The Team

The Electoral Education section sits within the Communication Education and Engagement Branch at the AEC. The branch is a team of energetic, passionate and skilled practitioners, responsible for ensuring all people are informed about the process of voting in federal elections and referendums and encouraging voters to participate. This includes consideration of people who experience barriers and may need additional support to equitably participate. This is achieved through the collective work of our sections, covering electoral education, strategic communication, campaigns, community engagement, Indigenous electoral participation, and design.

The Electoral Education team are education experts who deliver innovative and high-quality programs that are inclusive, accessible and engaging. The section is responsible for the AEC’s school and community education program including the highly regarded National Electoral Education Centre at Old Parliament House in Canberra; a digital 3D electoral game available to schools via an app; online education resources; and a teacher professional learning program.

The community program includes the Writs to Referendums exhibition at Old Parliament House; and a well-established community education program with a particular focus on communities that may face barriers to electoral participation.

The Opportunity

The Assistant Director Electoral Education leads a team of education experts to deliver the AEC’s education and schools programs, including education and professional development and learning for teachers.

The role is responsible for the delivery of the AEC’s school education program that includes the AEC’s highly regarded National Electoral Education Centre in Canberra; a digital 3D electoral game available to schools via an app; online education resources; and a teacher professional learning program.

The role is also responsible for building relationships with relevant education departments and stakeholders, other civics institutions, and the education sector in general.

Key position responsibilities include:

• Managing the daily operations of the National Electoral Education Centre, which has around 80,000 school visitors a year and managing the team of around 16 education professionals.
• Managing the design, implementation, review and evaluation of education materials and resources for students, teachers and schools on the Australian electoral system.
• Overseeing the roll-out of the electoral education 3D game, available to schools for download via an app.
• Engaging and collaborating on electoral education projects with partner agencies and cultural institutions.
• Developing and maintaining relationships with Commonwealth, state and territory education departments, cultural institutions, education professional associations and peak bodies and enabling tourism operators.
• Manage the electoral exhibition Writs to Referendums, which is part of the Museum of Australian Democracy.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant training for electoral educators and AEC policies.
• Managing facilities within Old Parliament House used for electoral education including the National Electoral Education Centre and Writs to Referendums exhibition.
• Leading and managing a team of around 18 electoral educators to ensure high quality program delivery.

To excel you’ll have:

• Leadership in education and training, or community and adult education.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and strategically with diverse stakeholder groups to build support to achieve outcomes.
• Demonstrated high levels of personal integrity, accuracy and impartiality while achieving results within legislative and policy parameters.
• Demonstrated management of staff while developing capabilities, encouraging career development and embedding professionalism.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced environment, managing multiple competing priorities with flexibility in the face of changing priorities and deadlines.
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills including demonstrated ability to prepare briefing documents and submissions and explain complex issues simply.

Desirable:

• Tertiary qualification in education, training or related field.
• Experience with the implementation of contemporary digital education, such as video casting, educational games, or virtual reality.
• Knowledge of, or ability to quickly gain knowledge of:
• Australian Curriculum for schools
• Australian electoral law and practice
• Commonwealth frameworks, including Resource Management Framework and Procurement Framework

Eligibility

• AEC employees must be Australian citizens.
• Any person who is, and seen to be active in political affairs, and intends to publicly carry on this activity, may compromise the strict neutrality of the AEC and cannot be considered.
• Applicants are required to consent to, undergo, obtain and maintain a character clearance.
• Applicants are required to consent to, undergo, obtain and maintain the security clearance required for this role.

Contact: Terri Thomas, [email protected], (02) 5137 2042

Due Date: Sunday 25 May 2025, 11:59PM AEST