First Nations Advisor – Department of Defence
📌 Vacancy Fact Sheet
- Reference Number: VN-0769719
- Agency: Department of Defence
- Job Title: First Nations Advisor
- Position Number: ARMY/02576/26
- Classification: APS Level 6
- Closing Date: Monday 15 June 2026
- Job Type: Full-Time, Ongoing
- Location: Brindabella Business Park ACT
- Future Merit Locations: Brindabella Business Park
- Salary: $99,733 – $112,431
- Office Arrangement: On Site (Defence is committed to supporting workplace)
About Department of Defence
The First Nations Team within Army Headquarters delivers strategic cultural advice, coordination,
and engagement to strengthen Army capability, workforce inclusion, and relationships with First
Nations peoples.
The team’s primary functions include informing policy and decision making through an Indigenous
lens, supporting culturally competent leadership, enhancing recruitment and retention of First
Nations peoples, and enabling respectful engagement with communities across Australia. Central
to this is the APS 6 First Nations Advisor role, which provides authoritative Indigenous cultural
advice to Army leaders and stakeholders, ensuring initiatives are culturally informed, credible, and
aligned with Defence obligations.
As a key member of the Army Indigenous First Nations Team, the First Nations Advisor bridges
headquarters strategy with regional and unit level activity, contributing to operational readiness,
workforce diversity, and social licence to operate. Through this alignment, the role directly
supports Army’s mission by strengthening trust, capability, and sustainable relationships with First
Nations communities.
Our Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate is committed, energetic and resilient, demonstrating integrity, respect and
professionalism in all aspects of their work. They possess a strong awareness of matters affecting
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and are motivated to provide authoritative, culturally
informed Indigenous advice that supports Army’s engagement, capability and workforce initiatives.
They bring well-developed skills in Indigenous cultural advisory, stakeholder engagement and
relationship management, with the ability to build trust and work collaboratively with Indigenous
communities seeking to engage with Army. Their communication is respectful, clear and culturally
appropriate, ensuring effective liaison and sound judgement in sensitive environments.
The ideal candidate works collaboratively as part of the First Nations team, contributes positively
to a cohesive and inclusive workplace, and consistently aligns their conduct with Defence Values
and Behaviours to support shared outcomes and organisational objectives.
Duties
- The Role
- The First Nations Advisor plays a critical role in supporting the First Nations Cell and enabling
- Army to meet the Chief of Army’s priorities through culturally informed, community centred policy,
- strategy and engagement.
- The role provides strategic Indigenous cultural advice across the key action areas of relationships,
- respect and opportunities, ensuring effective governance, compliance, reporting, execution and
- management of risk within First Nations contexts. Applying a First Nations lens, the position
- contributes to the development and delivery of Army’s Indigenous Plan, Cross Cultural Strategy,
- and initiatives that strengthen retention, career progression, officer representation and cultural
- equity across the workforce.
- The role requires deep cultural knowledge, sound judgement and strong strategic coordination
- skills, alongside the ability to engage respectfully and credibly with First Nations communities at
- national and local levels. High level communication, stakeholder engagement and risk
- management capabilities are essential to deliver trusted advice and culturally safe outcomes.
Eligibility / Notes
- Security Clearance:
- Applicants must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance at “Baseline Vetting” level.
How to Apply
Position Contact Rebecca Clark, 02 5130 3680
Agency Recruitment Site https://defencecareers.nga.net.au/?jati=122C529B-D3EC-A988-84A5-ECF10FB77
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
Defence Vacancy