Director, People And Culture, Executive Level 2, Australian Space Agency

About the Agency

The Australian Space Agency (the Agency) is a non-statutory entity within the Department of Industry, Science and Resources (the department). The Agency has representation across most Capital Cities and is headquartered in Adelaide.

The purpose of the Agency is to transform and grow a globally respected Australian space industry that lifts the broader economy, inspires and improves the lives of Australians – underpinned by strong international and national engagement.

The 10 year plan for the Australian space industry is outlined in the Advancing Space: Australian Civil Space Strategy. The strategy outlines 4 pillars and the 7 key priority areas which set a path to triple the size of the space economy and create another 20,000 jobs in Australia.

Responsibilities of the Agency include;

• providing national policy and strategic advice on the civil space sector
• coordinating Australia’s domestic space sector activities
• leading international space engagement
• supporting the growth of Australia’s space industry and the use of space across the broader economy including the Moon to Mars initiative
• administering space activities legislation and delivering on our international obligations
• inspiring the Australia community and the next generation of space entrepreneurs.

The Agency is progressive, people-focused, and strives to ensure the development, health and wellbeing of employees. We commit to the Australian Public Service (APS) values and code of conduct. In every step of our work, we are guided by the space industry values of:

• Responsible
• Shared ambition
• Trust and integrity
• Entrepreneurial spirit
• Inclusion
• Passion

Please visit www.space.gov.au to learn more about the Agency and what we do.

Our ideal candidate

Our ideal candidate has previous Human Resource (HR) experience in a complex HR environment. No two days within the Agency are the same – we are seeking someone who is agile, responsive and adaptable and has the demonstrated ability to achieve results.

You will oversee a full service generalist strategic HR support across the Agency relating to the employee lifecycle, including:

• recruitment and selection
• succession planning
• leadership and professional development programs
• employee wellbeing
• policy compliance
• culture development programs
• HR data and analytics.

You will:

• Have the ability to quickly build an understanding of Agency operational priorities to ensure that recruitment, capability and culture developing activities are aligned with the needs of our business areas.
• Have proven leadership capability and significant experience in managing teams to deliver a range of corporate services.
• Have highly developed interpersonal, communication and negotiation skills
• Promote APS and Agency values and behaviours
• Contribute to the development of a shared, high performing organisational culture by building employee and organisational capability.
• Foster inclusiveness and embracing diversity through initiatives, forums and events

What you will do

Working closely with and reporting to the Deputy Head of Agency, you will provide guidance and direction on culture, recruitment and capability matters for the Agency.

The Director, People and Culture will:

• Lead a small team of HR generalists to support the business objectives of the Agency.
• Provide high-level human resources advice and support to the Head and Deputy Head of Agency, Senior Executives and staff across the Agency.
• Provide advice on all aspects of Agency recruitment and lead end-to-end recruitment processes.
• Develop recruitment strategies to support the Agency and identify opportunities to attract the best talent.
• Lead the continual development, implementation and delivery of leadership, career, learning and development for staff in the Agency.
• Lead the development and implementation of a range of People and Culture initiatives and strategies, including delivery of:
• leadership, career, capability development programs
• contemporary recruitment and talent acquisition initiatives
• frameworks, strategies, policies and services.
• Design and implement initiatives and strategies in line with the Agency business plan to build on culture including:
• diversity
• recruitment and
• capability strategies.
• Be a champion for Agency culture and values, ensuring they are instilled across the entire Agency, are visible and upheld.
• Provide high level analysis of people data and trends to support strategic priorities and advise an appropriate course of action as required.
• Provide leadership and supervise the performance of the People and Culture team by setting clear work objectives, assessing performance, providing feedback, and development and coaching to build employee capability
• Oversee complex HR case matters, including assessments and investigations as appropriate (misconduct, performance, welfare, rehabilitation and engagement)
• Develop high quality policies, frameworks and strategies.
• Develop and maintain a sound understanding of the space sector.
• Embrace and work according to the Australian Space Agency values.

Eligibility

To be eligible for employment in the APS and the department, applicants must be Australian Citizens.

Security Clearance

This position requires a Baseline security clearance. The successful applicant will be required to obtain and maintain a clearance at this level. The Agency will work with the successful applicant to gain this clearance.

Notes

The Agency is a strong supporter of flexible work arrangements.

How to apply

Your application must not contain any classified or sensitive information. This includes in your application responses, CV and any other documents. Applications containing classified information may not be considered by the selection panel.

You are required to complete your application online. Your application must include a pitch and resume.

Provide a pitch explaining how your skills, knowledge and experience will be relevant to this role and why you are the best candidate for the position.

Your pitch can contain no more than 5000 characters (approximately 750 words) and should align to the job description.

Accessible application documentation is available in other formats on request. Please contact recruitment@industry.gov.au or (02) 6276 1235 if you require assistance with your application.

Contact information

For more information regarding this opportunity, please contact Dara Williams, Deputy Head of the Australian Agency at Dara.Williams@space.gov.au.

Learn more about the department

The department’s Enterprise Agreement and policies provide for a flexible working environment to assist staff balance their work and home life. Staff and managers work together to balance the operating needs of the work unit with the needs of the individual. Options may include full time/part time working arrangements, working from home or other arrangements as agreed by all parties.

The department is committed to a workplace culture that is respectful, inclusive, and diverse, where all employees have a sense of belonging and can bring their authentic whole selves to work every day. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, mature age, people with disability, culturally and linguistically diverse people and people of the LGBTIQA+ community, including transgender, gender diverse, and intersex people. Please contact our Inclusion team at inclusion@industry.gov.au for a confidential discussion if you identify from any of these diverse backgrounds and would like to discuss this in more detail.

Please refer to our Applying for a position information for additional information on how to apply.

Select the links on the left-hand side of the page for more useful information about a career with the department.