The Australian Senate is inviting applications for the position of Clerk of the Senate, to commence on 9 March 2027.

The Clerk of the Senate is the principal adviser to the Senate and the departmental head of the Department of the Senate, which provides secretariat support to the Senate and its committees.

The key duties of the position include:

The Clerk of the Senate is the principal adviser in relation to the proceedings of the Senate to the President of the Senate, the Deputy President and Chair of Committees, and to senators generally. The Clerk’s advice is given both in the Senate chamber when the Senate is sitting and at other times, and may be in oral or written form. Each senator has access to the advice on an equal and confidential basis. Advice principally goes to the operations of the Senate and its committees; the powers, privileges and immunities of the Senate, and parliamentary administration. The Clerk is secretary and adviser to the Senate Procedure Committee.

As the Accountable Authority and departmental head of the Department of the Senate, the Clerk is responsible for the leadership and setting the strategic direction of the department. The Clerk performs the functions of a secretary of a department under the Parliamentary Service Act 1999 and other laws governing the Commonwealth public sector, such as the Public Performance, Governance and Accountability Act 2013.

The Clerk works with the heads of the other parliamentary departments (Department of the House of Representatives, Department of Parliamentary Services and Parliamentary Budget Office)



and the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service to identify opportunities for collaboration and cooperative decision-making, strengthening the effectiveness of the parliamentary administration to advance its common purpose of supporting Australia’s Parliament and parliamentarians.

Eligibility

Mandatory statutory requirement

Extensive knowledge of, and experience in, relevant parliamentary law, procedure and practice.

Notes

The position

The Clerk is appointed by the President of the Senate after consultation with senators for a non-renewable term of 10 years. The position is located in Canberra, Australia. The total remuneration package is currently $502,180 (Australian Dollars), with other terms and conditions determined by the President of the Senate.

How to apply

Applications close at 11:59pm (AEDST) on Sunday, 1 November 2026. Further information about how to apply is set out in the Applicant Package.

Getting to know the Department of the Senate

The Department of the Senate provides the secretariat to the Senate – enabling its legislative and accountability activities – and to dozens of parliamentary committees, whose work encompasses the Senate’s scrutiny functions and its exercise of Parliament’s broad inquiry powers. In doing so, departmental officers provide the Senate, its committees, the President and other senators expert, impartial advice about Senate and committee operations. We publish the Senate’s records, and produce an array of information resources so that people may understand and engage in its work. With our colleagues across the Parliamentary Service we also provide specialised advice and logistical support to senators so they may undertake their duties.

📌 Clerk of the Senate (Canberra)
🏢 Department of the Senate
📍 Canberra