Job Description
Location: Brisbane, QLD - Canberra, ACT - Melbourne, VIC - Sydney, NSW
Salary Range: $131,960 - $144,908 + Attractive Superannuation
This vacancy has been identified to participate in VetPaths
The Office of Australian War Graves (OAWG) as an agent of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), recognises the service of members of the ADF who die in war. We also commemorate eligible veterans who survived war service, but who later died from service-related injuries or conditions.
The OAWG maintain war cemeteries, individual war graves and memorials for members of the Commonwealth forces who died during the First and Second World Wars throughout Australia, Papua New Guinea (PNG), the Solomon Islands and other overseas locations. This includes liaising with corresponding entities overseas to ensure that war graves or memorials of eligible Australian service men and women in overseas countries are established and maintained to appropriate standards.
Official commemorations may be in a civil cemetery, a lawn cemetery, war cemetery, crematorium or a garden of remembrance.
The Assistant Director Operations is responsible for overseeing the management of the care and maintenance of over 356,000 official commemorations for war dead and post war dead located in over 2,400 sites across Australia, Norfolk Island and PNG, including 76 war cemeteries and war plots, and 10 gardens of remembrance. Care and maintenance of the estate is managed by staff located at National Office and nine depots. Service delivery is provided by both staff and out-sourced service providers. A key challenge will be leading and managing vocational staff in dispersed depot locations across Australia.
To succeed in this role, the incumbent will need to operate independently, have a good understanding of Australia's military history and the program of official commemorations, understand relevant cultural heritage and commemorative contexts, and understand the difficulties of working and managing operations in remote locations.
DUTIES
As an EL 1 Assistant Director you will be required to
In collaboration with the Director and State and Territory Operations Managers, support the planning, management and review of the care and maintenance operations of OAWG across Australia
Support the State and Territory Operations Managers with the engagement, training and supervision of OAWG staff and contractors
Develop and maintain produce working relationships with key stakeholders
Lead the preparation and management of OAWG operational budgets and projects, and exercise the relevant delegations to approve proposals to spend public monies
Manage the Depot operational budgets, forecast spending and reconcile operational expenditure. Provide financial leadership to the OAWG staff
Manage the procurement and contracting in support of Australian operations
Manage support for commemorative activities in Australian occurring on CWGC and OAWG sites
Liaise with other DVA staff, cemetery authorities, members of the public, ex-service organisations and others as required
Represent the Commonwealth at international, national and state fora and in formal military commemorative events
Draft complex briefing material and correspondence to a high standard, including Parliamentary documentation, Standard Operating Procedures, Work Health and Safety frameworks and documentation, and provide advice on issues relating to relevant OAWG activities
Prioritise and manage multiple and parallel tasks
Display high level attention to detail and analyse information to make sound judgements
Identify opportunities and manage research and development activities to improve business processes
Manage and oversee projects in supports of OAWG operations and asset management; and
Use standard Microsoft application, and asset management software and databases to support program management, corporate governance, and Key Performance Indicator reporting.
MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS
The Assistant Director Operations must have Certificate IV or Diploma level vocational qualifications (preferably in Horticulture, Business Management, Project Management or Procurement and Contracting)
Must be available to travel including throughout Australia and PNG and have a willingness to support operational and commemorative activities internationally and in Australia, which includes maintaining appropriate fitness for duty and vaccinations.
Current Driver's licence
Current first aid certificate
ELIGIBILITY
Under section 22(8) of the Public Service Act 1999, employees must be Australian citizens to be employed in the Australian Public Service (APS).
Any successful candidate external to DVA offered employment will be required to undergo a pre-engagement screening check, even if they have a security clearance. The screening check is conducted in accordance with the Australian Government Protective Security Policy Framework requirements.
Any successful candidate will also be required to obtain and/or maintain, a baseline Vetting (AGSVA) security clearance as a minimum.
NOTES
This recruitment process may be used to fill ongoing and/or non-ongoing position/s. For more information about the role, please see the .
A merit pool of suitable applicants may be created which may be used to fill future ongoing and non-ongoing vacancies should they become available over the next 18 months.
Successful applicants engaged into the APS will be subject to a probation period.
We welcome people with diverse skills, experiences and perspectives. DVA is committed to building a workforce that reflects the community we serve and encourages applications from:
Veterans and former Australian Defence Force members, whose skills and experience are highly valued across the APS
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
People with disability
People who identify as LGBTQIA+
People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
We are a Veteran Employer of Choice! This means you benefit from a workplace actively supporting veterans and families of veterans – one that understands and values military experience. You’re joining an organisation publicly recognised for its commitment to fostering veteran-friendly employment pathways and long-term career success.
The Australian Public Service (APS) values the unique skills, perspectives, and experiences that veterans gain during their Australian Defence Force (ADF) employment and encourage veterans to apply. Support may be available to veterans transitioning to meaningful APS careers through participation in VetPaths, which offers veterans an opportunity to participate in a six-month program offering formal learning and development, career mentoring and activities for wellness and peer support.
RecruitAbility applies to this vacancy. Under the RecruitAbility scheme, you will be invited to participate in further assessment activities for the vacancy if you choose to opt-in to the scheme, declare you have a disability and meet the minimum requirements for the vacancy. All requests for reasonable adjustments will be considered and managed in consultation with you.
.
