Agency Purpose
The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) is an independent statutory authority established by the Australian Government to maintain an impartial and independent electoral system for eligible voters through active electoral roll management, efficient delivery of polling services, and targeted education and public awareness programs.
The AEC’s values and commitments
The AEC values and commitments are an essential component of our operating environment and frame how AEC staff work. The AEC's focus is on electoral integrity through the values of quality, agility and professionalism.
The Team
The Regulatory Division supports the AEC by administering key regulatory functions across political finance, registration, compliance and investigations. The Division helps give effect to the AEC’s regulatory objective by supporting active, informed and equitable participation, and by delivering regulatory activities that are impartial, proportionate, transparent and accountable.
We are expanding as the AEC’s regulatory role evolves, and we need curious, adaptable and detail-oriented staff who can operate in a dynamic environment and support a modern, risk-based regulatory approach.
The Regulatory Division chiefly administers Parts XX and XXA of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 and Parts VIIA and VIIIA of the Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984. Our work combines education, engagement, monitoring, compliance and enforcement to support compliance with electoral laws and protect electoral integrity. Our core responsibilities include:
- Providing clear education, guidance and advice to support understanding of obligations and promote voluntary compliance.
- Collecting and publishing financial disclosure returns submitted by registered political parties, significant third parties, third parties, associated entities, and nominated entities.
- Conducting risk-based compliance reviews of financial disclosure returns to support accuracy, transparency and adherence to legislative requirements.
- Undertaking investigations where contraventions may have occurred and supporting proportionate, evidence-based regulatory responses.
- Administering public funding to eligible candidates and registered political parties.
You will be joining a high-performing team committed to strengthening transparency, trust and integrity in Australia’s electoral system. Your work will help support a modern regulatory posture that promotes compliance, responds to risk and sustains public confidence in electoral processes.
The Opportunity
Lead nationally significant regulatory reform and help shape the future of electoral integrity in Australia.
The Assistant Commissioner, Compliance and Investigations Branch is a senior leadership role with real influence across the AEC’s evolving regulatory environment. You will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight of the AEC’s compliance and investigations functions, shaping how the agency responds to risk, delivers defensible decisions and strengthens electoral integrity.
The position provides high-quality strategic advice to the AEC Executive Leadership Team on compliance and enforcement approaches, investigative practice, risk management, governance and assurance. The Assistant Commissioner is accountable for identifying and managing operational and reputational risks and for ensuring robust governance, reporting and quality assurance arrangements are embedded across branch activities.
The role leads the development and implementation of compliance and investigative strategies, policies and operational models that promote voluntary compliance through education, engagement, and guidance, while enabling effective detection, assessment, investigation and response to suspected non-compliance and other risks to electoral integrity. This may include oversight of compliance and authorisation functions, the conduct of investigations into potential contraventions of electoral legislation, and the delivery of voter compliance initiatives designed to protect the integrity of electoral processes.
The Assistant Commissioner represents the AEC in engagements with other APS agencies, integrity and law enforcement bodies, and Parliamentary Committees on matters relating to compliance and investigations. The position leads and develops senior leaders, staff, and contractors within the branch, fostering a professional, ethical, and high-performing workforce with strong investigative, analytical, and regulatory capability.
The role contributes to the achievement of the AEC’s corporate outcomes and strategic objectives, particularly those supporting trust, confidence, and integrity in Australia’s democratic system.
The Assistant Commissioner may also undertake additional duties or assume responsibility for additional functions as directed by the Electoral Commissioner or the Executive Leadership Team.
What you will bring
We are looking for an accomplished senior leader with the qualifications, judgement and experience to lead in a complex, visible and evolving regulatory environment. You will demonstrate leadership behaviours consistent with the APS Secretaries Charter of Leadership Behaviours and work with the SES cohort across the agency to deliver shared priorities, with a strong focus on stewardship, collaboration, integrity and accountability.
To excel you will have:
- Relevant qualifications and/or demonstrated senior-level experience in regulatory reform and delivery.
- Demonstrated experience in leading compliance programs and directing sensitive investigations and making defensible decisions in a highly scrutinised environment.
- Demonstrated ability to provide sound leadership in a high-pressure, fast-paced operational environment, carefully responding to shifting priorities and navigating critical timeframes.
- Demonstrated experience engaging credibly with Ministers’ offices, Parliament, oversight bodies and senior stakeholders.
- Proven capability in risk-based compliance and enforcement frameworks, with the ability to support proportionate, fair, consistent and transparent regulatory outcomes.
- Demonstrated ability to lead and develop high-performing senior teams that deliver outcomes aligned with the AEC’s corporate objectives and evolving regulatory capability.
- Proven ability to manage competing priorities across several areas, within very tight timeframes and in line with legislative requirements.
- Proven ability to maintain a strategic focus while supporting the delivery of critical agency outcomes across a geographically dispersed agency.
Desirable:
- Knowledge of, or ability to quickly gain knowledge of, Australian electoral law, political finance, and public sector governance requirements.
Eligibility
To be eligible for this position, you must be an Australian citizen. Exemptions may apply in certain circumstances, such as if you are expecting to gain citizenship.
In addition, there may be an exclusion period if you have received a redundancy benefit from a previous APS employer.
This position is a position of trust. The occupants must have the ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance to the level of Negative Vetting Level 1 or hold a current security clearance of appropriate level. You will be required to undertake a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History check (police check) prior to engagement.
How to apply
Your application must be submitted online prior to the closing date.
Your application should contain the following documents:
- Based on the duties and responsibilities of the role, and the qualities of an ideal candidate, a one-page pitch outlining why you are the best person for this role, and
- Your resume, including the names and contact details of at least two referees, of no more than three pages.
Please note – exceeding the page limits outlined above may result in not all evidence provided being reviewed by the recruitment panel.
