Assistant Director - Cyber Security

Job Details

Job Title: Assistant Director - Cyber Security

Employment Type: Ongoing

Classification: Parliamentary Executive Level 1

Closing Date: 11:30pm AEST, 12 November 2026

Contact: Katrina Williams, 62772884, katrina.williams@aph.gov.au

The Opportunity

The Department of Parliamentary Services is seeking experienced cyber security professionals to join our Cyber Security Branch in the Parliamentary Executive Level 1 leadership roles:

Assistant Director, Cyber Intelligence and Awareness

Assistant Director, Cyber Security Governance and Assurance

These roles offer a unique opportunity to apply your expertise at the heart of Australia’s democracy, helping protect the people, information, systems and services that support the Australian Parliament.

About the Department

The Department of Parliamentary Services supports the functions of the Australian Parliament and the work of parliamentarians by providing professional services, advice, facilities and secure technology. The department is also the custodian of Australian Parliament House, a nationally significant building, a working parliamentary environment and an important destination for Australian and international visitors.

Our diverse workforce provides services including information and communications technology, cyber and physical security, library and research services, broadcasting, Hansard, property services, visitor engagement and corporate support.

Working with us means contributing directly to the secure and effective operation of Parliament in a complex, high-profile and dynamic environment.

About the Cyber Security Branch

The Cyber Security Branch protects the department and Australian Parliament House from evolving cyber threats. The branch works across operations, intelligence, awareness, vulnerability management, governance, risk and assurance to strengthen cyber resilience, support informed decision-making and enable the safe delivery of parliamentary services.

Our work requires strong technical knowledge, sound judgement and trusted engagement with executives, parliamentarians, business areas, technology teams, service providers and Australian Government security partners.

The Opportunities

Assistant Director, Cyber Intelligence and Awareness

This role leads a multidisciplinary capability spanning cyber threat intelligence and cyber security awareness.

You will translate intelligence, vulnerability and human-risk insights into practical, prioritised action.

You will lead the development of threat assessments, executive briefings, security awareness initiatives and vulnerability remediation activities that directly strengthen the department’s cyber resilience.

Key responsibilities include:

• leading and developing a multidisciplinary cyber security team
• establishing intelligence requirements and producing strategic, operational and tactical cyber threat assessments
• delivering intelligence-led cyber security advice and support for overseas travel
• leading targeted awareness, training, behaviour-change and simulated phishing programs
• overseeing the identification, prioritisation and remediation of enterprise vulnerabilities
• providing authoritative advice to senior executives on threats, vulnerabilities and human cyber risk
• establishing meaningful performance measures and executive reporting
• building trusted relationships across parliamentary departments, government, industry and intelligence-sharing partners. 

This opportunity would suit an experienced cyber security leader who can connect intelligence, technology and human behaviour to influence decisions and deliver measurable risk reduction.

Assistant Director, Cyber Security Governance and Assurance

This role supports the delivery and continuous improvement of the department’s cyber security governance, compliance and assurance functions.

You will coordinate governance and assurance activities, maintain policies and control frameworks, monitor compliance obligations and prepare clear reporting for senior executives and governance committees.

The role operates in alignment with the Protective Security Policy Framework, Information Security Manual and Essential Eight.

Key responsibilities include:

• coordinating cyber security governance and assurance activities
• developing and maintaining policies, standards, procedures and control baselines
• coordinating assurance schedules, evidence collection, control assessments and findings management
• supporting internal and external audit and assurance activities
• monitoring Essential Eight and PSPF maturity uplift
• preparing executive briefs, reports and committee papers
• maintaining accurate, traceable and audit-ready governance records
• engaging business and technology stakeholders to implement agreed outcomes
• identifying control gaps and recommending practical improvements
• supervising and supporting staff and contractors as required. 

This opportunity would suit a governance and assurance professional who combines attention to detail with strong analytical, stakeholder engagement and executive communication skills.

