About the National Film and Sound Archive The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) is Australia’s audiovisual archive, telling the national story by collecting, preserving and sharing audiovisual media, the cultural experience platforms of our time. The collection itself dates back to 1935, making it one of the world’s oldest audiovisual collections. It is also one of the country’s most used cultural collections, with around 125 million views of collection content each year.

The NFSA is in a period of significant change. Following increased Government investment, the institution is in a process of digital transformation, establishing the NFSA as Australia’s most dynamic and valued cultural organisation. We are rebuilding our curatorial workforce and developing the NFSA’s capacity to digitise our collection at scale – to preserve it for the future, to make sure it can be discovered, and to share it with all Australians.

We continue to work on developing a stable, secure and future-proof workforce across our four physical sites based in Canberra and Mitchell in the ACT as well as in Sydney and Melbourne.

We are also undergoing a program of business improvement for many of our corporate systems to improve efficiency and reduce manual handling.

We are an ambitious organisation, and we aim to be an employer of choice within the Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAM) sector, providing exciting and challenging work, as well as favourable employment conditions and unique development opportunities for our staff.

Cultural Values

We are an equal opportunity employer, embracing a diverse range of applicants such as veterans, and people who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, LGBTQIA community members, individuals with disabilities and/or health conditions, as well as those from varied faith and cultural backgrounds. At the NFSA we prioritise the development of a secure, inclusive, and high-performance culture through shared actions and behaviours that align with our strategy and direction. This empowers our employees to effectively contribute to our goals.

The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia is committed to ensuring a child-safe and child-friendly setting. All employees are expected to demonstrate a commitment to, and support for these principles in theory and practice.

About the Team The Governance team is part of Corporate Branch. The team provides secretariat support and reporting to the NFSA Board and Executive on the agency’s reporting and compliance obligations under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 and Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Rule 2014. It has oversight of the performance framework, internal audit, whole of government processes, organisational planning and policy management.

The team manages the NFSA’s accountability and performance obligations, including preparation of the organisation’s Corporate Plan and Annual Report. The team also provides support across the agency in the development of strategic planning and policy advice.





The Opportunity The Director Governance has oversight of the NFSA’s corporate governance functions including whole-of-organisational planning and reporting, as well as responsibility for providing secretariat support to the Board and its subcommittees, assisting with the development of strategic and corporate plans and managing the NFSA’s accountability and performance obligations, including preparation of the NFSA Annual Report.

This role reports directly to the Deputy CEO and works closely with the CEO and NFSA Board Chair. The role is a core part of the NFSA’s management team and works in collaboration with peers across the NFSA. The role is responsible for managing a small team based in Canberra.

Note - Position Description details have been updated.

Under broad direction, this position is responsible for leading the Governance team to deliver the following functions:

- Provide high-quality, timely and strategic advice to the Senior Executive Team and Board across all areas of governance.
- Provide governance and secretariat support to the Board and its committees, including the Finance Committee, Audit and Risk Committee, and First Nations Engagement Committee, through participation in meetings, annual work planning, governance advice and coordination of Board and committee business.
- Support implementation and reporting against the NFSA's Reconciliation Action Plan and Disability Inclusion Action Plan and provide governance and secretariat support to associated internal committees, including the Security Committee, Disability Inclusion Action Committee and Reconciliation Action Plan Committee.
- Administer the internal audit program, including contracting auditors, coordinating audits, and briefing the Audit and Risk Committee.
- Lead the development, implementation and continuous improvement of the NFSA's performance, governance and accountability frameworks including oversight of compliance with the PGPA Act, NFSA Act 2008 and other Australian Government requirements, and the development and monitoring of the Portfolio Budget Statements, Corporate Plan and Annual Report.
- Create, develop and maintain highly productive relationships with staff, stakeholders and external agencies, specifically staff from the Office for the Arts, the Minister’s office and the broader cultural sector.
- Manage the timely and accurate preparation of Senate Estimates briefs, Questions on Notice and other parliamentary and ministerial reporting requirements, ensuring information is factual, accurate and fit for purpose.
- Oversee organisational policy frameworks, including the monitoring, review and continuous improvement of organisational policies, procedures and governance documentation to support effective decision-making, accountability, compliance and organisational performance.
- Develop, monitor and report on Governance budgets and business plans,



and contribute to the development and delivery of broader organisational strategies, initiatives and priority projects as required.

Selection Criteria The successful candidate will demonstrate their capacity against the following:

1. Demonstrated understanding of governance, performance and accountability frameworks, public sector accountability obligations and stakeholder expectations in a Commonwealth Government, cultural institution or comparable environment.
2. Demonstrated ability to provide strategic advice, analyse complex issues and exercise sound judgement in sensitive, ambiguous or high-profile environments.
3. Highly developed written communication skills, including demonstrated experience preparing and coordinating high-quality governance documentation such as corporate plans, annual reports, executive briefs, board papers and other accountability and reporting documents.
4. Ability to anticipate governance requirements, manage competing priorities and adapt to a rapidly changing environment while delivering high-quality outcomes.
5. Proven ability to build productive relationships, influence outcomes and work effectively with senior executives, boards, government agencies and external stakeholders.
6. Proven leadership capability, including experience leading and developing high-performing teams, fostering a culture of accountability, professionalism and collaboration, and contributing to strategic organisational outcomes.

Qualifications and/or relevant experience required

Desirable

- Relevant tertiary degree and/or significant experience in the cultural and governance environment

How to Apply

When applying via our online e-recruitment system, please provide a written application addressing each Selection Criteria. Your current resume is also to be included in your application.

In addition to an application and your resume, the assessment process for this position may also include an interview and referee reports.

We welcome and encourage applications from people with disability, the LGBTIQ+ communities, from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Eligibility To be eligible for this position you must:

- Be an Australian Citizen.
- Satisfactorily complete an Australian Federal Police National Police Check.
- Obtain and maintain an Australian Government Baseline Security Clearance.

What we offer you

We provide a diverse, inclusive, and supportive work environment with access to:

- Great training and development opportunities.
- Generous leave and flexible working arrangements.
- Our Employee Assistance Program (EAP – a free counselling service for you and your family).
- A competitive salary, plus 15.4% superannuation.
- Rewards and recognition initiatives.

RecuitAbility

RecruitAbility applies to this vacancy. Under the RecruitAbility scheme you will be invited to participate in further assessment activity for the vacancy if you choose to apply under the scheme; declare you have a disability; and meet the minimum requirements for the job. For more information see: RecruitAbility | Australian Public Service Commission (https://apsc.gov.au).

📌 Director Governance (Australia)
🏢 National Film and Sound Archive of Australia
📍 Australia