Assistant Secretaries, Information Services Division

Assistant Secretaries, Information Services Division

About our team

The Information Services Division provides information and communication technology (ICT) and cyber security support to the department, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), portfolio ministers, and our shared services agencies, and may take on additional responsibilities depending on structural arrangements.

The Division is within Governance and Corporate Group and works closely with other enabling divisions in the group, including the Corporate Division, Government Division, Cabinet Division and Ministerial Support Division. 

What you’ll be doing 

We are establishing a merit pool to fill various SES Band 1 roles in the Information Services Division, spanning functions such as Cyber Security, Service Management, Architecture, Strategy and Project Delivery.

As an Assistant Secretary you will work collaboratively to provide strategic direction and cohesive leadership across the Division and broader department.

You will oversee liaison with business areas to develop proposals and solutions that meet their needs; engage with business areas to clarify constraints and expectations and establish an agreed understanding of what can be achieved. You will ensure the compliance of all systems with relevant legislation (for example, privacy legislation) and security requirements.

The roles are high profile, fast paced and varied and presents an exciting opportunity to help shape the department’s future IT infrastructure and services.

As an Assistant Secretary you will be accountable for the strategic direction and operational management of the key priorities of the Division. This may include:

• Leading the build, procurement and delivery of ICT systems, applications, services, and products to the department, shared services agencies, portfolio agencies and external sites (including Commonwealth Parliamentary Offices, Kirribilli House and The Lodge), ensuring that business-as-usual services are reliable, secure, accessible, and effectively support the work of the organisation.
• Managing the provision of a helpdesk service to the department, including a VIP service.
• Supporting the management, development and training of diverse teams providing services within the department and to shared services and portfolio agencies.
• Managing the disaster and disruption management planning activities to ensure the establishment of systems to support business continuity and mitigate risks to the ongoing operation of the department.
• Managing the development of the technology roadmap that aligns with the strategic objectives of PM&C and its client agencies.
• Providing policy advice to the department in relation to cyber security policy matters, including in relation to whole-of-government issues and systems.
• Managing information security systems and practices for the department and have responsibility for ICT security governance including and access control.
• Supporting the development and maintenance of IT applications and databases that manage the electronic records and the Intranet for PM&C and shared services agencies.
• Leading the departments Information and Data governance and strategy to increase PM&C’s maturity ratings across the whole-of-government.
• Leading the department’s cloud services to develop/deploy new cloud services, support business areas to integrate or uplift existing on-premises solutions to the cloud and provide solution advice for cloud services.

Why you’re the ideal candidate

The ideal candidate will perform at the SES Band 1 leadership level in accordance with the PM&C SES Band 1 Performance model and demonstrate the APS-wide DRIVE Leadership behaviours.

We are seeking strong leaders with technical knowledge and skills in technology and information and data management. A deep understanding of the broader IT context, including new technologies of relevance to the department, and of wider Government ICT regulations, legislation, policies, and frameworks is desirable.

Roles require leaders to work effectively under pressure and in a rapidly changing environment, taking accountability for high-quality advice and outcomes in line with the department's priorities. 

Experience leading in some or all of the following is beneficial, noting there may be a range of roles:

• IT operations, managing large IT contracts and service level agreements.
• Contemporary knowledge of the ICT industry and emerging trends and issues across the public sector.
• ICT management experience including architecture, cyber, software development, applications delivery and operations in a rapidly changing technological context.
• Experience in building relationships and networks with internal and external stakeholders, including in a shared service context.
• Experiences engaging on complex issues at senior levels, including persuading and influencing outcomes to adopt objectives designed to improve ICT capability, stabilise the ICT environment and ensure IT security and/or set the strategic direction for ICT business improvement in the future.
• Relevant qualifications for example in IT, contract management, project management, risk management.
• Expertise in cyber security and/or cloud services.

Identified Position 

This position has limited contact with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities and service providers, but is still required to have the capacity and willingness to further develop these skills. You will require capacity to attain cultural competency, including:

• understanding of the issues affecting Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples,
• ability to communicate sensitively and effectively with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, and
• willingness and commitment to continue to develop cultural competency.

How to apply

If this sounds like the opportunity you are looking for, we want to hear from you! Submit an online application through the Apply link by 5 January 2025 at 11:30pm AEDT.