Jobs
Chief Technology and Data Officer, Chief Technology – Australian Electoral Commission
📌 Vacancy Fact Sheet
- Reference Number: VN-0770800
- Agency: Australian Electoral Commission
- Job Title: Chief Technology and Data Officer, Chief Technology
- Position Number: 2026-089 15390 SES
- Classification: Senior Executive Service Band 1
- Closing Date: Tuesday 21 July 2026
- Job Type: Full-Time, Ongoing
- Location: Canberra ACT
- Future Merit Locations: Various locations – ACT, Various locations – NSW,
- Salary: Future Merit
- Office Arrangement: On Site (The AEC support flexible workplace arrangements as)
About Australian Electoral Commission
The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) is at the heart of Australian democracy. The AEC is responsible for conducting federal
elections and referendums, maintaining the Commonwealth electoral roll and making sure the Australian public is informed about
all electoral matters. Our goal is to see that all eligible Australians actively participate in our democracy. The AEC values of
electoral integrity through quality, agility and professionalism drive strategic and corporate planning and assist in organising the
agency in a way that will effectively deliver the business into the future. The AEC is an equal opportunity employer which upholds
the APS employment principles and actively encourages a diverse and inclusive workplace. The AEC’s statutory functions in
relation to the conduct of elections and referendums require that the AEC and its employees must be, and must be seen to be,
impartial and politically neutral. As a result, the AEC Enterprise Agreement and Political Neutrality Policy state that it is an inherent
requirement of AEC employment that employees, and prospective employees, are not publicly active in any political affairs and do
not publicly engage in such activities. This includes advocating any issues associated with a referendum. Should a prospective
employee fail to meet this inherent requirement, they will be ineligible for employment with the AEC.
Duties
- The Chief Technology and Data Officer plays a critical role in ensuring the service experiences for
- internal staff and external stakeholders are of a high standard with a particular focus on identifying
- AEC’s strategic ICT needs, along with developing and implementing strategies to meet those
- needs and ensuring that ongoing ICT service delivery facilitates the achievement of the AEC’s
- business objectives. This role operates as a combined Chief Technology and Data Officer,
- accountable for enterprise technology, data and analytics capability, and alignment to
- organisational strategy. This role operates as a combined Chief Technology Data Officer,
- accountable for enterprise technology, data and analytics capability, and alignment to
- organisational strategy.
- This role is accountable for establishing and delivering the AEC’s enterprise technology,
- information management practices, and data, analytics and artificial intelligence strategy. This role
- supports the Artificial Intelligence Accountable Officer and the Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer to
- ensure that technology and data are managed as strategic assets to drive enterprise performance
- and uphold electoral integrity.
- The Chief Technology and Data Officer provides strategic advice to the AEC Executive Leadership
- Team on approaches to ensuring the delivery of critical technology and data services that support
- the AEC’s operational and electoral priorities. The role sets the direction for enterprise technology
- and digital capability, including establishing structured innovation practices such as horizon
- scanning and evaluation of emerging technologies, and ensuring that initiatives are aligned with
- organisational strategy.
- As a senior leader, the Chief Technology and Data Officer leads a high-performing,
- multidisciplinary workforce and fosters a culture of collaboration, accountability and continuous
- improvement. The role provides authoritative advice on complex technology and enterprise
- architecture matters, leading the development and ongoing evolution of the AEC Enterprise
- Architecture. This includes coordinating architecture activities across information, applications and
- infrastructure environments to ensure consistency, scalability and alignment with strategic
- objectives.
- The position drives technology-enabled innovation while maintaining strong governance and risk
- management practices. This includes ensuring compliance with legislative and policy frameworks,
- strengthening enterprise data capability through improved data strategy, governance and
- analytics, supporting the ethical use of artificial intelligence, and uplifting and implementing
- enterprise information management practices in line with policy and legislative requirements. The
- Chief Technology and Data Officer works closely with senior executives, business areas and
- external stakeholders to understand organisational needs and deliver integrated solutions that
- enable business outcomes and supports enhanced service delivery and investment prioritisation.
- Operational oversight remains a core responsibility, with accountability for IT service management,
- infrastructure functions, and first-line support services. The role identifies opportunities for process
- optimisation to improve efficiency and service quality, supports investment prioritisation, and
- promotes a culture of data literacy and evidence-based decision making. The Chief Technology
- and Data Officer also represents the AEC externally and contributes to whole-of-government
- initiatives, while supporting election readiness and broader agency strategic objectives.
- The Chief Technology and Data Officer may also undertake additional duties or assume
- responsibility for additional functions as directed by the Electoral Commissioner or the Executive
- Leadership Team.
- Additional responsibilities during an Electoral Event:
- Manage staffing and additional resourcing requirements during the flex up phase of electoral
- event readiness, ensuring all additional resources are obtained within contractual
- arrangements and budget.
- The volume of requests for advice and matters, along with the urgency to resolve matters,
- will increase significantly prior to and during both electoral and referendum events. As a
- result, the staffing profile of the Chief Technology Officer Branch may expand. The Chief
- Technology and Data Officer may be required to manage a larger cohort of staff and be
- available extended hours.
- Contribute to the provision of support by the Chief Information Officer Division by providing
- technical advice on projects within the Chief Technology and Data Officer’s area of
- responsibility.
- What you will bring
- We are looking for an accomplished senior leader with the qualifications, judgement and
- experience to lead in a complex, visible and evolving regulatory environment. You will
- demonstrate leadership behaviours consistent with the APS Secretaries Charter of Leadership
- Behaviours and work with the SES cohort across the agency to deliver shared priorities, with a
- strong focus on stewardship, collaboration, integrity and accountability.
- You will also have:
- Proven experience in strategic leadership and management at a senior level in a critical and
- complex ICT operating environment.
- Demonstrated sound judgement, strategic and creative thinking, and business intelligence,
- with the capacity to provide sound and appropriate advice, and to explore innovative ICT
- solutions in delivering services in a governmental context.
- Demonstrated representation, stakeholder management and client service skills, and
- evidence of highly effective written and oral communication skills to communicate with and
- influence people at all levels.
- Demonstrated resilience and capacity to handle uncertainty, change and ambiguity in the
- formulation, integration and implementation of ICT strategies and services.
- Demonstrated awareness and understanding of contemporary Commonwealth public sector
- and ICT industry policies and practice.
- Demonstrated ability to build and maintain high performing teams, ensuring effective delivery
- and quality assurance in alignment the AEC Corporate Plan, policies and frameworks.
- Desirable:
- Knowledge of, or ability to quickly gain knowledge of, Australian electoral law and public
- sector governance requirements.
Eligibility / Notes
- To be eligible for this position, you must be an Australian citizen. Exemptions may apply in certain
- circumstances, such as if you are expecting to gain citizenship.
- In addition, there may be an exclusion period if you have received a redundancy benefit from a
- previous APS employer.
- This position is a position of trust. The occupants must have the ability to obtain and maintain a
- security clearance to the level of Negative Vetting Level 1 or hold a current security clearance of
- appropriate level. You will be required to undertake a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History
- check (police check) prior to engagement.
How to Apply
Position Contact Tania Wilson, [email protected]
Agency Recruitment Site https://candidate.aurion.cloud/aec/production/
Applicants to vacancies notified in all formats of the electronic Public Service Gazette should be aware:
that the names of successful applicants will also be notified in all formats of the electronic Public Service Gazette
applicants found suitable may be offered similar employment opportunities by other Australian Public Service agencies
Vacancy