Assistant Director, Engagement | Full-time Temporary with a Possibility of Permanency

Closes: 21 August 2026

Classification: Senior Officer Grade C
Salary: $127,597 - $136,873 plus superannuation
Position No: 59258
Directorate: Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development
Advertised (Gazettal date): 06 August 2026
Contact Officer: Amelia Starr on Amelia.Starr@act.gov.au or 0403091452

Details: We are reimagining how we engage with our community—and we're looking for someone who wants to help us lead that change.

About the role

Are you passionate about strengthening the community voice in government decision-making? Do you thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment where your work directly impacts how government connects with the people it serves?

CMTEDD Communications and Engagement is seeking an experienced and motivated Assistant Director, Engagement to help lead whole-of-government (WHoG) engagement initiatives. In this role you will play a central role in strengthening how the ACT Government connects with the Canberra community. You will work across the ACT Public Service to improve engagement practices, foster cultural change, and embed a more consistent and responsive approach to community involvement.

You will contribute to the implementation of a refreshed whole-of-government Engagement Framework, support key strategic projects, and help deliver engagement governance across government. You will also support a small team supporting the ACT Government's online engagement platform, YourSay Conversations, and contribute to professional development and capability-building initiatives for engagement practitioners across government.

This role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the improvement of engagement practice across government and how we listen to, involve and respond to the Canberra community.

What we offer

At CMTEDD, you'll have the opportunity to:

• Influence engagement practice across the ACT Public Service.
• Lead projects with broad organisational impact.
• Work with a diverse range of stakeholders across government.
• Contribute to strategic reforms and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Build your leadership capability in a supportive and collaborative environment.
• Help shape how government works with and listens to the Canberra community.

Why join us?

The CMTEDD Engagement team plays a unique role across government. We don't just support individual engagement activities. We help strengthen the systems, frameworks and capability that enable effective engagement across the ACT Public Service.

This is an opportunity to make a lasting contribution to how government engages with the community while developing your own leadership, project management and strategic influence skills.

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:

What we're looking for

We are seeking an experienced professional who can bring together people, ideas and projects to deliver meaningful outcomes. While an understanding of community engagement is important, this role is focused primarily on coordination, capability, continuous improvement and project delivery at a whole-of-government level.

You will bring:

• Experience leading and delivering complex projects in a dynamic environment.
• Strong understanding of community and stakeholder engagement practice.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills.
• The ability to influence, collaborate and build partnerships across organisational boundaries
• Experience developing frameworks, guidance materials, governance processes or strategic initiative.
• Strong organisational skills, sound judgement and the ability to manage competing priorities.

Most importantly, you'll be a proactive and collaborative professional who is motivated by improving government practice and achieving better outcomes for the community.

Desirable Qualifications:

• Qualifications in engagement, communications, public policy, stakeholder engagement or a related discipline.
• International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) accreditation or other relevant engagement qualifications.
• Experience managing projects and delivering outcomes across multiple stakeholders.

Note: This is a temporary position available from 31 August 2026 until 27 August 2027 with the possibility of extension and/or permanency.

A merit pool may be established from this recruitment process and may be used to fill identical or similar vacancies over the next 12 months.

The selection process may include an interview, work-related assessment and referee checks.

How to Apply: Applicants should submit:

• A current curriculum vitae, including the contact details of two referees
• A two-page pitch demonstrating how your skills, experience and capabilities align with the requirements of the role and the qualities described in the Position Description.

Applications should be submitted .

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 from 31 August 2026 until 27 August 2027 with the possibility of extension and/or permanency.