The Department of Home Affairs The Department of Home Affairs supports a prosperous, secure and united Australia through the management of a range of functions including responsibility for Australia’s migration and citizenship programs, cyber security policy, the protection of critical infrastructure, countering terrorism, and countering foreign interference and espionage. In addition, it is responsible for strengthening multiculturalism and democratic resilience, and facilitating legitimate trade and travel while maintaining the integrity of the Australian border.

Home Affairs seeks to create an environment to ensure our staff can perform to their full potential. As a department we are focused on demonstrating exemplary leadership, progressing our game-changing agenda and ensuring collaboration is at the core of what we do. Our leaders must epitomise excellence, set high standards and inspire and invest in our people to ensure that we are well positioned to continue delivering for the community into the future.

Our work is underpinned by our partnerships with government, international and industry partners.

Contribute to building a prosperous, unified and protected Australia – work in a challenging but rewarding role that touches many parts of Australian life.

Our Senior Executive Service

Our SES leaders are transparent, accountable, and highly-skilled communicators who contribute to and lead the strategic priorities and objectives of the organisation. We work as a team to solve some of the most challenging problems facing Australia. We deliver high quality impartial advice and work with domestic and international counterparts in federal, state and territory governments, and industry, to deliver for Australia and its national interests.

We are an organisation who puts our people at the centre of our thinking. We are driving an exciting transformation for our Department to support our people, and enable us to deliver on our vision that will build our nation and secure our future.

Our SES are role models of behaviours consistent with the APS Values and Code of Conduct, the Secretaries’ Charter of Leadership Behaviours (DRIVE) and our organisational values of excellence, integrity, openness and collaboration.

We want leaders who prioritise their people, who are resilient and collaborative, who can think creatively and deliver results in a large, complex and fast-paced environment. If that describes you, we would love to hear from you.

Legal Group The Department’s in-house legal team is one of the largest in the Commonwealth, and is led by a Deputy Secretary, who is the department’s General Counsel. The Group provides independent and impartial legal advice to ministers and officers to ensure the department delivers its functions lawfully and actively identifies and manages areas of legal risk.



Our independent specialist legal capability is uniquely placed to advise on policies, frameworks and decision-making processes, with expertise across the department’s functions.

The Group is comprised of two divisions; Migration, Litigation & Information Division and Security, Commercial & Legislation Division, containing eight specialist branches:

- Migration, Citizenship & International Law
- Migration & Citizenship Litigation
- Civil, Employment & Community Safety
- Privacy, FOI & Records Management
- Security, Customs & Operations Law
- Commercial & Information Law
- Legislation
- Legal Strategy and Services

Legal Group also currently supports the department’s response to the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion through a dedicated legal team.

About the Role The Assistant Secretary Migration, Citizenship and International Law role works closely with the First Assistant Secretary of the Migration, Litigation and Information Division and the Deputy Secretary. The role provides independent and impartial legal advice focused on migration and citizenship law, including in relation to the Department’s domestic and international obligations, consistent with the Legal Services Directions. It also provides advice on other public law matters spanning the Home Affairs portfolio.

The Department of Home Affairs is looking for an experienced, SES Band 1 leader and lawyer with exceptional leadership, stakeholder engagement technical skills and experience to fill the position of Assistant Secretary, Migration, Citizenship and International Law Branch.

The key duties of the position include:

- Manage, coordinate and provide specialist legal advice.
- Manage legal risk across the entire Department, including the Australian Border Force.
- Manage complex international and administrative law matters such as;

o Australia’s obligations under various human rights treaties, trade and investment law and law of the sea o migration and citizenship law o administrative decision-making o policy development, responding to developments in case law and implementing law reform.

- Develop and strengthen working relationships with a broad range of clients including within and external to Legal Group.
- Brief the Deputy Secretary Legal, First Assistant Secretary of the Division, and other senior executives on key issues succinctly (both oral and written).
- Represent Legal Group and the broader Department at external meetings.




- Anticipate expectations of Senior Executives (and meet them) – while not being strictly constrained to technical legal matters.
- Develop capacity to deliver high quality legal services, and motivate and inspire in a tight resource environment.
- Work as part of a collegiate and cohesive legal team.

For general responsibilities, core capabilities and further information about the role please refer to the Candidate Information Pack.

Please email *@homeaffairs.gov.au to request a copy of the Application Form, Privacy Notice and Candidate Information Pack.

Eligibility The successful candidate must:

- hold a tertiary qualification in law and be admitted as a legal practitioner of the High Court or a Supreme Court of a State or Territory.
- hold, or be eligible to hold, a current unrestricted practising certificate for government lawyers.
- be an Australian Citizen.
- obtain and maintain an AGSVA security clearance at a minimum of Negative Vetting 2.
- obtain and maintain departmental Onboarding Checks.

Notes

As part of your application you will need to provide:

- A completed application form – Attachment B
- A resume that outlines your career history, qualifications and achievements
- 1,000 words outlining your background, skills and experience and how they relate to the requirements of the role
- Details of two referees.

All application requirements are to be emailed to *@homeaffairs.gov.au by no later than 11:59 PM Sunday 23 August 2026.

Getting to know the Department of Home Affairs The Department of Home Affairs is responsible for central coordination, and strategy and policy leadership in relation to cyber and critical infrastructure resilience and security, immigration, border security and management, counter-terrorism, the protection of our sovereignty, citizenship and social cohesion. The Department implements a strategically coordinated approach to the cyber security and resilience of all Australians through the appointment of a Cyber Security Coordinator and continues to enable rapid responses to threats of foreign interference through the dedicated Counter Foreign Interference Coordinator. Additionally, the Department contributes to Australia’s prosperity and unity through the management and delivery of the migration, humanitarian and refugee programs.

The Department also promotes social cohesion through multicultural programs, providing settlement services and through managing and conferring citizenship. We encourage applications from Indigenous Australians, people with disability and people from other diverse backgrounds. We are committed to providing a working environment that values diversity and inclusion and supports staff to reach their full potential.

For more information www.homeaffairs.gov.au/about-us/careers/working-with-us/workplace-diversity

📌 Assistant Secretary Migration, Citizenship & International Law (Australian Capital Territory)
🏢 Australian Department Of Home Affairs
📍 Australian Capital Territory