Assistant Director – Environment and Sustainability – Department of Defence
📌 Vacancy Fact Sheet
- Reference Number: VN-0769763
- Agency: Department of Defence
- Job Title: Assistant Director – Environment and Sustainability
- Position Number: SEG/02109/26
- Classification: Executive Level 1
- Closing Date: Thursday 11 June 2026
- Job Type: Full-Time, Ongoing
- Location: Brisbane QLD, Darwin NT, Perth WA, Canberra ACT,
- Future Merit Locations: Brisbane, Darwin, Canberra, Perth, Adelaide,
- Salary: $124,393 – $140,315
- Office Arrangement: On Site (Defence is committed to supporting workplace)
About Department of Defence
As the largest Commonwealth landowner, the Department of Defence operates across many sites
with nationally significant environment and heritage values. To support Defence with its
environmental and heritage management obligations a network of local environment and
sustainability teams are located across Australia.
The teams provide environmental management outcomes to internal and external stakeholders in
support of Defence outcomes, activities and sites. Their work directly contributes to Australian
Government initiatives and commitments including action on climate change and biodiversity.
The teams work across all aspects of environmental management including environmental
assessments and approvals, pollution prevention, heritage, biodiversity and sustainability. The
teams are made up of a diverse and skilled workforce who work together to achieve Defence
outcomes.
The team works within a broader environment and sustainability group responsible for Defence
environment and engineering policies. You will have exposure to the development of policy and
the opportunity to contribute to improvements.
Our Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate will enjoy working in a dynamic and fast-paced workplace on a wide variety of
issues with the following characteristics:
Experience in complex and operational environmental management, providing advice and
making decision. Knowledge across environment, heritage and sustainability related
disciplines.
Experience in interpreting legislation and policy to provide advice and make decisions.
Experience in working and collaborating as part of a leadership team and managing team
work priorities and outcomes.
An ability to manage multiple issues with effective time management and prioritisation.
An excellent communicator focused on positive and effective relationships across diverse
stakeholders to generate results.
An excellent collaborator, who can work across a geographically dispersed team to deliver
Defence environmental management outcomes and build team knowledge.
A motivated and collaborative leader who contributes to a positive organisational and team
culture, who shares their knowledge and innovative ideas with others to help problem solve
and generate results.
Duties
- The Role
- Are you looking for an environmental management role in Darwin or Brisbane where you can play
- a key part in supporting the delivery of Australia’s national Defence priorities?
- The Department of Defence is currently looking for highly capable senior environmental
- management professionals to lead Environment & Sustainability Teams across the country and
- provide effective advice and support to local Defence outcomes and activities.
- This is a leadership role with a strong focus on stakeholder engagement and partnering whilst
- having a level of technical expertise in broad environmental management. In this role you will
- undertake and contribute to complex environmental management work that helps ensure Defence
- activities are managed, sustainable and compliant. You will collaborate with a variety of teams and
- stakeholders including military and industry partners.
- The role operates within a dynamic and fast-paced workplace on a wide variety of issues and
- outcomes, and is key in leading the local implementation of Defence policies, plans and initiatives.
- The role covers diverse issues including contamination, heritage, biodiversity, biosecurity,
- sustainability, and environmental assessments and approvals.
- In this role you will have access to unique work, sites and experiences that are not commonly
- found within other environmental roles or industry sectors. This role will also provide the ability to
- diversify, develop and expand your professional environmental management knowledge, skill set
- and experience. Whilst primarily office-based, this role includes occasional on-site work and travel
- to non-metropolitan regional and remote Defence operational sites. Roles are located in all states
- and territories and work from a major Defence base to support multiple sites.
- If you are someone who enjoys working within a dynamic and fast-paced workplace on a wide
- variety of issues and outcomes, has proven experience in team leadership, and wants to
- contribute to environmental management outcomes at an operational level we would love to hear
- from you.
Eligibility / Notes
- Security Clearance:
- Applicants must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance at Negative Vetting Level 1.
How to Apply
Position Contact Nicole McCarron, 0402 087 156
Agency Recruitment Site https://defencecareers.nga.net.au/?jati=8EE8712C-6753-9223-45B5-ECF14C5289
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
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