Assistant Directors, IEPP (Affirmative Measures)

The Team

As a team member of the Australian Electoral Commission’s (AEC’s) Indigenous Electoral Participation Program you will have a unique opportunity to work with your peers to direct and lead the work we undertake with our community level partners who help us identify and respond to barriers faced in relation to First Nations electoral participation. Our staff contribute to this in different ways and your knowledge and expertise will ultimately help the AEC make Australian elections more accessible for culturally diverse people.

You will use evidence and best practice to create and maintain key resources, support legislative change, and uphold the AEC’s commitment to continuous improvement. Additionally, you will play an instrumental role in the Branch Leadership Team, ensuring that our work has a strong strategic focus, shaping a proactive and inquisitive culture within the Branch, and championing a commitment to service design and human-centred outcomes.

The Opportunities

This role is an Affirmative Measures position, specifically designated for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, therefore this vacancy is only open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The role is responsible for delivering on business outcomes, including taking the lead on business planning and leading the engagement of partners who will help the AEC realise maximum benefits for Indigenous Australians. You will lead and manage a geographically dispersed team and develop and actively manage internal relationships to provide insight which supports decisions related to election services for Indigenous Australians. You will also represent and explain agency views in various forums which will involve travelling, sometimes to remote localities.

To excel you’ll have:

Mandatory

• An understanding of the issues affecting Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples.
• An ability to communicate sensitively and effectively with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in contributing to the development, implementation and evaluation of agency policy.
• Ability to progress with activities where some ambiguity exists, proactively collaborating with relevant stakeholders to forge strategic outcomes.
• Proven ability in successfully managing and delivering results within time restraints and with competing priorities.
• Proven ability to communicate with influence, negotiate outcomes and manage complex stakeholder relationships, including across a geographically dispersed network.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and manage staff when change is a constant, while proactively supporting a positive team culture and developing capabilities, encouraging career development, and embedding professionalism.

Desirable

• You have relevant qualifications in Indigenous studies or community engagement/education.
• You know about or can quickly learn about legislation and programs and policies.

Affirmative Measures – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment

The Affirmative Measures – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment process is open only to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people who meet the criteria below.

To be eligible to apply for this role, you must:

• be of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent or identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
• be accepted by community as being Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

Confirmation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander heritage will only be required from candidates who are found suitable at the end of the process.

The AEC will consider allowances in some circumstances, however evidence of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander status is likely to include the following:

• a letter signed by the Chairperson of an incorporated Indigenous organisation confirming that the applicant is recognised as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person, or
• a confirmation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent document executed by an Indigenous organisation.

Note: The need to provide confirmation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander heritage is not required as part of the application process. Confirmation will be requested prior to the onboarding process.

Eligibility

• AEC employees must be Australian citizens.
• Any person who is, and seen to be active in political affairs, and intends to publicly carry on this activity, may compromise the strict neutrality of the AEC and cannot be considered.
• Applicants are required to consent to, undergo, obtain, and maintain a character clearance.
• Applicants are required to consent to, undergo, obtain, and maintain the Baseline security clearance required for this role.

Application Close: Wednesday 4 December 2024, 11:59pm AEDT

Contact Officer: Kaye Bartlett, kaye.bartlett@aec.gov.au

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