APS6 - Policy Officer and Data Analyst (Multiple Positions), Communications Services and Systems

Title:

APS6 - Policy Officer and Data Analyst (Multiple Positions), Communications Services and Systems Division

Classification(s):

APS Level 6

Employment Type:

Ongoing/Non-Ongoing, Full Time/Part Time

Salary:

$99,733 - $118,084 per annum plus 15.4% superannuation

Business Division:

Communications Services & Systems

Branch / Section:

Various Branches

Location:

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, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane.

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 – Negative Vetting 1

Job Reference No:

48322

Contact Officer:

Donna Alexander, [email protected],

02 6136 6943

Closing Date:

11.59pm AEDT, Sunday 22 November 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 opportunity we have available

The Communications Services and Systems Division is the Australian Government’s lead policy adviser on communications services and systems. We help create an environment where all Australians can access high-quality communications services and benefit from digital technologies and connectivity.

Our work includes telecommunications and radiocommunications policy, universal telecommunications service obligations, the universal outdoor mobile obligation, oversight of NBN Co and Australia Post, and policy relating to 5G and 6G mobile, satellite broadband and direct-to-device technology. We also manage legislative and regulatory frameworks for spectrum, telecommunications deployment and resilience, competition and digital inclusion.

We are recruiting multiple APS 6 Policy Officers and Data Analysts. Roles may also be filled across the Communication, Media and Sport Group in areas including program management, project management, stakeholder engagement and evaluation. A merit pool will be established for future vacancies.

The work is diverse, high-profile and often fast moving. You may contribute to ministerial briefings, major policy announcements, legislation, Cabinet and new policy proposal processes, and engagement with telecommunications providers, regulators, central agencies, and consumer and community organisations. Some roles will support Australia’s preparations for the International Telecommunication Union World Radiocommunication Conference 2027 in Shanghai.

The division offers an inclusive, approachable and flexible workplace where people share expertise, support one another and recognise high-quality work.

What you will do

Working under limited direction, you will undertake complex policy or analytical work, exercise initiative and sound judgement, and provide detailed advice within your area of responsibility. Depending on the position, you will:

- research and analyse complex communications policy, strategic, governance and operational issues, assess evidence and stakeholder views, and develop practical options and recommendations that address benefits, costs, risks and implementation considerations
- coordinate policy proposals, discussion papers, implementation plans, strategic and governance activities, consultation and clearance processes, and work across teams to resolve issues and recommend improvements
- work with policy teams to define analytical questions, identify suitable data sources, and collect, clean, validate and combine data relating to communications service availability, access, usage and other policy issues
- assess analytical approaches, identify trends, service gaps and emerging issues, test assumptions, document methods and limitations, and interpret findings to inform policy and decision-making
- develop reports, dashboards and visualisations, explain findings and uncertainty to non-technical audiences, respond to complex analytical requests and improve recurring reporting processes
- prepare and coordinate executive and ministerial briefings, submissions, correspondence, parliamentary material and Senate Estimates briefs, clearly distinguishing evidence, assumptions, risks and recommended actions
- plan and coordinate stakeholder engagement with departmental teams, government agencies, industry and other relevant stakeholders,



facilitate discussions and represent the department’s position within agreed parameters
- manage competing priorities, milestones, dependencies and quality checks, identify emerging risks and delivery pressures, and recommend practical solutions
- provide technical guidance, share knowledge, coordinate workflows and review team outputs. Where supervisory responsibilities apply, you may allocate work, set expectations, provide feedback and support staff development
- maintain appropriate records, exercise any assigned delegations efficiently and ethically, and take reasonable care for your own health and safety and that of others.

Inherent requirements for the role

The successful candidate will demonstrate capability against the APS 6 Work Level Standards and the following core requirements:

It is expected candidates preferring a Policy Officer role will be able to demonstrate:

- sound judgement and the ability to exercise initiative when undertaking complex policy work under limited direction, including the ability to interpret legislation and its alignment to the overarching policy intent
- strong research, critical thinking and analytical skills, including the ability to draw together information from different sources and identify implications, risks and practical options.

