As well as delivering federal elections and referendums, a core purpose of the AEC is to deliver targeted education and public awareness programs, to help Australians understand the democratic process and their right and responsibility to enrol and vote.

You will join the Community Engagement team. A team of enthusiastic and passionate people who are committed to ensuring all eligible Australians can actively participate in our democracy.

Through our engagement, we contribute to the evidence base to shape and refine services and supports that respond to diverse voter needs and expectations, build electoral knowledge, and improve equity of access to electoral participation.

The key duties of the position include:

The Assistant Director, Community Engagement leads specialist projects within the Strategic Communication and Engagement section of the AEC’s Communication, Education and Engagement Branch.

In this role, you will contribute to section planning and lead the design, implementation and evaluation of evidence-based community engagement strategies and initiatives that align with best-practice engagement principles and support the AEC’s strategic objectives. Operating under broad direction, you will undertake complex and sensitive work to deliver targeted community engagement, public awareness and education programs for people who face barriers to electoral participation. You will provide expert advice on engagement approaches, identify and manage risks, and ensure activities are informed by evidence, stakeholder insights and organisational priorities.

The role involves leading and developing a small team to deliver high-quality outcomes in a dynamic environment. You will foster a culture of collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement, while building team capability and supporting professional growth. You will also establish and maintain productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders, influence outcomes, and provide high-quality advice,



briefings and reports to Branch leadership and the Senior Executive cohort. In addition, you will contribute to organisational doctrine and support election readiness and delivery activities in accordance with the AEC’s election readiness framework and assigned responsibilities.

To excel you’ll have:

- Qualifications, experience and/or in-depth knowledge of engaging with diverse communities to deliver effective community engagement or public awareness programs.
- Confidence and proven ability to communicate with influence and build and maintain positive relationships with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders. This may include community organisations, peak bodies, government agencies, local councils, community leaders or members, and other relevant stakeholders (including those that may be geographically dispersed).
- Well-developed project management skills with the ability to plan, deliver and evaluate multiple projects concurrently and manage competing priorities, ensuring outcomes are achieved on time, within budget and aligned to objectives.
- Strong conceptual and analytical capabilities to identify community needs and priorities to inform evidence-based approaches.
- Proven ability to lead and manage staff, build capability, support career development, and foster a professional team workplace.
- Personal drive and integrity and the ability to deliver results within legislative and budget parameters.

Desirable

- Experience working with diverse audiences such as multicultural communities, people with disability, young people, and other audiences who may need additional support to ensure voter equity.
- Knowledge of, or ability to,



quickly gain knowledge of Australian electoral law and practice.

Eligibility

- AEC employees must be Australian citizens.
- Any person who is, and seen to be active in political affairs, and intends to publicly carry on this activity, may compromise the strict neutrality of the AEC and cannot be considered.
- Applicants are required to consent to, undergo, obtain and maintain a character clearance.
- Applicants are required to consent to, undergo, obtain and maintain the security clearance required for this role.

Getting to know the Australian Electoral Commission

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) is at the heart of Australian democracy. The AEC is responsible for conducting federal elections and referendums, maintaining the Commonwealth electoral roll and making sure the Australian public is informed about all electoral matters. Our goal is to see that all eligible Australians actively participate in our democracy. The AEC values of electoral integrity through quality, agility and professionalism drive strategic and corporate planning and assist in organising the agency in a way that will effectively deliver the business into the future. The AEC is an equal opportunity employer which upholds the APS employment principles and actively encourages a diverse and inclusive workplace. The AEC’s statutory functions in relation to the conduct of elections and referendums require that the AEC and its employees must be, and must be seen to be, impartial and politically neutral. As a result, the AEC Enterprise Agreement and Political Neutrality Policy state that it is an inherent requirement of AEC employment that employees, and prospective employees, are not publicly active in any political affairs and do not publicly engage in such activities. This includes advocating any issues associated with a referendum. Should a prospective employee fail to meet this inherent requirement, they will be ineligible for employment with the AEC.

📌 Assistant Director, Community Engagement (Canberra)
🏢 Australian Electoral Commission
📍 Canberra