Salary Range: $131,960 - $144,908 + Attractive Superannuation
This vacancy has been identified to participate in VetPaths
The Office of Australian War Graves (OAWG) as an agent of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), recognises the service of members of the ADF who die in war. We also commemorate eligible veterans who survived war service, but who later died from service-related injuries or conditions.
The OAWG maintain war cemeteries, individual war graves and memorials for members of the Commonwealth forces who died during the First and Second World Wars throughout Australia, Papua New Guinea (PNG), the Solomon Islands and other overseas locations. This includes liaising with corresponding entities overseas to ensure that war graves or memorials of eligible Australian service men and women in overseas countries are established and maintained to appropriate standards.
Official commemorations may be in a civil cemetery, a lawn cemetery, war cemetery, crematorium or a garden of remembrance.
The Assistant Director Operations is responsible for overseeing the management of the care and maintenance of over 356,000 official commemorations for war dead and post war dead located in over 2,400 sites across Australia, Norfolk Island and PNG, including 76 war cemeteries and war plots, and 10 gardens of remembrance. Care and maintenance of the estate is managed by staff located at National Office and nine depots. Service delivery is provided by both staff and out-sourced service providers. A key challenge will be leading and managing vocational staff in dispersed depot locations across Australia.
To succeed in this role, the incumbent will need to operate independently, have a good understanding of Australia's military history and the program of official commemorations, understand relevant cultural heritage and commemorative contexts, and understand the difficulties of working and managing operations in remote locations.
DUTIES
As an EL 1 Assistant Director you will be required to
In collaboration with the Director and State and Territory Operations Managers, support the planning, management and review of the care and maintenance operations of OAWG across Australia
Support the State and Territory Operations Managers with the engagement, training and supervision of OAWG staff and contractors
Develop and maintain produce working relationships with key stakeholders
Lead the preparation and management of OAWG operational budgets and projects, and exercise the relevant delegations to approve proposals to spend public monies
Manage the Depot operational budgets, forecast spending and reconcile operational expenditure. Provide financial leadership to the OAWG staff
Manage the procurement and contracting in support of Australian operations
Manage support for commemorative activities in Australian occurring on CWGC and OAWG sites
Liaise with other DVA staff, cemetery authorities, members of the public, ex-service organisations and others as required
Represent the Commonwealth at international, national and state fora and in formal military commemorative events
Draft complex briefing material and correspondence to a high standard, including Parliamentary documentation, Standard Operating Procedures, Work Health and Safety frameworks and documentation, and provide advice on issues relating to relevant OAWG activities
Prioritise and manage multiple and parallel tasks
Display high level attention to detail and analyse information to make sound judgements
Identify opportunities and manage research and development activities to improve business processes
Manage and oversee projects in supports of OAWG operations and asset management; and
Use standard Microsoft application, and asset management software and databases to support program management, corporate governance, and Key Performance Indicator reporting.
MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS
The Assistant Director Operations must have Certificate IV or Diploma level vocational qualifications (preferably in Horticulture, Business Management, Project Management or Procurement and Contracting)
Must be available to travel including throughout Australia and PNG and have a willingness to support operational and commemorative activities internationally and in Australia, which includes maintaining appropriate fitness for duty and vaccinations.
Current Driver's licence
Current first aid certificate
ELIGIBILITY
Under section 22(8) of the Public Service Act 1999, employees must be Australian citizens to be employed in the Australian Public Service (APS).
Any successful candidate external to DVA offered employment will be required to undergo a pre-engagement screening check, even if they have a security clearance. The screening check is conducted in accordance with the Australian Government Protective Security Policy Framework requirements.
Any successful candidate will also be required to obtain and/or maintain, a baseline Vetting (AGSVA) security clearance as a minimum.
NOTES
This recruitment process may be used to fill ongoing and/or non-ongoing position/s. For more information about the role, please see the .
A merit pool of suitable applicants may be created which may be used to fill future ongoing and non-ongoing vacancies should they become available over the next 18 months.
Successful applicants engaged into the APS will be subject to a probation period.
We welcome people with diverse skills, experiences and perspectives. DVA is committed to building a workforce that reflects the community we serve and encourages applications from:
Veterans and former Australian Defence Force members, whose skills and experience are highly valued across the APS
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
People with disability
People who identify as LGBTQIA+
People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
We are a Veteran Employer of Choice! This means you benefit from a workplace actively supporting veterans and families of veterans – one that understands and values military experience. You’re joining an organisation publicly recognised for its commitment to fostering veteran-friendly employment pathways and long-term career success.
The Australian Public Service (APS) values the unique skills, perspectives, and experiences that veterans gain during their Australian Defence Force (ADF) employment and encourage veterans to apply. Support may be available to veterans transitioning to meaningful APS careers through participation in VetPaths, which offers veterans an opportunity to participate in a six-month program offering formal learning and development, career mentoring and activities for wellness and peer support.
RecruitAbility applies to this vacancy. Under the RecruitAbility scheme, you will be invited to participate in further assessment activities for the vacancy if you choose to opt-in to the scheme, declare you have a disability and meet the minimum requirements for the vacancy. All requests for reasonable adjustments will be considered and managed in consultation with you.
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💡 Quick Summary
Seeking a career-building opportunity? The EL 1 Assistant Director - Operations position is now open for candidates interested in the Government Job Alert sector. This role in Brisbane offers a professional environment and growth potential.
Requirement Snapshot: Candidates should possess basic communication skills, a proactive attitude, and the ability to work in a team. Experience in Government Job Alert is a plus.