Vacancy Details

Assistant Director Strategic Direction - World Heritage
EL1

Townsville, Canberra
Ongoing/Non-ongoing; Full-time
Applications close Wednesday 18 June, 2025

 

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (the Reef Authority) is a Commonwealth non-corporate entity, and a statutory agency established by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975 (Marine Park Act), reporting to the Minister for the Environment and Water. Our objective is the long-term protection, ecologically sustainable use, understanding and enjoyment of the Great Barrier Reef for all Australians and the international community through the care and development of the Marine Park.

Managing a reef roughly the size of Italy demands many skills and talents, so you don't have to be a marine biologist to contribute to our mission. From finance to marketing roles, we have a team almost as diverse as the ecosystem we protect. Our commitment and dedication to the Great Barrier Reef and the Australian public have a long-lasting impact, and we are looking for individuals who can bring their unique skills, experience, and knowledge to our high-performing and inclusive organisation.

The Position

We are seeking an agile and highly skilled Executive Level 1 professional to join our small team to lead the development of contemporary strategic policy initiatives, setting strategic corporate direction, providing clear positions on external pressures effecting the reef, and continuing to guide the corporate narrative as the authoritative voice of the reef. 

The position will also support the development and alignment of the Reef Authority’s strategic direction and work in partnership with key stakeholders to maintain the resilience of the Reef. This position will focus on international and world heritage matters affecting the Great Barrier Reef and also supports the Reef Authority’s lead on whole of government initiatives to ensure a coordinated approach across partners within the Reef Authority.

About You

  • You are a strategic thinker able to work across diverse subject matter areas with a high degree of complexity and apply innovative approaches to solving problems. 
  • You have a high interest and / or broad knowledge of the Reef and its key threats and are able to negotiate a consensus in a complex landscape of competing views. 
  • You are resourceful and can work with limited direction to achieve high quality outcomes, applying judgement, logic and discretion appropriately. 
  • You have exceptional written skills, an eye for detail and routinely complete tasks on time and to a high standard. 
  • You are a team player, who successfully maintains relationships with internal staff and external clients. 
  • You can prioritise and align operational activities to organisational objectives in order to complete tasks on time and to a high standard.
  • You will be an excellent communicator, both in the written and verbal forms across all agency levels.

Key Responsibilities

  • Lead the delivery of the Reef Authority’s strategic direction in international and world heritage through leading the Reef Authority’s contribution to world heritage management forums, policy development and positioning on related issues. 
  • Coordinating and preparing complex high quality strategic advice and written material – for the Director and senior leadership team, stakeholders and service providers – that is timely, practical, transparent and risk-based. Advice and material could include, but is not limited to briefs, reports, position statements, policies, and strategic plans.
  • Provide high level strategic advice to the Director, the Executive and the Board on policy and strategy matters and other issues relevant to the Reef Authority’s business. 
  • Collaboratively develop and manage strategies for the delivery of the Reef Authority’s Corporate Plan, and the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan and other strategic documents. 
  • Consulting and partnering with stakeholders and service providers on matters relevant to the Reef Authority, including: establishing and maintaining effective relationships; leading and contributing to committees/working groups to persuade, negotiate or influence cooperation on strategic issues; contributing to, or facilitating meetings and presentations and representing the Agency as required.
  • Deliver the Reef Authority’s corporate objectives and actively participate, as part of a committed team member, to the Strategic Direction and Partnerships Section’s work.
  • Build, lead and manage a work unit to support the above duties

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Usha Arif, Director Strategic Policy, Ph. 0499 050 457

Eligibility

The successful candidate will have 

  • Demonstrated experience in public sector administration and understanding of the machinery of government and its policy and workings.
  • Experience in and/or understanding of Australia’s international policy and heritage management arrangements.
  • Demonstrated experience in strategic thinking, relationship management and stakeholder engagement

To be eligible for employment , candidates must be an Australian citizen at the time of application.

The position requires a Negative Vetting Level 1 security clearance. Successful candidates will be required to obtain and maintain a clearance at this level. 

The successful candidate will be willing to provide identity documents and undergo an identity pre-employment check through a Document Verification Service.

Notes

The current position is ongoing however through this process may create a merit pool to fill similar ongoing and non-ongoing positions that become available within the next 18 months.

RecruitAbility applies to this vacancy. Under the RecruitAbility scheme, you will be invited to participate in further assessment activity for the vacancy if you choose to apply under the scheme; declare you have a disability; and meet the minimum requirements for the job.  For more information visit: https://www.apsc.gov.au/recruitability

 

How to apply 

Please ensure you read the instructions below and on the Position Description carefully, noting failure to address identified requirements may lead to your application being deemed ineligible.

You will be required to prepare a response document (“pitch”) in MSWord or PDF format using standard margins and size 11 Arial font.

Please prepare a ‘pitch’, as outlined in the Position Description, in relation to the advertised role, outlining:

  1. how your experience, abilities, knowledge and personal qualities would enable you to perform the duties and meet the technical and behavioural capabilities of the role.
  2. any specific examples or achievements that demonstrate your ability to perform the role.
  3. how you meet the eligibility requirements and qualifications for the position.

When crafting your response, we encourage you to review ‘Cracking the Code’ and the relevant Australian Public Service Work Level Standards which can be found on the Australian Public Service Commission website: www.apsc.gov.au.

Please complete your application online and provide:

  • your ‘pitch’ (as described above and in the position description).
  • proof of Australian citizenship (an Australian Passport or Australian Birth Certificate)
  • a current curriculum vitae (resume)

Applicants are advised to read further information provided on the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Careers website. 

PLEASE NOTE: - The panel may not consider additional information such as a cover letter or content exceeding the page limit.