The Role

We are looking for an energetic and curious Governance Officer who will work in the Governance and Security Directorate within Vice Chief of the Defence Force Group (VCDFG). You will pivot between working on longer-term deliverables and projects, and high-priority urgent tasks that demand whole-of-team collaboration and effort.

The desired candidate will have knowledge or have the ability to gain the knowledge, to ensure compliance with, Public Governance, Performance and Accountability (PGPA) Act, Protective Security Policy Framework, Commonwealth Resource Management Framework, and Departmental guidelines and regulations.

You will have extensive opportunities to engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including senior leaders, across VCDFG and your wider Defence Group and Service counterparts through:

- Contributing to regular corporate reporting responsibilities.
- Being responsible for governance administration for the team.
- Supporting the development and implementation of policies that support the Governance efforts of the Group such as:
- Performance management (Corporate Plan, Annual Plan, National Defence Strategy and Integrated Investment Program).
- Risk Management.
- Internal and external Audit management including ANAO audits.
- Business continuity.
- Conflict of interest management.

About our Team The VCDF Governance and Security team is a small team at the strategic center of Defence supporting the VCDF and VCDFG, working to the Chief of Staff Australian Defence Force Headquarters.



The team ensures high quality advice and outcomes are provided to the senior leadership across VCDF Group to enable effective, evidence-based decision making.

Working in a high tempo executive area, the team manages a suite of corporate governance processes with a focus on evidence based performance and risk measurement and evaluation. This includes managing VCDF's accountabilities for performance and risk planning, reporting at the Enterprise level through the Defence Corporate Plan and Annual Report, and at the group level through the development and evaluation of the VCDFG Business Plan.

Additionally the team supports audit assurance activities, conflict of interest management and VCDFG business continuity arrangements. The team is regularly required to interrogate multiple sources of information and engage extensively across Defence to provide briefing material in support of VCDF's attendance at various decision making committees.

Our Ideal Candidate The successful candidate will have:

- Solid engagement and communication skills to ensure they are able to understand their stakeholder’s objectives and effectively negotiate mutually beneficial outcomes.
- Strong social and interpersonal skills with good emotional intelligence.




- Excellent strategic awareness and attention to detail to support sound advice, decision support and briefing material to senior leaders on a range of issues, including whole of Defence matters.
- A naturally inquisitive mindset in contesting performance information, seeking further understanding of metrics and data sources that underpin “what success looks like”.
- Previous experience where they have been expected to:
- Take ownership of administrative tasks such as records management, documentation of processes and procedures and team management deliverables.
- Start deliverables from templates or from scratch where required and provide the team a strong foundation to build on when delivering governance products.
- Support the development of team objectives for short term tasks and strategic planning for longer-term initiatives.
- Propose and implement innovative solutions, contributing to business improvement strategies to develop workplace practices and processes.
- Work independently with broad direction to resolve issues and deliver quality and timely governance products and advice.
- Undertake focused research and analysis to make decisions involving complex, long-term planning and liaison with internal and external stakeholders.
- Build and sustain relationships with internal and external stakeholders to achieve shared goals, including anticipating and responding to stakeholder needs and expectations.

Security Clearance:

Applicants must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance at Negative Vetting Level 1.

📌 Governance Officer (Australia)
🏢 Department Of Defence
📍 Australia