The General Manager, Corporate (GMC) is a member of ACIAR’s Executive team, reporting to the CEO. The role offers the opportunity to lead corporate transformation in a small, internationally focused Australian Government agency whose people and programs operate across diverse countries, institutions and regulatory environments.

The role leads agency-wide operational effectiveness, integrating corporate services, governance, legal risk management and organisational capability to translate strategy into clear priorities, accountabilities and measurable delivery.

The GMC connects ACIAR’s corporate operations with its international development purpose. Working with research, partnership and country teams, the role ensures that systems, resources and investment processes support effective research delivery and capacity development across diverse operating environments, while maintaining sound stewardship of public funds and accountability for development outcomes.

The GMC provides integrated executive oversight of finance, people and culture, ICT and digital services, procurement and contracting, property, security, risk and assurance. The role establishes the operating frameworks, service standards and proportionate controls that enable these functions to work together and support program delivery.

The GMC leads a business partnering approach that embeds corporate expertise in agency planning, investment governance and decision-making from the outset. This includes coordinating support for overseas staff and activities, aligning financial, procurement, contracting, ICT and security arrangements with delivery needs, and managing cross-agency risks and dependencies without displacing program or country-level accountabilities.

The GMC is a principal adviser to the CEO on operational, governance and legal risk, ensuring specialist advice is translated into practical action.



The role supports effective governance and accountability arrangements, coordinates high-quality advice and reporting for the Commission for International Agricultural Research and relevant governance committees, and brings together performance, assurance and investment information to support informed decisions and statutory reporting. The GMC also leads cross-agency improvement and represents ACIAR with partner agencies and key stakeholders on operational, governance and corporate matters.

1. Provide enterprise-wide operational leadership as a member of the Executive team, advising the CEO on delivery priorities, organisational capability, resource allocation and emerging operational, governance and legal risks; exercise sound judgement, uphold APS Values and integrity, and represent ACIAR in negotiations and cross-agency forums.
2. Lead integrated corporate governance and compliance arrangements across finance, employment, ICT, procurement, contracting, security and property, ensuring transparent responsibilities, effective delegations, proportionate controls and timely escalation of material issues.
3. Translate ACIAR’s strategy into integrated operating and investment arrangements, partnering with Research and Partnership leaders to align corporate services, resources and end-to-end delivery with agreed priorities, service standards and measurable outcomes without displacing program accountabilities.
4. Lead organisational reform and modernisation of ACIAR’s corporate operating model business processes and digital and systems,



simplifying arrangements where possible and ensuring change delivers demonstrable improvements in workforce capability, service quality and program delivery.
5. Oversee enterprise risk, internal assurance, audit follow-up and business continuity arrangements, providing the CEO and relevant governance committees with clear reporting on performance, control effectiveness and emerging exposures.
6. Lead legal services coordination and legal risk management, including obtaining specialist advice, overseeing external legal providers, and ensuring advice informs decisions, contracts and the management of disputes and sensitive matters.
7. Provide executive oversight of financial sustainability, budgeting, procurement and contract management, working with the CFO and specialist officers to support sound investment decisions, value for money and appropriate stewardship of public resources.
8. Lead multidisciplinary corporate teams and specialist service providers, setting clear priorities and accountabilities, resolving operational dependencies, and building a safe, inclusive and collaborative workplace with strong leadership capability, workforce planning, succession arrangements and a practical, service-focused culture.

- Australian Citizenship - our successful candidate must be an Australian citizen.
- Security Clearance - our successful candidate may be required to obtain and maintain a Negative Vetting 2 security clearance.
- Mandatory Qualifications/Experience:
- Tertiary qualifications in law, business, finance, public administration, human resources or another relevant field.
- Significant senior leadership experience in complex operational environments and a well-developed understanding of Commonwealth governance, accountability and whole-of-government frameworks, policies and processes.

📌 General Manager, Corporate (Canberra)
🏢 Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR)
📍 Canberra