Assistant Director
Full-time Temporary with a Possibility of Permanency
Closes: 23 July 2026
Classification: Senior Officer Grade C
Salary: $127,597 - $136,873 plus superannuation
Position No: 61841
Directorate: Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development
Advertised (Gazettal date): 16 July 2026
Contact Officer: Kristal Priestly on
Kristal.Priestly@act.gov.au
Details: Are you passionate about driving meaningful change across the ACT Public Service by creating culturally safe workplaces and building cultural capability that enhances employee experiences and strengthens how we support the ACT community? Do you have the skills to turn policy commitments into practical action and deliver initiatives that improve outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples?
If this sounds like you, we encourage you to take a closer look at the position description and apply to join the Cultural Transformation Group (CTG), an Aboriginal-led, whole-of-government reform group driving system-wide change across the ACTPS.
At CTG, our aim is to strengthen cultural safety, build workforce capability, and embed accountable, culturally informed practices that support better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We lead Priority Reform Three of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap through enterprise-wide reforms that address institutional racism, enhance cultural capability, and strengthen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment, leadership and participation across the ACTPS.
The Position:
Reporting to the Director and working as part of a collaborative, forward-thinking team, you will:
- Deliver high quality projects and outputs in a timely manner to address institutional racism, create culturally safe workplaces, and uplift cultural capability.
- Research, design and deliver transformational workforce development and cultural capability strategies and frameworks.
- Establish and maintain genuine connections and relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and external stakeholders.
- Demonstrate an understanding of, and contribute to, culturally responsive procurement practices, including general knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander procurement processes and policies that support economic participation and supplier diversity.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the Cultural Transformation Group’s commitments under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Agreement 2019-2028, specifically Phase Three and the recent closing the gap amendments to the Public Sector Management Act 1994.
We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where people with diverse thoughts, lived experience, and perspectives can thrive and contribute their unique talents to the ACTPS and ACT community. We encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, people with culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, veterans, younger and older workers, and people with diverse genders, sexes and sexualities to apply.
Eligibility/Other requirements:
Applicants are required to demonstrate:
- A strong understanding of the issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
- The ability to communicate respectfully and effectively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, demonstrating cultural understanding, awareness and sensitivity.
Notes: This is a temporary position available immediately for a period of three months, with the possibility of extension up to 12 months and/or permanency. A Merit Pool will be established from this selection process which may be used to fill vacancies over the next 12 months. This position will be working in a workplace designed for activity-based working (ABW). Under ABW arrangements, officers will not have a designated workstation/desk. You will have the option to work from home several days per week and/or in one of several ACT Government flexi spaces across Canberra. Selection may be based on application and referee reports only.
How to Apply: Please provide:
- A written response to the Section Criteria (Professional Skills and Knowledge and Behavioural Capabilities) (max two pages).
- A current curriculum vitae and contact details for two referees.
- If you’d like to discuss your response before submitting, please reach out to Kristal Priestly (Kristal.Priestly@act.gov.au).
Applications should be submitted via the Apply Now button below.
Note: Under the ACTPS employment framework you may be placed in another role where required for the efficient administration of the service.
Where an offer of employment is for a fixed-term period, any related temporary contracts within the Territory will be issued in compliance with the requirements and applicable exceptions outlined in the Fair Work Act.
The ACT public service is committed to closing the gap, underpinned by the belief that when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a genuine say in the design and delivery of policies, programs and services that affect them, better life outcomes are achieved. More information can be found here ACT Closing the Gap Implementation Plan - ACT Government Transparency Portal.
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Note
This is a temporary position available immediately for a period of three months, with the possibility of extension up to 12 months and/or permanency.