EL2 - Director, Vehicle Standards, Vehicle Safety Policy and Partnerships Branch

Australian Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts – Canberra ACT

$149,636 - $178,980 a year

Hybrid

We want to recruit the best people to our department. Our roles support flexible work arrangements including the opportunity to work from one of our departmental offices and hybrid (mixture of office and home‑based work). These roles are located in Canberra, Melbourne or Sydney.

A merit pool may be formed and used to fill future similar vacancies in these locations and other locations within the same metropolitan area.

Security Clearance: Baseline Vetting

Job Reference No: 48136

Contact Officer: Melissa Cashman, ***************@infrastructure.gov.au, 8***

Closing Date: 11.59pm AEST, Sunday 11 October 2026

We actively seek to reflect the diversity of the Australian community in our workforce. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability and/or who are neurodivergent, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and members of the LGBTQIA+ community, including people of all genders and gender identities. We uphold gender equality as a core organisational value. If you’re interested in the role but feel uncertain, we still encourage you to apply if you feel your passions, transferable skills and valuable experience align with this position.

The prospect we have available

The Vehicle Standards team is responsible for developing, delivering, and shaping Australia’s national road vehicle standards to achieve better road safety outcomes. We manage a technically complex program of work, collaborating across federal, state, and territory governments, local automotive industries, and international forums. The team is professional, highly specialised, and dedicated to embedding international safety benchmarks into the domestic legislative framework.

What you will do

As the Director of Vehicle Standards, you will lead a high-performing team of 12 specialists in the development of Australia’s national road vehicle standards. You daily and strategic duties will include:

- Strategic direction: Setting priorities and the strategic framework for the team’s dynamic technical work program.
- Standards development: Leading the research, analysis, and creation of evidence-based regulatory instruments, including assessing safety impacts, benefits, and costs.
- Internation representation: Representing Australia at the United Nations World Forum for the Harmonisation of Vehicle Regulations to influence global vehicle standards that match domestic road safety goals.
- Executive advisory: Delivering clear, authoritative advice to Ministers and senior executives, with the ability to explain intricate technical details to non-technical audiences.
- Stakeholder influence: Building and managing key strategic relationships across the APS, state/territory departments, road safety related bodies and the broader automotive sector.
- People leadership: Cultivating an accountable, inclusive, and high-performing team by championing specialist expertise and driving professional growth.

Inherent requirements for the role

The role requires regular engagement across international time zones outside of normal business hours and occasional overseas travel.

The inherent requirements for this role include:

- The successful candidate for this position will be able to demonstrate their capability against the EL2 Work Level Standards.
- Program leadership:



Demonstrated experience leading teams and managing complex programs to deliver high-quality outcomes in fast-paced, uncertain environments.
- Regulatory expertise: Deep operational knowledge of regulatory and/or standards-development frameworks, with a proven ability to provide strategic regulatory policy advice.
- Complex analysis: Capacity to interpret evidence, exercise sound judgment, and resolve sensitive, technically complex issues.
- Communication and influence: Highly developed written and interpersonal skills used to negotiate outcomes with diverse stakeholders and deliver concise briefings for executive decision-making.

RecruitAbility

The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts is committed to supporting the employment and career development of people with disability. Our participation in APS RecruitAbility means we will progress an applicant with disability to a further stage in the recruitment process, where they opt into RecruitAbility and meet the minimum requirements for the vacancy.

The RecruitAbility minimum requirements are listed above under ‘inherent requirements for the role’.

You will be asked to indicate if you wish to opt into RecruitAbility in the application form. You must tick the 'opt in' box to participate in RecruitAbility. Simply declaring that you have a disability will not automatically include you.

We provide reasonable adjustments such as access, equipment or other practical support at relevant stages of the recruitment process. Please advise in the application form or get in touch with the contact officer if you need any adjustments made.

Desirable requirements

- Knowledge of the automotive sector, road vehicle regulations, or an equivalent technically complex regulatory domain.
- Experience working inside a national or international standards‑setting framework.
- A STEM or engineering qualification, relevant technical experience, or demonstrated history of successfully leading technical specialists.

Cultural capability requirement

The department believes every role contributes to cultural safety and that building staff cultural capability helps us deliver better policies, programs and services for First Nations people and the broader Australian community. Candidates will be required to demonstrate their willingness to develop their cultural capability as part of the assessment process. In making it a requirement across all roles in our department, we are taking a practical step in delivering our commitments under the Our Stories on Country Agreement and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategy 2025–28.

As an EL2, you will be expected to:

- Provide strategic leadership to embed cultural capability across programs, policies or functions.
- Influence senior leaders on culturally informed approaches.
- Drive partnerships and co-design with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander organisations and communities where applicable or appropriate.

What else can we offer?

We are dedicated to fostering personal and professional development, empowering individuals to set goals, acquire new skills, and cultivate unique qualities that define who they are.



We believe that this not only leads to a more fulfilling and happier life but also enhances the overall quality of our work. Some of the benefits we offer include:

- Access to our study Assistance Program that provides paid leave and financial support for you to undertake courses of study that contribute to the improvements of your professional skills and knowledge relevant to our work and broader Australian Public Service.
- Through our investment in learning and development opportunities, and a positive performance culture, we provide diverse career pathways for our people to enable their mobility and adapt in a rapidly changing world.
- Improve your leadership skills, through the department’s Professional Coaching Scheme and tailored leadership opportunities for staff members.
- Flexible working opportunities, including part‑time hours and home‑based work.
- We offer generous leave entitlements of 20 days personal circumstances leave per year, with one month’s accrual of leave credited on commencement and 150 hours of paid annual leave (based on a full‑time employee), plus a range of other miscellaneous leave options to support you.

Join our department and embark on a journey of growth, fulfillment, and well‑being. Experience personal and professional development, prioritise your health, and be part of a vibrant and positive culture that empowers individuals and drives exceptional performance.

Eligibility requirements

Employment with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts is subject to conditions prescribed within the Public Service Act 1999 including:

- Citizenship: candidates must be an Australian citizen at the time of submitting your application.
- Health Assessment: The preferred candidate may be required to undergo a medical examination conducted by the department’s preferred medical provider.
- Security Clearance: The successful candidate must be able to obtain and/or maintain a security clearance at Baseline. You must have lived in Australia, or have a checkable background, for at least the preceding five years for Baseline Vetting clearances. More information on the security clearance vetting process is available on the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) website.
- Police check: The successful candidate must complete an Australian Federal Police criminal history check.
- Integrity and Performance check: The successful candidate must satisfy the requirements in an Integrity and Performance check which is completed by your most recent employer.

Timeline and assessment

A selection panel will be established to assess your suitability against the advertised role.

If a merit pool is established, it will be valid for 18 months from the date the initial vacancy is advertised in the Public Service Gazette.

Applications open: 25 September 2026

Applications close: 11 October 2026

Application shortlisting: Week starting 12 October 2026

Further assessments: Week starting 19 October 2026

Selection report finalised: Week starting 2 November 2026

Offers and announcements: Week starting 9 November 2026

The above is indicative only, please reach out to the contact person if you have any questions on the recruitment process or timeframes.

Your application will be assessed against the inherent requirements of the role, the Work level standards and in comparison, to other candidates who applied. Once the entire applicant pool has been assessed, the panel will create a shortlist of applicants.

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📌 Director, Vehicle Standards, Vehicle Safety Policy and Partnerships Branch (Canberra)
🏢 Australian Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and
📍 Canberra