Erica Sharp, Assistant Director, Financial Operations and Assurance
02 6136 8645 [email protected]
11.59pm AEST, Thursday 10 September 2026
The filling of this vacancy is intended to constitute an affirmative measure under Section 33 of the Australian Public Service Commissioner's Direction 2022. This vacancy is open only to people with disability.
The opportunity we have available
We are seeking a motivated and practical candidate who can:
- Interpret legislation, delegations, Accountable Authority Instructions and internal policies, and apply them to real-world scenarios
- Provide clear, accurate and practical written advice through a shared mailbox
- Identify matters that are urgent, sensitive, high-risk or require escalation
- Use sound judgement when working through ambiguous or incomplete information
- Support assurance activities, including surveys, reporting, data checks and follow-up of outstanding responses
- Work confidently with systems, particularly Lighthouse, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word
- Develop and maintain guidance material, SOPs, staff communications and training content
- Build trusted relationships with business areas, SES offices, corporate teams, vendors and external stakeholders
- Manage competing priorities while maintaining attention to detail and good record keeping.
This role would suit someone who enjoys working through practical governance questions, writing clear advice and helping staff understand what they need to do to meet their financial obligations.
What you will do
In this role, you will support the delivery of the department’s financial assurance and governance functions. Key responsibilities include:
- Triaging and responding to enquiries through the Financial Assurance mailbox, including identifying when matters require escalation or further review
- Providing practical advice on the department’s Financial Governance Framework, including Accountable Authority Instructions, Financial Delegations, Official Hospitality, Gifts and Benefits and financial non-compliance
- Supporting administration of Lighthouse, including assurance surveys, non-compliance reporting, form workflows, reporting and data quality activities
- Assisting with annual and periodic assurance processes, including the Management Assurance Certificate and Credit Card Assurance Certificate
- Supporting the identification, recording, analysis and reporting of financial non-compliance, including routine quarterly reporting and brief preparation
- Maintaining guidance material, SOPs, intranet content, templates and other staff-facing resources
- Preparing clear written advice, internal communications, training material, Senate Estimates input and executive briefing material
- Assisting with financial literacy and capability activities, including staff information sessions, training products and targeted communications
- Contributing to business improvement initiatives that strengthen controls, improve consistency and make it easier for staff to understand their obligations.
Inherent requirements for the role
The inherent requirements for this role include:
- Demonstrated capability consistent with the APS6 Work level standards, including the ability to work with limited direction, exercise sound judgement and deliver quality outcomes.
- Strong written communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear, accurate and fit-for-purpose advice, guidance, briefing material and staff communications.
- Ability to interpret and apply legislation, Accountable Authority Instructions, financial delegations, internal policies and procedural requirements to provide practical and consistent advice.
- Sound judgement and risk awareness, including the ability to manage ambiguity, identify sensitive or high-risk matters, escalate issues appropriately and seek guidance when required.
- Strong organisational skills, including the ability to manage competing priorities, shared mailbox enquiries, assurance activities and follow-up actions in a timely and professional manner.
- High attention to detail and a disciplined approach to records management, data quality, reporting and compliance-related activities.
- Confidence using systems and data to support workflow administration, assurance activities and reporting.
- Ability to engage, influence and build effective working relationships with stakeholders.
- Willingness to contribute to a positive team culture, better ways of working and First Nations cultural capability.
Desirable requirements
Formal qualifications are not required. Experience working in governance, assurance, compliance, risk, policy, corporate services or a similar environment would be well regarded.
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
You will join a small, supportive team that works across a broad range of financial governance and assurance matters. The work is varied, often time-sensitive, and requires good judgement, clear writing and a practical approach to supporting the department.
- Networking opportunities across the department and wider relevant whole of Commonwealth forums
- Capability development opportunities
- Flexible working arrangements where appropriate, including home-based work.
Join our department and embark on a journey of growth, fulfillment, and well-being. Experience personal and professional development, prioritise your health, and be part of a vibrant and positive culture that empowers individuals and drives exceptional performance.
This is an Affirmative measure vacancy – This vacancy is open only to people with disability.
For more information on Affirmative Measures - Disability, please visit - Affirmative measure for recruiting people with disability: guide for applicants.
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 Level. 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 AEST, Thursday 10 September 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 1 page 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 than 3 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 recognize 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: 27 August 2026
Applications close: 10 September 2026
Application shortlisting: 20 September 2026
Further assessments: Week of 5 October 2026
Selection report finalised: 16 October 2026
Offers and announcements: 23 October 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!
