National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) was established on 1 September 2022 as a single, accountable Commonwealth authority that delivers a whole-of-nation approach to reducing disaster risk, planning, preparing for, responding to and recovering from all hazards across the emergency management continuum.

NEMA works closely with states and territories to deliver the best outcome for communities across Australia. To help communities respond and recover, while preparing Australia for future emergencies, we:

- Fund programs and initiatives, big and small, that help communities in times of emergency, as well as to recover and prepare, including through disaster recovery funding and the Disaster Ready Fund to help reduce the risk and impact of disasters
- Have officers located across Australia, working in partnership with states and territories to support disaster-affected communities to collectively build resilience, reduce risk and harm, and effectively respond to and recover from disasters
- Provide national leadership to share knowledge, situational awareness, and trends in disaster efforts to inform, guide and shape the national picture and decision-making at the Commonwealth, state and local Government level – including through policy development and strategy to improve risk reduction, resilience and recovery
- Provide round-the-clock all-hazards monitoring and operational coordination for domestic and international emergencies, including supply chain disruptions, critical infrastructure outages, biosecurity risks and widespread cyber attacks, and through supporting preparedness and response activities, including through the operationalisation of the Australian Government Crisis Management Framework.

For further information on NEMA’s purpose, vision and values, please see the NEMA website.

Overview of the branch and section The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Coordination and Planning Branch provides national coordination across government to support states and territories in responding to disasters. Through meaningful partnerships, the branch helps build Australia's capacity for disaster response, recovery and resilience and supports communities when they need it most. The Coordination and Planning Branch also supports the delivery of national policies and programs and contributes to key NEMA functions, including the Crisis Coordination Team (CCT).

The Branch comprises of the Strategy and Coordination Section, and five state teams (NSW/ACT, QLD, VIC/TAS, SA/NT and WA) that support and partner with jurisdictions, which have lead responsibility under disaster management governance arrangements.

About the role

Coordination and Planning Officers, are located across Australia in metropolitan and key regional locations, working in partnership with Australian, state and local governments to support disaster-affected communities to build resilience, reduce risk and harm, and effectively respond to and recover from disasters.

Working under the direction of a director, the role supports the management of a network of Coordination and Planning Officers (CPO’s) to strengthen coordination across Australian government agencies, state and territory governments and local communities.



The role enhances NEMA's capacity to support communities by providing additional coordination capability and enabling the agency to efficiently surge resources and personnel in response to emerging needs across the nation.

The Assistant Director supports preparedness activities, response and early recovery planning, recovery and resilience program design, assurance and continuous improvement, decision-making through information and issues management, and senior official visits and associated briefings.

At times staff within NEMA may be required to work outside of standard business hours, particularly during the high-risk weather season.

Our ideal candidate To be successful, the successful candidate will demonstrate competence, initiative, sound judgement and emotional intelligence, with the ability to work effectively in a dynamic and forward-thinking environment. They will use well-developed communication, stakeholder engagement and problem-solving skills to support NEMA’s priorities and contribute to disaster resilience outcomes across their jurisdiction.

The successful candidate will be required to provide detailed advice and act as a conduit between NEMA, Australian Government agencies, and the state and territory governments to help resolve on complex technical, operational and policy matters as they arise. They will be self-motivated, capable of shaping organisational outcomes and able to build and maintain strong stakeholder relationships.

We encourage applications from First Nations people, people with disability, LGBTQIA people, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, mature age people 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.

The key duties of the position include:

- Engage and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, including federal, state and territory governments, to build and maintain productive working relationships
- Act as a conduit between NEMA and jurisdictions to support strategic planning, coordinate responses to operational and program challenges, and help communities understand and access Commonwealth assistance
- Provide technical, professional and policy advice across a range of program areas, including identifying risks, anticipating challenges and managing complex issues in a changing environment
- Manage competing priorities, implement change and work effectively with ambiguity to achieve team outcomes aligned with NEMA’s strategic directions, goals and objectives
- Coordinate and undertake detailed work activities with an awareness of their potential impact on strategic, political or operational outcomes for NEMA and disaster management coordination
- Exercise sound professional judgement to communicate effectively, make informed decisions, assess risks, and represent NEMA’s position on complex issues in a agile operating environment
- Plan and monitor work processes, coordinate quality assurance practices and contribute to the development of performance indicators
- Prepare draft reports, briefing papers, ministerial correspondence, discussion papers and information briefs




- Manage systems, processes and robust record-keeping to support effective stakeholder and relationship management.

Role requirements/qualifications

- Ability to demonstrate strong personal resilience and to lead teams through change and ambiguity
- Demonstrated strong written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to manage competing priorities, respond to strategic direction and deliver team planning outcomes aligned with agency goals in a dynamic and unpredictable work environment
- Experience in emergency management at a strategic level
- Demonstrated strong presentation and briefing skills
- Ability to deploy to disaster impacted areas, if required
- Sound written and oral communication skills, including analysis and presentation of complex information to a wide variety of audiences
- Exercise a high degree of initiative and demonstrate strong leadership, decision making and judgement skills
- A current or ability to obtain an Australian driver’s license.

Eligibility To be eligible to work with the NEMA you must:

- Be an Australian Citizen
- Fulfil the Agency's minimum requirements by satisfactorily answering all screening questions during the application process and successfully undergo a National Police Check
- Obtain and maintain a Baseline Vetting (AGSVA) security clearance
- Satisfy a probation period (if applicable)
- Undergo a health assessment (if applicable).

Notes The Agency offers an attractive remuneration package, including salary, superannuation benefits and flexible working conditions appropriate to the level of the position.

If you have identified as having a disability, please indicate whether you require any support throughout the selection process. For further information please contact *****@homeaffairs.gov.au.

Getting to know the National Emergency Management Agency

Who we are: NEMA works closely with local communities as well as state and territory governments to deliver the best outcome for communities across Australia. To help communities respond and recover, while preparing Australia for future emergencies, we:

- fund programs and initiatives, big and small, that help communities in times of emergency, as well as to recover and prepare, including through disaster recovery funding and the Disaster Ready Fund to help reduce the risk and impact of disasters;
- work with communities, industry and non-government organisations by connecting local Regional Support Officers and other NEMA staff right around Australia, to share lessons learnt, provide awareness on navigating government services, and gain community and industry-led ideas and concepts to inform strategic policy and planning;
- provide national leadership to share knowledge, situational awareness, and trends in disaster efforts to inform, guide and shape the national picture and decision-making at the Commonwealth, state and local government level – including through policy development and strategy to improve risk reduction, resilience and recovery; and
- provide round-the-clock all-hazards monitoring and operational coordination for domestic and international emergencies, including supply chain disruptions, critical infrastructure outages, biosecurity risks and widespread cyber-attacks, and through supporting preparedness and response activities, including through the operationalisation of the Australian Government Crisis Management Framework.

📌 NEMA Coordination and Planning Officer (Northern Territory)
🏢 Australian Department Of Home Affairs
📍 Northern Territory