Senior Executive Service Band 1 - Assistant Secretary Maritime Support

Senior Executive Service Band 1 - Assistant Secretary Maritime Support

Join to apply for the Senior Executive Service Band 1 - Assistant Secretary Maritime Support role at Defence Australia.

Defence is seeking dynamic senior executives to drive the organisation forward and deliver on Defence's mission - to defend Australia and its national interests.

As part of the Senior Leadership Group, you will play a key role in promoting and influencing a shared commitment to the strategic direction of Defence, as most recently detailed in the National Defence Strategy.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a branch practising inclusive leadership, collaboration and integrity;
• Demonstrate strong judgement and capitalise on innovative alternatives to resolve complex problems;
• Effectively challenge the status quo when required;
• Demonstrate resilience and personal accountability for the quality of advice and delivery of results;
• Demonstrate exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal.

The ideal candidate will be a collaborative leader, exemplify the Defence Values and Behaviours, and engender a culture of innovation and agility. They will be self aware, positive in considering and respecting a diversity of ideas and perspectives of others. They will demonstrate the capability to provide timely and accurate advice to senior leaders and government on complex matters. They will have outstanding judgement, strategic awareness, and parliamentary and media acumen.

As part of this selection process, a Merit Pool of highly suitable candidates will be established to fill current vacancies and any similar vacancies that may arise over the next 18 months.

Your Role

The Assistant Secretary Maritime Support (AS-MS) for the Maritime Sustainment Division (MSD) within Naval Shipbuilding and Sustainment Group (NSSG) will lead and manage the Operating Support Branch, overseeing the critical enabling functions that underpin the delivery of integrated, through life maritime support to our Defence customers and key stakeholders. The pivotal role ensures the alignment of strategic priorities with operational delivery, enabling unformed decisions on capability, cost, risk and industry sustainability. The workforce is primarily located in Sydney with a small number of workforce distributed regionally.

The role will be responsible for shaping the strategic direction of the branch, delivering actionable insights through targeted analysis, and developing robust business cases to inform Maritime Systems Division (MSD) leadership. With a focus on enhancing industry resilience, improving procurement and contract management, and strengthening data driven decision making across the division. The AS-MS will contribute significantly to Defence's capability readiness and sovereign industrial objectives.

Working closely with the MSD Executive and external stakeholders, AS-MS will lead cultural uplift, continuous improvement initiatives, and integration with broader Defence capability and sustainment systems. The role will also optimise workforce planning and ensure consistent, high quality delivery of business support functions. We are looking for a person who:

• A strategic thinker who uses data to support key decisions.
• An experienced leader with a results focused track record of delivery.
• An exceptional communicator and manager with proven negotiation skills.
• Possesses deep knowledge, skills and specialist expertise acquired through significant professional experience.

Application Closing Date

11:30 PM (AEDT), Sunday 11 January 2026

Job Reference

NSSG/09704/25 on

Location

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Seniority level

• Not applicable

Employment type

• Full time

Job function

• Administrative, Other, and General Business

Industries

• Defense and Space Manufacturing
• Government Administration
• Government Relations Services