliver meaningful outcomes for Australians.

You will shape strategic direction, provide high‑quality advice to senior decision‑makers and translate priorities into results, while building capability and leading change in a complex public service environment.

Qualifications

• Highly regarded candidates will bring executive leadership, strategic judgement and delivery in complex environments.
• Relevant tertiary qualifications, professional accreditations or executive leadership development may be advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Shape direction, identify emerging issues and set a clear strategic direction that connects DEWR's priorities with government objectives.
• Bring strategic policy thinking to complex problems using evidence, stakeholder perspectives and whole‑of‑government considerations.
• Frame choices and solutions, surface trade‑offs and provide frank, evidence‑informed advice to senior executives and Ministers.
• Connect strategy with delivery, ensuring ideas can work in practice across policy, programs, regulation, data and resources.
• Advance outcomes for First Nations peoples and communities through partnerships and inclusive policy design.
• Lead beyond organisational boundaries by building coalitions across DEWR, the APS and external organisations.
• Lead through uncertainty and change, prioritise resources and create momentum when information is incomplete.
• Build capability for the future by developing leaders and leveraging data and technology.

Job description

Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) – Sydney NSW

We are looking for SES Band 1 leaders who can help shape DEWR's direction and position the department for what comes next.

Our work sits at the intersection of significant economic and social challenges - how people participate in work, how Australia builds the skills and workforce it needs, how workplaces remain fair and productive, and how government responds as technology, industries and expectations change. These challenges rarely sit neatly within one branch, profession or organisation. They require leaders who can see the bigger picture, make connections across systems, turn complexity into clear choices and bring people together around outcomes.

While current vacancies exist across several areas of the department, this process is designed to identify high‑performing leaders who can apply their strategic judgement, leadership and expertise across different business areas and emerging opportunities.

As an Assistant Secretary, you will lead a significant area of DEWR's work. Opportunities may arise across policy, programs, service delivery, employment services, skills and training, workplace relations, regulation, digital, data, transformation, corporate and enabling functions. You will help shape strategic direction, provide high‑quality advice to senior decision-makers and translate government and departmental priorities into meaningful outcomes. You will need to understand the environment around your work, anticipate emerging issues and opportunities, and recognise when established approaches are no longer enough.

Some opportunities may be in specialist corporate functions supporting the department's external budget responsibilities. These roles involve working across the portfolio and with central agencies to shape budget proposals, drive organisational performance, provide strategic advice and contestability, and support sound management of public resources.

Strategic policy capability will be particularly important. We are interested in leaders who can identify the underlying policy or strategic question, bring evidence and different perspectives together, understand the broader system and whole‑of‑government context, and develop practical, credible solutions to complex problems.

As a member of DEWR's SES cohort, you will also play an important stewardship role, building capability, developing future leaders and helping position the department to respond to challenges beyond today's priorities.

About the opportunities

We are looking for SES Band 1 leaders who can help shape DEWR's direction and position the department for what comes next.

Our work sits at the intersection of significant economic and social challenges - how people participate in work, how Australia builds the skills and workforce it needs, how workplaces remain fair and productive, and how government responds as technology, industries and expectations change. These challenges rarely sit neatly within one branch, profession or organisation. They require leaders who can see the bigger picture, make connections across systems, turn complexity into clear choices and bring people together around outcomes.

While current vacancies exist across several areas of the department, this process is designed to identify high‑performing leaders who can apply their strategic judgement, leadership and expertise across different business areas and emerging opportunities.

As an Assistant Secretary, you will lead a significant area of DEWR's work. Opportunities may arise across policy, programs, service delivery, employment services, skills and training, workplace relations, regulation, digital, data, transformation, corporate and enabling functions. You will help shape strategic direction, provide high‑quality advice to senior decision-makers and translate government and departmental priorities into meaningful outcomes. You will need to understand the environment around your work, anticipate emerging issues and opportunities, and recognise when established approaches are no longer enough.