Who we are looking for

Across both roles, we are looking for people who can:

• lead people and deliver outcomes in a complex operating environment
• exercise sound judgement, autonomy, integrity and accountability
• translate complex cyber security issues into clear and practical advice
• build productive relationships across technical and non-technical areas
• manage competing priorities and sensitive information
• develop high-quality briefs, reports and governance products
• contribute to a collaborative, inclusive and high-performing culture.

Applicants should demonstrate expertise relevant to the role for which they are applying. 

Relevant tertiary qualifications, cyber security certifications or substantial professional experience will be highly regarded.

Job Specific Requirements: 

   
•  The successful applicant will be required to obtain and maintain a Negative Vetting 1 (Confidential/Highly Protected/Secret) security clearance.

At DPS, we are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace that ensures all our people can contribute to our shared purpose. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, people with caring responsibilities, people who identify as LGBTQIA+, people from cultural and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people who identify as neurodivergent, and mature aged people.

Duty Statements and Selection Criteria

Classification: Parliamentary Executive Level 1 

Branch: Cyber Security 

Section:  

Immediate supervisor: Various

Duty Statement

Cyber Intelligence and Awareness

Lead the delivery and continuous improvement of cyber threat intelligence, vulnerability management and cyber security awareness capabilities that protect the Department of Parliamentary Services and Australian Parliament House from cyber threats. The role leads a multidisciplinary team, translates intelligence, vulnerability and human-risk insights into prioritised treatments, and provides authoritative advice to executives, technical teams and business stakeholders.

Under broad direction, undertake duties in accordance with the agreed standards for the Parliamentary Executive Level 1 classification. Exercise a high degree of autonomy, sound judgement and accountability when setting priorities, allocating work, managing risk and resolving complex issues. The duties will include, but are not limited to, the following:

1.    Lead, manage and develop a multidisciplinary team delivering cyber threat intelligence, vulnerability management and cyber security awareness outcomes, including setting priorities, allocating work, assuring quality and supporting staff performance, capability and wellbeing.

2.    Establish cyber threat intelligence requirements, collection priorities and analytical processes. Lead strategic, operational and tactical assessments, intelligence products, risk advisories and executive briefings that translate threat actor activity into actionable recommendations.

3.    Lead intelligence-led briefings and cyber security support for overseas travel, including country and threat assessments, tailored pre-travel advice, risk-based security recommendations, coordination of secure travel arrangements and post-travel debriefing for parliamentarians, executives and staff.

4.    Lead an evidence-based cyber security awareness and behaviour-change program informed by intelligence, incidents, vulnerabilities and workforce insights. Deliver targeted campaigns, training, executive engagement, events and simulated phishing exercises, and measure changes in engagement, reporting behaviour, phishing resilience and security culture.

5.    Lead and continuously improve the enterprise vulnerability management program, ensuring vulnerabilities are validated, risk assessed, prioritised and tracked through remediation or formal risk acceptance. Coordinate with ICT, system owners, service providers and vendors to resolve barriers and verify risk reduction.

6.    Provide authoritative, evidence-based advice to PEL2 and SES leaders on significant cyber threats, vulnerabilities, human cyber risk, awareness outcomes and recommended treatments, including departmental and committee briefing material.

7.    Establish procedures, performance measures and reporting across the three capabilities, and contribute to cyber security strategy, roadmaps and investment priorities in support of departmental policy and relevant Australian Government obligations.

8.    Build trusted relationships across parliamentary departments and with government, industry and intelligence-sharing partners; represent DPS in relevant forums; and promote timely, lawful and secure information sharing.

Selection Criteria

1.    Demonstrated leadership and people-management capability, including setting strategic priorities, allocating work, assuring quality, developing staff and fostering an inclusive, accountable and high-performing multidisciplinary team.

2.    Demonstrated expertise in cyber threat intelligence, including establishing intelligence requirements, assessing threat actor activity, producing strategic, operational and tactical intelligence products, and delivering intelligence-led cyber security support and briefings for overseas travel.