It is expected candidates preferring a Data Analyst role will be able to demonstrate:
- sound judgement and the ability to exercise initiative when undertaking complex data analysis under limited direction, including the ability to manage and interpret data relating to telecommunications infrastructure, economic indicators or tracking and reporting on key programs
- Strong research, critical thinking and analytical skills, including the ability to navigate data sharing across government or aggregation of data from different sources to be used for a variety of purposes and support evidence-based decision-making.

It is expected candidates will also demonstrate more generalist skills, including:
- clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex information into accessible, evidence-based advice for senior executives
- the ability to build productive relationships, engage effectively with internal and external stakeholders and incorporate different perspectives into advice and deliverables
- the ability to manage competing priorities, coordinate complex tasks or projects, monitor quality and delivery, and respond constructively to emerging issues
- the ability to provide guidance, review work and contribute to team capability and a secure, inclusive and productive workplace.

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.

More information can be found at RecruitAbility scheme: A guide for applicants | Australian Public Service Commission.

Desirable requirements

For Policy Officer roles, qualifications in public policy, economics, law or communications, or equivalent professional experience, are desirable but not essential.

For Data Analyst roles, qualifications in statistics, data science, economics or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience, are desirable but not essential.

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 APS6 you will be expected to:

- Consider the cultural context and implications of work area outcomes.
- Engage respectfully with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander stakeholders, building trusted relationships.
- Communicate respectfully and seeks appropriate cultural input to inform decisions.

What else can we offer?

You will work on significant, high-profile issues that affect how Australians connect and access essential communications services. The role provides opportunities to develop broad public sector skills and contribute to ministerial advice, major policy announcements, legislation, Cabinet and new policy proposal processes.

You will join an inclusive and approachable division that values diversity, supports flexible ways of working, shares expertise and recognises high-quality work. You will have opportunities to work with experienced colleagues and engage with industry, regulators, central agencies, and consumer and community organisations.

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 to NV1, depending on the role. You must be willing to disclose all relevant and required information. 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.

How to apply

Applications for this opportunity close at 11.59pm AEDT, Sunday 22 November 2026.

Prior to preparing your application for the department, please read our Artificial intelligence (AI) in recruitment at the department principles. The principles aim to help you use AI in a way that supports your application and maintains fairness and transparency while maintaining your integrity as a candidate. They outline what is and isn’t acceptable use of AI in APS recruitment.

In applying for this position, you are not required to address individual selection criteria. Rather, you should provide in a PDF document a statement of no more than 2 pages outlining your background, capabilities and experiences and how these align with the advertised role.

You should also provide a tailored CV in PDF, no more than3 pages. The capabilities and behaviours required to be successful for this role are identified in the ‘inherent requirements for the role’ section.

Your application should be received through the department’s online recruitment system prior to the closing date and time to be considered.

If you experience any issues with the system please contact the recruitment team on 02 6136 8989 or via email at [email protected] to discuss an alternative way to submit your application.

Please advise the contact officer if you require adjustments during the recruitment process. We recognise and value diversity as our strength and promote a culture of inclusion to enhance our work performance and the wellbeing of our employees. We are committed to systems that are accessible, inclusive and safe for all. If you need any further information about accessibility and inclusion at our department, please contact [email protected].

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 date it first appeared in the APS Gazette.

Applications open: 12 November 2026

Applications close: 22 November 2026

Application shortlisting: 24 November 2026

Further assessments: 26 November – 1 December 2026

Selection report finalised: Week starting 14 December 2026

Offers and announcements: Week starting 21 December 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. If your application is shortlisted, you may be asked to undertake further assessment, this may include work sample testing, interviews and reference checks.

Work with us. Apply now!

📌 Policy Officer and Data Analyst (Multiple Positions), Communications Services and Systems (Canberra)
🏢 Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts
📍 Canberra