Jobs
Deputy Secretary – Various Opportunities – Attorney-General’s Department
📌 Vacancy Fact Sheet
- Reference Number: VN-0770770
- Agency: Attorney-General’s Department
- Job Title: Deputy Secretary – Various Opportunities
- Position Number: N/A
- Classification: Senior Executive Service Band 3
- Closing Date: Monday 20 July 2026
- Job Type: Full-Time, Ongoing;Non-Ongoing
- Location: Canberra ACT
- Future Merit Locations: Canberra
- Salary: Future Merit
- Office Arrangement: Flexible (Flexible working arrangements can be negotiated in)
About Attorney-General’s Department
The Attorney-General’s Department delivers programs and policies to maintain and improve Australia’s law and justice framework,
and to facilitate jobs growth through policies that promote fair, productive, flexible and safe workplaces. Through the Australian
Government Solicitor, we also provide legal services to the Commonwealth, including legal advice and representation. Our
department is the central policy and coordinating element of the Attorney-General’s portfolio. Our department is structured into four
groups: • Australian Government Solicitor • Justice and Communities • Integrity and Security • Enabling Services The department
operates in a diverse and complex environment to address challenging issues. We have a highly-skilled and engaged workforce
involved in policy development and implementation and program administration. The department also has a large number of
practicing lawyers, mainly within the Australian Government Solicitor Group within the department.
Duties
- Employment Opportunity
- As a Deputy Secretary in the Attorney-General’s Department, you will provide enterprise and system-level leadership,
- shaping the department’s contribution to whole-of-government priorities and national outcomes. As a member of the
- department’s Senior Leadership Group (SLG), you share collective accountability for the performance, culture and
- strategic direction of the department. You play a central role in advising and supporting the Secretary, shaping enterprise
- priorities, and ensuring a unified and coordinated approach to delivering government objectives.
- You will lead across multiple divisions and influence beyond the department, playing a key role in shaping the
- performance, capability, and strategic direction of both the organisation and the broader APS. You will set direction at
- scale, align resources across complex systems, and lead through senior executives to deliver the government’s highest
- priorities.
- This includes building and supporting senior leadership cohorts, strengthening capability across the department and
- APS, and fostering a culture that is accountable, inclusive, and focused on enduring public value. You will work across
- portfolios and jurisdictions to ensure priorities are aligned, effort is
- integrated, and outcomes are delivered cohesively and effectively.
- The Department plays a central role in supporting Australia’s legal system and integrity settings, working across
- government on issues of national significance. At SES Band 3 level, you will help shape how this system operates as a
- whole, requiring deep engagement across the courts and legal sector, integrity bodies, oversight agencies, and the
- national security community.
- You will work closely with states and territories to support the effective operation of Australia’s justice system and engage
- with First Nations organisations and communities to improve outcomes and support Closing the Gap. You will also
- influence outcomes through partnerships with community organisations, international counterparts, and the private
- sector, ensuring Australia’s legal and policy frameworks remain effective, resilient, and future-focused.
- This breadth reflects the department’s leadership role in upholding the rule of law, strengthening public trust in
- institutions, and improving access to justice for all Australians.
- Within this context, you will lead and shape significant policy, legislative and program agendas at a system level,
- providing strategic, evidence-based advice to Ministers, Secretaries, and central decision-making forums, including
- Cabinet processes. You will operate in highly sensitive and high-profile environments, exercising sound judgement to
- manage system-level risks, balance competing national priorities, and drive reform.
- You will work across portfolios, jurisdictions and sectors to enable coordinated, joined-up outcomes, contributing to the
- ongoing effectiveness and sustainability of Australia’s legal and integrity systems.
- We are looking for leaders who bring strategic foresight, exceptional judgement, and a strong commitment to stewardship
- of the public service. SES Band 3 leaders are expected to act with integrity and cultural awareness, and provide
- leadership on national priorities, including Closing the Gap.
- This recruitment process will also establish a merit pool to fill current and future SES Band 3 vacancies.
- How you can help us make a difference
- This role requires exceptional leadership capability, with accountability for setting strategic direction at a
- whole-of-government level, building enterprise capability, and delivering sustained outcomes through senior leaders.
- As a Deputy Secretary, you will contribute to the collective leadership of the department and the APS. This includes
- shaping long-term priorities, aligning resources across systems, and ensuring work contributes to national objectives and
- is delivered to the highest standard.
- You will operate with a strong system and enterprise perspective, extending beyond departmental boundaries. This
- includes enabling collaboration across portfolios, influencing national policy settings, and contributing to integrated
- outcomes across government.
- A key part of the role is stewardship of capability and institutions. You will build and sustain leadership pipelines, develop
- senior executives, and foster an environment that supports high performance, adaptability, and continuous improvement
- across the department and broader APS.
- You will embed a culture that reflects accountability, inclusion, professionalism, and integrity, while strengthening public
- confidence in government institutions.
- You will drive a strong delivery agenda by championing innovation and employing new ways of achieving outcomes.
- You will bring highly developed judgement and the ability to manage risk in complex, high-profile and politically sensitive
- environments. This includes navigating ambiguity, balancing competing national priorities, and providing advice that is
- strategic, authoritative, and defensible.
- The role also requires significant influence across government and externally. You will build and sustain relationships
- with Ministers, senior leaders across all levels of government and key non government stakeholders, navigating
- complexity and competing interests to progress outcomes that span portfolios,
- sectors, and jurisdictions.
- You will bring:
- Proven ability to lead at a whole-of-government and system level , shaping national policy and reform agendas
- Exceptional strategic judgement , including advising Ministers and senior leaders in complex and sensitive environments
- Strong enterprise leadership capability , including aligning resources and delivering outcomes across organisational and
- jurisdictional boundaries
- Demonstrated ability to influence at the highest levels , including across portfolios, governments, and sectors
- Commitment to stewardship , including building APS capability, institutional strength, and long-term public value
- Strong focus on partnerships , and codesign with stakeholders
- Strong focus on integrity, inclusion, and culturally informed leadership , including advancing Closing the Gap
Eligibility / Notes
- To be eligible for employment at the Attorney-General’s Department applicants must be Australian citizens.
- Applicants offered employment will be required to successfully undergo a police record check and be able to obtain and
- maintain a security clearance at a specified clearance level. The successful applicant must be willing to disclose all
- relevant and required information.
How to Apply
Position Contact Amanda O’Rourke, 0452 199 031
Agency Recruitment Site https://www.ag.gov.au/About/Careers/Pages/current-vacancies.aspx
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
Attorney-General’s Vacancy