3.    Demonstrated experience leading evidence-based cyber security awareness and behaviour-change programs, including targeted campaigns, training, simulated phishing exercises and measurement of engagement, reporting behaviour and cultural improvement.

4.    Demonstrated expertise in vulnerability management, including risk-based prioritisation, remediation governance, formal risk acceptance, performance monitoring and influencing system owners, service providers and vendors to reduce cyber risk.

5.    Highly developed analytical, written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical and human-risk information into authoritative executive advice, briefings, reports and actionable recommendations for technical and non-technical audiences.

6.    Demonstrated ability to operate with autonomy and accountability, establish effective governance and performance measures, manage competing priorities and sensitive issues, contribute to cyber security strategy and investment priorities, and build trusted relationships that influence outcomes across parliamentary, government, industry and intelligence-sharing partners.

Desirable: Relevant tertiary qualifications, industry certifications or substantial professional experience in cyber security, threat intelligence, vulnerability management, security awareness, communications, information technology or a related discipline.

Employees of DPS are required to be able, and to be seen to be able, to provide professional advice and services to all Senators and Members without favour or prejudice.

Duty Statement

Assistant Director, Cyber Security Governance and Assurance

The Assistant Director, Cybersecurity Governance and Assurance, supports the delivery of DPS's cyber security governance and assurance functions. The role coordinates governance activities, maintains cyber security policies, standards and governance artefacts, supports assurance activities and prepares reporting for senior executives and governance forums. 

The position provides specialist advice on cyber security governance, compliance and assurance matters and contributes to the continuous improvement of cyber security practices in alignment with the Protective Security Policy Framework (PSPF), Information Security Manual (ISM) and Essential Eight.

Under limited/general direction undertake duties in accordance with the agreed standards for the specified classification. The duties will include, but are not limited to, the following: 

1.    Coordinate the implementation and ongoing operation of cyber security governance and assurance activities under the direction of the Director. 

2.    Develop, maintain and review cyber security policies, standards, procedures, control baselines and other governance artefacts aligned with PSPF and ISM requirements. 

3.    Coordinate cyber security assurance activities, including assurance scheduling, evidence collection, control assessments, findings management and maintenance of assurance records.

 
4.    Support assurance and audit activities delivered across DPS and by external providers, consolidating findings, dependencies and remediation updates for review and reporting. 

5.    Prepare clear, accurate and timely cyber security reports, briefs and committee papers covering governance, compliance, control effectiveness and assurance outcomes.

 
6.    Monitor and report on Essential Eight and PSPF maturity uplift activities, including progress against agreed targets, evidence requirements and dependencies. 

7.    Maintain governance registers, action trackers and assurance documentation so records are current, consistent, traceable and suitable for audit and executive scrutiny. 

8.    Liaise with business and technology stakeholders to gather information, clarify requirements, coordinate activities and support implementation of agreed governance and assurance outcomes. 

9.    Identify control gaps, recurring assurance themes and opportunities to improve governance processes, reporting and assurance practices, and provide practical recommendations.

 
10.    Supervise, mentor and support staff and contractors as required, manage allocated priorities and contribute to a collaborative and accountable workplace culture.

Selection Criteria

1.    Demonstrated experience supporting or coordinating cyber security governance, assurance, compliance or related activities in a complex organisation.

 
2.    Demonstrated experience developing, maintaining and reviewing cyber security policies, standards, procedures, control baselines or governance documentation.

 
3.    Sound knowledge of the PSPF, ISM, Essential Eight and contemporary cyber security governance and assurance practices, with the ability to apply requirements in an organisational context. 

4.    Demonstrated ability to coordinate assurance, audit or compliance activities, evaluate evidence, track findings and manage competing priorities. 

5.    Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to identify issues, interpret information and develop practical recommendations.

 
6.    Well-developed written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear reports, briefs and governance documentation for senior stakeholders.

 
7.    Strong stakeholder engagement skills and demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across business and technical areas. 

