Executive Advisor

About the organisation

Public Skills Australia (PSA) is appointed by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) as one of 10 Jobs and Skills Councils. Public Skills Australia works with employer and employee representatives (career and volunteer) from the Public Safety and Government industry-sectors – Police, Fire and Emergency Services, Correctional Services, Defence, Federal, State/Territory, and Local Government – and provides the following services in support of industry:

• development and consultation of workforce planning and training products that meets industry and policy needs
• implementation, promotion and monitoring of strategies that drive improvement of training delivery and monitor resulting impacts
• stewardship of intelligence relating to workforce challenges and skill needs.

About the position

The position of Executive Advisor is accountable to, and works closely with the CEO. The Executive Advisor offers high level advice, prepares Board papers, executive briefings, and CEO correspondence, and undertakes work items of strategic importance to support the broader executive team (comprising three Director positions). Although the position reports to the CEO, it is crucial for the Executive Advisor to cooperate, collaborate and support the work priorities of the Directors. Although the Executive Advisor is not an executive of the company, they will attend most executive meetings with the CEO and Directors to broadly support the high-level outcomes and deliverables of the company.

The Executive Advisor will work with Federal, State, Territory and Local Governments, as well as key industry-sectors, and bodies to develop strong networks for the Executive to leverage from, across the public safety and government sectors. The Executive Advisor will be a key part of the PSA Senior Leadership Team and support a positive and inclusive work culture. This position will not just demonstrate leadership, but also promote good governance, demonstrate expert level engagement skills, and work with internal and external stakeholders, to build strategic partnerships. The position does not have any direct reports; however, this may change over time, according to organisational requirements. This role is expected to create strong collaborative working relationships with the three executive Directors of the company.

PSA behaviours and expectations

• Actively contribute: You will proactively provide strategic advice and focus on key deliverables.
• Promote good governance: You will actively promote good governance and adhere to policies and procedures.
• Collaborate with stakeholders: You will promote stakeholder engagement and pursue opportunities to connect PSA across industry sectors under its remit.
• Drive engagement: You will communicate, consult and collaborate widely, effectively representing and promoting Public Skills Australia at all times.

Key responsibilities of the Executive Advisor

The Executive Advisor will:

• Work closely with the CEO on strategic matters and cooperate and collaborate with Directors to support the broader executive of the company.
• Provide executive briefings based on insights gained from available information and strategic engagements.
• Draft Board and other executive papers, submissions, briefings and correspondence at the request of the CEO and Directors.
• Actively work alongside Directors and their teams to support the success of the company.
• Act as the primary escalation point for urgent, complex or highly sensitive operational issues, determining appropriate responses and the need for escalation to the CEO.
• Act as the liaison between CEO, other executives and stakeholders to ensure consistent communication and ensuring CEO involvement or decision-making at appropriate times.
• Contribute to strategic planning, policy development, and decision-making.
• Represent the agency at meetings, workshops, conferences, committees, and other forums, to advocate and articulate the PSA’s position and interests in relation to supporting their industry sectors.
• Actively solve problems and provide guidance on complex matters to the CEO and Directors.
• Other reasonable duties as may be required.

Key selection criteria

Essential

• Demonstrated experience in providing strategic advice in complex settings.
• Ability to understand complex and dynamic priorities in changing and competing environments.
• Demonstrated ability to engage, advocate and promote public safety and government.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication skills and political acumen.
• Demonstrated experience dealing with confidential and sensitive information.
• Demonstrated ability to be flexible, adaptable and responsive to changing priorities and work items.
• Ability to work alongside executive level colleagues, balancing the priorities of the CEO with other company priorities.
• Tertiary qualification/s or experience relevant to the responsibilities of the position.

Desirable

• Experience working in the public sector (or within the Public Safety and Government industry-sectors).
• A working understanding of one or more of the following work environments:

1. Vocational Education and Training (VET)
2. Policy
3. Strategic foresight and/or futures thinking.

Other:

• For the duration of employment, the incumbent is required to:

1. pass and maintain a National Police Record Check;
2. pass and maintain an ‘employee’ type Victorian Working with Children Check (WWCC);
3. be vaccinated against COVID-19;
4. be an Australian Citizen or permanent resident of Australia; and
5. hold a current Australian State or Territory drivers' license (car).

• There may be times when it is required to work outside normal business hours i.e. evenings and weekends to meet stakeholder requirements.
• Travel will be required for this position, including overnight stays and journeys by road, public transport, and commercial airlines.

Type of employment

• This is a full-time, 12 month, fixed-term position.
• Experienced staff within the public service will be considered for secondment arrangements.
• A 6-month probation period applies to all new employees (external candidates).

Location

• The position is based at the company’s office within the Melbourne Central Business District (CBD).
• PSA supports flexible working arrangements, with a focus on balancing staff needs with work requirements.
• Staff can expect, dependent on work deliverables, that they may be required to work from the office location exclusively for a period of time. With PSA in its establishment phase, it is anticipated that, in the first instance, work will be primarily conducted from the Melbourne office.

Please include a Cover Letter, as part of your application, addressing the Key Selection Criteria.

Applications are open for 21 days; however, Public Skills Australia reserves the right to close advertisements early upon receiving sufficient applications.