LOCATION: Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne
TENURE: Ongoing/Non-ongoing (Specified Term)
Synopsis:
Foreign Investment Division are seeking an experienced regulatory leader to drive triage, strategic insight and reporting in Treasury’s Foreign Investment Division, supporting compliance and enforcement decisions.
About the team
The Compliance Enforcement and Regulatory Practice (CERP) branch is one of four branches of the Foreign Investment Division (the Division). The Division administers Australia’s foreign investment laws as outlined in the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975 (the Act) and provides advice to the Government on foreign investment policy. It closely engages with counterparts across Commonwealth, State and Territory governments and has significant engagement with the private sector. It supports the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) which is a non statutory body that advises the Treasurer and Government on foreign investment matters.
The CERP branch is responsible for monitoring and enforcing compliance with Australia’s foreign investment laws. Its role is to promote confidence in, and provide assurance of compliance with the foreign investment framework to the Australian Government and the community. The branch does this through a range of activities which include:
Educating foreign investors and their advisers on their obligations under the foreign investment legislation.
Assessing and assuring compliance through investigations and other compliance assessments.
Taking enforcement action to address non-compliance.
About the role
The position of Director leads a team responsible for the branch’s triage and prioritisation functions, strategic analysis of compliance risks and outcomes, and coordinating its corporate and parliamentary reporting and stakeholder engagement.
The role drives effective prioritisation, delivers strategic insight on compliance risks, and supports senior decision-makers with clear, actionable reporting.
You will contribute as a member of the branch’s senior leadership team, helping to foster an inclusive, cohesive and productive culture across the branch and division.
The Director in this position reports to the Assistant Secretary – Compliance, Enforcement and Regulatory Practice branch.
Key duties
Triage and prioritisation
Lead and manage the assessment of incoming referrals, information and compliance matters to select matters to be escalated for further investigation and ensure consistent, risk-based prioritisation
Establish and maintain triage frameworks, processes and governance to support decision-making
Ensure timely identification of high-risk or sensitive matters
Ensure the correct application of legislation, administrative law principles, and regulatory frameworks to support evidence-based decisions and recommendations.
Strategic analysis and insight
Lead the development of strategic analysis of compliance trends and implications.
Translate operational data into clear, actionable insights for executives, colleagues and decision-makers.
Identify systemic risks and support the branch’s development of risk-based compliance and enforcement strategies.
Leadership and team management
Lead and develop a high-performing team.
Build capability in analysis, triage decision-making and regulatory thinking.
Foster a collaborative, accountable and high-performing team culture.
Model APS values and support a positive, inclusive team environment.
Stakeholder Engagement
Work closely with the branch and division to ensure alignment and information flow.
Facilitate the development of educational materials and stakeholder communications to promote compliance awareness and support understanding of regulatory requirements.
Support coordinated education and engagement that strengthens compliance awareness and outcomes across stakeholders.
Lead branch engagement with legal teams, government partners, other regulators and international counterparts.
Advisory, and corporate contributions
Lead the team to prepare and coordinate compliance reporting for internal and external stakeholders including Senate Estimates, executive updates and corporate reports.
Provide timely, high-quality advice to senior executives and board members, Ministers, and key stakeholders.
Contribute to the broader priorities and initiatives of the branch, division or Treasury as required.
The ideal candidate will have
A strong understanding of regulatory compliance, enforcement frameworks and risk-based approaches.
Proven experience leading triage and prioritisation of complex regulatory matters.
Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills, particularly for executive audiences.
Sound judgement and ability to make evidence-informed recommendations in uncertain, complex or sensitive situations.
Proven people leadership ability, including coaching and developing teams.
Strong judgement, adaptability and ability to manage competing priorities.