8.    Demonstrated judgement, integrity and attention to detail when managing sensitive information and work subject to audit or executive scrutiny.

Employees of DPS are required to be able, and to be seen to be able, to provide professional advice and services to all Senators and Members without favour or prejudice.

How to apply

Please submit:

A current résumé; and

a one-page pitch of no more than 600 words outlining the skills, experience and leadership qualities you would bring to your preferred role.

Frame your pitch around the role description and relevant ILS Profile. and include relevant examples demonstrating your ability to perform the responsibilities of the role. Applicants interested in both opportunities should clearly identify whether they wish to be considered for one or both roles and explain how their experience aligns with each preference.

The department’s recruitment process assesses applicants’ skills, experience and ability to perform the advertised role using merit-based assessment methods.

Join us and help protect the people, information and technology that enable Australia’s Parliament to operate securely and effectively.

For additional guidance when crafting you application, please refer to the DPS Recruitment - Candidate Information Pack, which provides helpful tips on how to structure your pitch and highlight your most relevant skills and experience effectively.

Our purpose and values

We proudly provide innovative, unified, and client-focused services to the Australian Parliament and parliamentarians. We are a values driven department, placing our values at the heart of everything we do; from our service offerings and decision making to our interactions with stakeholders and each other.  

Our people are employed in a broad and unique range of professional, customer service and trade-based roles, all joined by a shared purpose: to make an enduring contribution to Australia’s parliamentary democracy. We have an inclusive workplace that reflects the diversity of the community we serve. While we come from all walks of life, we share a commitment to care for and protect our iconic workplace. 

Every year, almost one million people visit Australian Parliament House to experience the parliamentary process, the building’s architecture, nationally significant art collections, events, tours, and food and dining experiences – all made possible by our people, who are active participants in an environment where no two days are the same.

What we can offer

Join our community based on innovative, unified, and client-focused services, where your skills and development will be nurtured. You will also enjoy:  

• flexible working arrangements can be negotiated in accordance with our Enterprise Agreement and the operational needs of the roles
• ongoing opportunities to learn and develop new capabilities 
• a competitive remuneration package
• free on-site parking
• free gym membership and access to recreational facilities available a APH
• childcare (pending availability), banking services, post office, value-for-money dining options and more available at APH.

Salary

An attractive salary, which could be negotiated with the successful candidate, is on offer.

Conditions of Employment

Employment opportunities at the department are subject to a range of conditions prescribed in the Parliamentary Service Act 1999 which include:

• Australian citizenship: Section 22 of the Parliamentary Service Act 1999 requires that employees of the Parliamentary Service are generally required to be Australian citizens. However, if you are not an Australian citizen you may be considered for engagement on the condition that you are able to gain Australian Citizenship within a specified time. Failure to obtain citizenship within the timeframe could lead to termination of employment.
  
  
• Loss and resumption of Australian citizenship: Under historical provisions of the Australian Citizenship Act 1948 (section 17), some Australian citizens automatically lost their citizenship if they voluntarily acquired the citizenship of another country between 26 January 1949 and 3 April 2002. This loss occurred by operation of law and may not have been known to the individual at the time. Although these provisions were repealed in 2002 to allow dual citizenship, the repeal did not restore citizenship that was previously lost. Individuals who believe they may be affected are recommended to seek advice about resuming their Australian citizenship. Further information, is available on the Department of Home Affairs website.
• Applicants who progress to the offer stage with our department who have been affected by the loss of citizenship as outlined above will be required to demonstrate within a reasonable time that they have resumed, or are actively undertaking the process to resume, Australian citizenship.
  
  
• Security clearance and character clearance: the preferred applicant will be required to obtain and maintain a security clearance at the level specified, as well as complete and be deemed suitable through a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check.
  
  
• Health assessment: a pre-employment health assessment will be required where there are physical or medical requirements for the role.
  
  
• External Work Approval: Employees must seek approval for any paid employment outside the department and declare voluntary activities that could impact their role.