EL1 – Assistant Director, AI, Governance & Digital – Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional
📌 Vacancy Fact Sheet
- Reference Number: VN-0770522
- Agency: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional
- Job Title: EL1 – Assistant Director, AI, Governance & Digital
- Position Number: 47795
- Classification: Executive Level 1
- Closing Date: Wednesday 22 July 2026
- Job Type: Full-Time, Ongoing
- Location: Canberra ACT
- Future Merit Locations: Canberra
- Salary: $126,838 – $144,278
- Office Arrangement: Flexible (Flexible working arrangements can be negotiated in)
About Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional
Communications, Sport and the Arts
Our work connects and enriches every Australian community, underpins our economy and society, and empowers our regions. We
provide policy advice and deliver programs, projects and services in the infrastructure, transport, communications, sport and arts
sectors, supporting our regions, cities and territories. Our staff have the opportunity to work on high profile and diverse national
projects that have a meaningful impact on the lives of all Australians. We seek people with a wide range of skills and competencies.
Whether you write policy, deliver programs, projects or corporate services, or have experience in research, data or technology, we
look for employees who are innovative, respectful and professional. We are an inclusive employer and promote, value and support
diversity among our employees with the aim of ensuring our workforce reflects, respects and benefits from diverse communities
including Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with cultural and linguistic diversity, people with disability and
LGBTQI+ people. We are committed to achieving gender equality and, in particular, supporting women’s progression into senior
leadership.
Duties
- What will you do?
- As the EL1 – Assistant Director, AI, Governance & Digital Risk, you will contribute to the
- responsible and ethical adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the department.
- This position encompasses a wide range of responsibilities; however, the core duties generally
- include:
- Establish and maintain end-to-end AI governance across the full system lifecycle (design
- through to retirement), including procurement, change and operations.
- Apply strong technical literacy in AI (machine learning, generative AI, automation, decision
- support) to define governance requirements, controls and evidence expectations for risk and
- assurance.
- Embed AI assurance checkpoints into IT delivery and operational workflows, including
- standard templates, approval steps and operational handover requirements.
- Run AI risk and assurance processes grounded in understanding data flows, model
- behaviour, system dependencies and the control environment, with clear roles and review
- cadence.
- Coordinate and quality-check AI impact assessments and privacy, security and legal reviews
- by working closely with technical specialists and architects and ensuring evidence is
- captured.
- Define and consistently apply guidance on how design choices (training data, model
- updates, human-in-the-loop, vendor architecture) affect risk, assurance and accountability.
- Align AI systems with cyber security, data governance and ICT architecture teams to meet
- Protective Security Policy Framework (PSPF), Information Security Manual (ISM) and
- internal security/architecture standards.
- Establish assurance processes for AI procurement and third-party/cloud AI services,
- including due diligence checklists and review pathways, plus escalation and incident
- processes.
- Inherent requirements for the role
- The inherent requirements for this role include:
- The successful candidate for this position will be able to demonstrate their capability against
- the APS/Executive level 1 . Work level standards
- Demonstrated ability to lead governance, policy, risk and secretariat functions with sound
- judgement, accountability and a clear understanding of APS decision-making requirements,
- preferably in an ICT environment.
- Demonstrated ability to apply digital, data, technology or artificial intelligence policy and
- governance expertise to support practical outcomes in a public sector or comparable
- operating environment.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear,
- accurate and influential agendas, minutes, briefs and papers for senior executives and
- governance forums.
- Ability to undertake objective analysis of complex or emerging issues, identify risks and
- interdependencies, and provide evidence-based advice to support timely and defensible
- decision making.
- Well-developed stakeholder engagement skills, including the ability to build productive
- relationships, negotiate priorities and work collaboratively across organisational, functional
- and technical boundaries.
- Ability to manage competing priorities with limited direction, establish clear plans and
- timeframes, monitor progress and deliver high quality outcomes in a changing operating
- environment.
- Desirable requirements
- Experience supporting governance, risk, assurance or compliance activities in a digital, data,
- ICT or technology-enabled environment.
- Familiarity with artificial intelligence, automation, data governance, cyber security or digital
- assurance concepts.
- 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 and the Our Stories on Country Agreement 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.
Eligibility / Notes
- 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 Negative Vetting Level 1 (NV1). 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
Position Contact Kim Paterson, (02) 6136 8995
Agency Recruitment Site https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/department/careers
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
Infrastructure, Transport, Regional
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