A significant statutory leadership opportunity

We are seeking an exceptional senior leader for appointment as the Australian Electoral Officer for the Northern Territory (AEO NT), a statutory office established under subsection 20(1) of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918. The AEO NT leads the AEC’s operations in the Northern Territory and is responsible for the delivery of electoral services with integrity, impartiality and public confidence in the Northern Territory. The role is central to electoral event readiness and delivery and stakeholder engagement in a complex and geographically dispersed operating environment.

The AEO NT reports to the Australian Electoral Officer for Western Australia (AEO WA) for administrative and operational purposes and contributes to the AEC’s State and Territory leadership cohort. What we offer

We know senior leaders are looking for both impact and sustainability. The AEC supports this through adaptable working options, a supportive team environment and a strong focus on wellbeing, including access to employee assistance and wellbeing programs. We invest in our people through learning and development opportunities, study assistance and the chance to lead complex, visible work with meaningful national impact. We want our workforce to reflect the diversity of the Australian community. We value the different perspectives, experiences and capabilities our people bring, and we support inclusion through active diversity networks across the agency. As an AEC employee, you will have access to purchased leave, a paid Christmas and New Year shutdown period, competitive conditions, generous superannuation contributions, employee assistance support for you and your family, and an annual flu vaccination program. As a statutory office, the total remuneration package for the AEO NT (comprising salary and superannuation) is determined by the Remuneration Tribunal and is currently set at $196,000 per annum. Terms and conditions will be confirmed as part of the appointment process.

The Team The Northern

Territory team is administered from the Darwin office. The team is made up of a small permanent workforce that scales significantly during electoral events and is responsible for providing electoral services across the electoral cycle, including electoral roll management, electoral participation initiatives, industrial elections and ballots, and preparation for federal electoral events. The AEO NT leads the Northern Territory team and reports to the AEO WA, working closely to support efficient service delivery,



shared administrative and operational functions, and consistent outcomes across Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

About the role The AEO NT is accountable for leading AEC operations in the Northern Territory and ensuring electoral services are delivered lawfully, impartially and effectively across the electoral cycle. The role discharges statutory responsibilities under the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 and Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984, including the preparation and delivery of federal electoral events and redistributions within fixed legislative timeframes and under significant public and political scrutiny. The AEO NT leads electoral readiness, electoral roll management, and participation initiatives in the Northern Territory while maintaining integrity, impartiality and quality in electoral administration and delivery. Working closely with the AEO WA, the role supports shared operational functions and nationally consistent outcomes across Western Australia and the Northern Territory. As part of the State and Territory leadership group, the role contributes to the AEC's strategic direction, enterprise priorities and governance, and leadership activities. The role provides strategic advice to the Electoral Commissioner and Senior Executive Team, as well as the Executive Leadership Team on matters affecting electoral administration, participation, operations and reputation in the Northern Territory. The role also requires building productive relationships with governments, elected officials, political participants, First Nations organisations and community stakeholders. The AEO NT leads and develops a geographically dispersed workforce and promotes a culture of integrity, accountability, inclusion and high performance. During electoral events, the AEO NT leads delivery in the Northern Territory, mobilises the event workforce and operational arrangements, manages risks and emerging issues, and provides timely advice, reporting and escalation to the National Election Manager. Success in the role requires strong judgement and resilience, political neutrality,



effective governance and stewardship of public resources, and the ability to lead complex and time-critical operational delivery environments. The ideal candidate The ideal candidate will have the following qualifications, skills, and experience:

Demonstrated senior leadership experience and a proven track record of success within a complex operational, regulatory, service delivery or public administration environment.

Proven ability to lead large-scale, complex and time-critical operations delivered under significant scrutiny.

Experience leading geographically dispersed teams and delivering outcomes through others.

Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain productive relationships with senior stakeholders across government, industry, community and representative groups.

Exceptional judgement, integrity, professionalism and decision-making capability.

Demonstrated ability to promote trust, confidence and organisational reputation in a sensitive public environment.

Strong communication and influencing skills, including the ability to represent an organisation in high-profile and sensitive environments.

Highly developed planning, risk management, problem-solving and governance skills.

Knowledge of, or ability to rapidly acquire knowledge of, Australian electoral law and practice.

Experience planning, preparing for and delivering large-scale operational events, major programs or equivalent complex activities.

Desirable

Experience within electoral administration or an equivalent high-integrity regulatory environment.

Experience engaging with First Nations communities and stakeholders.

Experience leading major operational activities in remote, regional or geographically dispersed environments.

Relevant tertiary qualifications.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this position, you must be an Australian citizen. Exemptions may apply in certain circumstances, such as if you are expecting to gain citizenship. In addition, there may be an exclusion period if you have received a redundancy benefit from a previous APS employer. This position is a position of trust. The occupants must have the ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance to the level of Negative Vetting Level 1 or hold a current security clearance of appropriate level. You will be required to undertake a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History check (police check) prior to engagement. For further details on this opportunity, please contact Jessica Harrison via [email protected].

📌 Australian Electoral Officer for Northern Territory (Darwin)
🏢 Australian Electoral Commission
📍 Darwin