Some opportunities may be in specialist corporate functions supporting the department's external budget responsibilities. These roles involve working across the portfolio and with central agencies to shape budget proposals, drive organisational performance, provide strategic advice and contestability, and support sound management of public resources.

Strategic policy capability will be particularly important. We are interested in leaders who can identify the underlying policy or strategic question, bring evidence and different perspectives together, understand the broader system and whole‑of‑government context, and develop practical, credible solutions to complex problems.

As a member of DEWR's SES cohort, you will also play an important stewardship role, building capability, developing future leaders and helping position the department to respond to challenges beyond today's priorities.

The key duties of the position include:

As an SES Band 1 leader, you will help shape policy, drive delivery and build organisational capability while contributing to DEWR's broader success. Key responsibilities include:

• Shape direction, not simply respond to it. Understand the environment around your work, identify emerging issues and opportunities and develop a clear strategic direction that connects DEWR's priorities with broader government objectives.
• Bring strategic policy thinking to complex problems. Look beyond the presenting issue to understand underlying causes, connections and consequences. Draw together evidence, stakeholder perspectives, implementation experience and whole‑of‑government considerations to develop robust policy, strategy and advice.
• Frame choices and solutions. Turn complexity into clear and credible options. Surface trade‑offs, risks and consequences, challenge assumptions where necessary, and provide frank, evidence‑informed and impartial advice to senior executives, Ministers and government.
• Connect strategy with delivery. Ensure good ideas can work in practice. Bring policy, programs, services, regulation, people, resources, technology and data together as relevant, and maintain a clear line of sight between strategic intent and outcomes for Australians.
• Advance outcomes for First Nations peoples and communities. Build genuine partnerships with First Nations stakeholders, incorporate First Nations perspectives into policy, program and service design, and contribute to the department's commitment to Closing the Gap through culturally informed and evidence‑based approaches.
• Lead beyond organisational boundaries. Build coalitions across DEWR, the APS and external organisations and communities. Navigate different perspectives and competing interests and use influence - not hierarchy alone - to create shared ownership of outcomes.
• Lead through uncertainty and change. Recognise when existing approaches need to change, make deliberate choices about priorities and resources, and create clarity and momentum when information is incomplete or the path forward is contested.
• Build capability for the future. Develop people and future leaders, strengthen professional and organisational capability, embrace opportunities presented by data and technology, and create inclusive environments where different perspectives improve decisions.

Eligibility

Please note, under section 22(8) of the Public Service Act 1999, employees must be Australian citizens to be employed in the APS unless the Agency delegate has agreed, in writing.

This is a designated security assessed position. The successful candidate will have the ability to obtain and maintain a minimum of a Baseline security clearance.

This selection process may be used to establish a merit pool. The pool might be accessed to fill ongoing and non‑ongoing vacancies for similar roles in the Department over the next 18 months.

Notes

Qualifications and education

We value diverse professional backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. There is no single pathway to success at the SES level.

Highly regarded candidates will bring a demonstrated track record of executive leadership, strategic judgement and delivery in complex environments. Relevant tertiary qualifications, professional accreditations, executive leadership development or specialist expertise may be advantageous depending on the role and function.

Getting to know the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR)

We are the department that helps job seeking Australians find safe, secure, and well‑paid work while we ourselves strive to be a model employer. We provide the framework for fair and productive relationships between employers and employees. We also oversee skills development and training initiatives to support those entering the workforce or retraining to take advantage of emerging employment opportunities.Secure jobs are vital—driving future economic growth and providing people with the certainty. We focus on connecting Australians who are starting, advancing or changing their career with the relevant skills, knowledge and experience to gain or regain employment.Our work directly contributes to shaping the employment landscape. It is our unique purpose to help people realise their potential and we want you to be part of it.Underpinning our important work is our focus on culture. We recognise that how we do things is equally important as what we achieve. Our workplace is one where different perspective are encouraged, people feel a sense of belonging and draw on the expertise of their peers. Our people demonstrate the APS Values, which includes being open, thoughtful, curious and candid. We also value employee wellbeing and developing leadership through investment in capability.