EL1 - Assistant Director, Financial Management, Affirmative Measures, First Nations

Title:	EL1 - Assistant Director, Financial Management, Affirmative   Measures, First Nations
Classification(s):	Executive Level 1
Employment Type:	Ongoing, Full Time
Salary:	$126,838 - $144,278 per annum plus 15.4% superannuation
Business Division:	Finance, Strategy, Budget & Research
Branch / Section:	Financial Management, Financial Operations & Assurance
Location:	We want to recruit the best people to our department. Our roles   support flexible work arrangements including the opportunity to   work from one of our departmental offices and hybrid (mixture of   office and home-based work).  This role is located in Canberra.  A merit pool may be formed and used to fill future similar   vacancies in this location.
Security Clearance:	Baseline Vetting
Job Reference No:	48209
Contact Officer:	Rowan Thompson, on rowan.thompson@infrastructure.gov.au or   02 6136 8401
Closing Date:	11:59pm AEDT, Wednesday 14 October 2026

The filling of this vacancy is intended to constitute an affirmative measure under section 8(1) of the 'Racial Discrimination Act 1975'. This vacancy is only available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait people.

The opportunity we have available

We have an ongoing position available as the EL1 Assistant Director of the Financial Operations team. The role is responsible for assisting with leading the Financial Operations Section. The Financial Operations Section within Financial Management Branch supports the Department to achieve its business goals by providing internal services, support and advice across accounts, credit cards, and travel functions. The Financial Management Branch within Finance, Budget and Governance Division also includes the SAP Services team, Financial Reporting, Financial Governance and a Procurement and Contract Management team.

The Financial Operations Section maintains departmental vendors, processes vendor invoices and associated payment runs, raises customer invoices and processes receipts, manages debt recovery, administers the Corporate Credit Card program, travel policy and advice. 

What you will do

You will assist with leading a team of staff across a diverse range of functions to support the day-to-day financial operations of the department. This includes accounts receivable and payable. You will work collaboratively with other corporate teams and stakeholders across the department to deliver high-quality services to support the department in delivering its outcomes. You will liaise with and build relationships with external stakeholders including suppliers and other government organisations.

The role is varied, but key responsibilities include (but aren’t limited to): 

• Supporting the Director, Financial Operations & Assurance in leading and directing the Financial Operations team to ensure optimum customer service delivery and promote continuous skill development of team members.
• Lead the Financial Operations team to deliver high-quality work while managing competing priorities and tight timeframes.
• Promote and manage relationships with key suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Identify and implement process improvement initiatives.
• Identify and manage system enhancements and liaise with the FMIS Services team in developing system changes. 
• Resolve complex accounts processing, credit card and travel issues and advise staff accordingly. 
• Ensure the integrity of financial data processing.
• Provide accurate monthly and reporting to management. 
• Undertake and/or manage projects of a more complex nature. 

Inherent requirements for the role

We are looking for an organised, adaptive and highly motivated person. To be successful in this role you will need to demonstrate the below abilities:

• Demonstrated capability consistent with the EL1 Work level standards, employee would be required to undertake work that is very complex or sensitive and operate under broad direction.
• Proven experience in effective staff management. 
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Provide strong customer service skills and mentor others to do the same.
• A growth mindset and willingness for continuous improvement.
• Be able to lead a team through uncertainty and change/implementation of a new FMIS system.
• Have a very strong understanding of the accounts payable and accounts receivable processes within a department and the financial management information systems.

RecruitAbility

The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts is committed to supporting the employment and career development of people with disability. Our participation in APS RecruitAbility means we will progress an applicant with disability to a further stage in the recruitment process, where they opt into RecruitAbility and meet the minimum requirements for the vacancy.

The RecruitAbility minimum requirements are listed above under ‘inherent requirements for the role’.

You will be asked to indicate if you wish to opt into RecruitAbility in the application form. You must tick the 'opt in' box to participate in RecruitAbility. Simply declaring that you have a disability will not automatically include you.

We provide reasonable adjustments such as access, equipment or other practical support at relevant stages of the recruitment process. Please advise in the application form or get in touch with the contact officer if you need any adjustments made. 

More information can be found at RecruitAbility scheme: A guide for applicants | Australian Public Service Commission.

Cultural capability requirement

The department believes every role contributes to cultural safety and that building staff cultural capability helps us deliver better policies, programs and services for First Nations people and the broader Australian community.  Candidates will be required to demonstrate their willingness to develop their cultural capability as part of the assessment process. In making it a requirement across all roles in our department, we are taking a practical step in delivering our commitments under the Our Stories on Country Agreement and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategy 2025–28.

