The Role
The Infrastructure Division stands at the forefront of managing one of Australia's most significant real estate portfolios, underpinning the operational readiness of over 90,000 Defence personnel across every state and territory. We are the backbone of Defence, ensuring the development, maintenance and strategic disposal of facilities and infrastructure that support Australia's defence capabilities.
Successful candidates will become part of the Security and Estate Group (SEG) which directly supports implementation of the priorities set out in the National Defence Strategy including:
1. Advancing Australia's acquisition of conventionally-armed nuclear-powered submarine capability;
2. Enhancing our long range strike and our guided weapons and explosive ordnance enterprise;
3. Strengthening our northern bases; and
4. Improving the growth and retention of a highly skilled workforce.
A wide variety of roles are available requiring a range of skills and experience.
About our Team
Infrastructure Division manages the development, maintenance and disposal of the Defence estate: one of the largest real estate portfolios in Australia. We provide facilities and infrastructure in support of the activities of over 90,000 personal across all states and territories in Australia.
To manage the Defence estate, Infrastructure Division reviews, develops and constructs facilities and sites, often planning out to thirty years in advance. We also create heritage and environment policy for all Defence properties across Australia. Property acquisitions, leasing, disposal and management of estate related native title, offshore mining and petroleum exploration issues all fall with Infrastructure Division's portfolio of responsibilities.
Branches across the Division include:
5. Capital Facilities & Infrastructure Branch (CFI): CFI is responsible for the development, approval and delivery of major and medium works identified in the capital works program, including the carriage of Major Works through the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works (PWC) process;
6. Environment & Engineering (EE): EE is responsible for the Defence Net Zero Strategy, Defence Environmental Strategy and development environment, engineering and heritage policies and assurance. EE also manages associated national programs including investigating the nature and extent of contamination on and near some Defence bases and supports affected communities through management and remediation initiatives;
7. PFAS Investigations & Management Branch (PFASIM): The Branch manages policy, communications and engagement (including collaboration with other government agencies and community groups), environmental investigations and remediation options (researched through consultation with industry and international agencies);
8. Estate Planning Branch (EP): EP is responsible for strategic planning in order to provide a strategically aligned, affordable, safe and sustainable estate that enables Defence capability and operations. On behalf of DEPSEC SE, the Enterprise Estate and Infrastructure Capability Manager, Assistant Secretary Estate Planning (ASEP) is the Program Sponsor, and principal departmental planning approval authority for new, replacement, and/or divestment of infrastructure, facilities, and land; and
9. Property Management Branch (PM): PM is responsible for strategic management and future direction of Defence’s real estate transactions in alignment with the direction of the Defence Estate Strategy 2016-36 and the Defence Transformation Program. PM Branch is responsible for elements of the entire property life cycle from acquisition to disposal, including office leasing, spatial allocation and modernisation of the workplace, managing native title obligations, managing mining and other access arrangements through leasing, licensing and overarching policy, establishing and managing public private partnerships and managing the overseas leasing program.
Our Ideal Candidate
Multiple positions are to be filled at the Assistant Director (EL 1) level in the Security and Estate Group. Within the Infrastructure Division this includes:
10. Program and project management for the planning, development and delivery of major capital facilities and infrastructure projects across the Defence estate;
11. Strategic policy advice and estate planning, including advice on legislative compliance and alignment with major Government policies and reforms such as the clean energy transition;
12. Contamination management and remediation including for the management of PFAS and other contaminants;
13. Program delivery including management of the National Unexploded Ordnance Program, the Noise and Flight Path Monitoring System, and the Australian Noise Exposure Forecast maps at relevant airfields and aircraft noise considerations;
14. Professional engineering activities including policy development, design reviews, provision of advice and governance and assurance activities across a range of disciplines including but not limited to electrical, mechanical, fire safety, structural, system safety and test and evaluation; and
15. Stakeholder engagement and strategic communications.
Candidates will have a number of the following attributes:
16. Experience in managing multidisciplinary teams, including setting clear performance standards, managing workloads, and mentoring and developing team members;
17. Excellent time management, prioritisation of competing demands and judgement;
18. Well-developed interpersonal skills to liaise, collaborate, and build productive stakeholder relationships;
19. Superior written and verbal communication skills; and
20. Record of working positively to achieve outcomes, along with being resilient and the ability to persevere when challenged.
Candidates will be able to demonstrate experience in a range of core public service skills including leadership, people management, problem solving, governance, and verbal and written communication. Formal qualifications and subject matter expertise will be beneficial for some roles including: program and project management qualifications, explosive ordnance, engineering qualifications and experience, data management and analytics qualifications and environmental management experience. In your application clearly indicate if there are specific role or function these skills will align with.