As an EL1 you will be expected to:

• Lead the integration of cultural considerations into work area outcomes.
• Build trusted relationships with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander stakeholders.
• Champion cultural capability within teams and challenges culturally unsafe practices.

What else can we offer?

We are dedicated to fostering personal and professional development, empowering individuals to set goals, acquire new skills, and cultivate unique qualities that define who they are. We believe that this not only leads to a more fulfilling and happier life but also enhances the overall quality of our work. Some of the benefits we offer include:

• Access to our study Assistance Program that provides paid leave and financial support for you to undertake courses of study that contribute to the improvements of your professional skills and knowledge relevant to our work and broader Australian Public Service.
• Through our investment in learning and development opportunities, and a positive performance culture, we provide diverse career pathways for our people to enable their mobility and adapt in a rapidly changing world.
• Improve your leadership skills, through the department’s Professional Coaching Scheme and tailored leadership opportunities for staff members.
• Flexible working opportunities, including part-time hours, home based work and job sharing.
• We offer generous leave entitlements of 20 days personal circumstances leave per year, with one month’s accrual of leave credited on commencement and 150 hours of paid annual leave (based on a full-time employee), plus a range of other miscellaneous leave options to support you.

Join our department and embark on a journey of growth, fulfillment, and well-being. Experience personal and professional development, prioritise your health, and be part of a vibrant and positive culture that empowers individuals and drives exceptional performance.

Eligibility requirements

Employment with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts is subject to conditions prescribed within the Public Service Act 1999 including:

• Citizenship: candidates must be an Australian citizen at the time of submitting your application. 
• Health Assessment: The preferred candidate may be required to undergo a medical examination conducted by the department’s preferred medical provider.
• Security Clearance: The successful candidate must be able to obtain and/or maintain a security clearance at Baseline Clearance Level. You must be willing to disclose all relevant and required information. You must have lived in Australia, or have a checkable background, for at least the preceding five years for Baseline Vetting clearances.  More information on the security clearance vetting process is available on the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) website.
• Police check: The successful candidate must complete an Australian Federal Police criminal history check.
• Integrity and Performance check: The successful candidate must satisfy the requirements in an Integrity and Performance check which is completed by your most recent employer.

How to apply

Applications for this opportunity close at 11:59pm AEDT, Wednesday 14 October 2026.

Prior to preparing your application for the department, please read our Artificial intelligence (AI) in recruitment at the department principles. The principles aim to help you use AI in a way that supports your application and maintains fairness and transparency while maintaining your integrity as a candidate. They outline what is and isn’t acceptable use of AI in APS recruitment.

In applying for this position, you are not required to address individual selection criteria. Rather, you should provide in a PDF document a statement of no more than 2 pages outlining your background, capabilities and experiences and how these align with the advertised role.

You should also provide a tailored CV in PDF, no more than 3 pages. The capabilities and behaviours required to be successful for this role are identified in the ‘inherent requirements for the role’ section.

Your application should be received through the department’s online recruitment system prior to the closing date and time to be considered. 

If you experience any issues with the system please contact the recruitment team on 02 6136 8989 or via email at recruitment@infrastructure.gov.au to discuss an alternative way to submit your application.

Please advise the contact officer if you require adjustments during the recruitment process. We recognise and value diversity as our strength and promote a culture of inclusion to enhance our work performance and the wellbeing of our employees. We are committed to systems that are accessible, inclusive and safe for all. If you need any further information about accessibility and inclusion at our department, please contact DiversityandInclusion@infrastructure.gov.au.

Timeline and assessment

A selection panel will be established to assess your suitability against the advertised role.

If a merit pool is established it will be valid for 18 months from date it first appeared in the APS Gazette.

Applications open: 30 September 2026

Applications close: 14 October 2026

Application shortlisting: 21 October 2026

Further assessments: 28 October 2026

Selection report finalised: 11 November 2026

Offers and announcements: 18 November 2026

The above is indicative only, please reach out to the contact person if you have any questions on the recruitment process or timeframes.

Your application will be assessed against the inherent requirements of the role, the Work level standards and in comparison, to other candidates who applied. Once the entire applicant pool has been assessed, the panel will create a shortlist of applicants. If your application is shortlisted, you may be asked to undertake further assessment, this may include work sample testing, interviews and reference checks.

Work with us. Apply now!