The Role

The acquisition of conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarines is an historic and transformative endeavour for Australia. The whole-of-nation effort to safely and securely deliver the cutting edge nuclear-powered submarine program will transform Australia’s economic and national security landscape for decades to come.

Enterprise Protection (EP) Branch supports the delivery of a safe and secure nuclear-powered submarine capability by understanding and communicating threats to the NPS Program, uplifting security culture and awareness across Australian Submarine Agency (ASA) and NPS enterprise workforces and mitigating personnel security risks through delivering effective early insider threat detection, intervention and organisational suitability assessment capabilities.

The Director for Workforce Security Executive Level 2 (EL 2) role works with considerable independence and is required to have extensive knowledge of and compliance with legislative and policy frameworks, government decision-making and ASA’s and the NPS program’s objectives. This important leadership role is responsible for influencing and contributing to the development of ASA’s security strategies, policies and operational practices in accordance with the Commonwealth Protective Security Policy Framework and the Defence Security Principles Framework.

About our Team

Working closely with other ASA, Defence, Commonwealth and State government, NPS Enterprise and international stakeholders. Enterprise Protection Branch within ASA’s Stewardship Division is responsible for ensuring the delivery of a secure nuclear-powered submarine capability by understanding and communicating advice about threats to the NPS Program, assuring the ongoing suitability of ASA personnel as well as elements of the NPS Enterprise workforce accessing classified naval nuclear propulsion information, uplifting security culture and awareness across the ASA and NPS enterprise workforces; as well as mitigating personnel and other protective security risks to the agency and the Program.

Our Ideal Candidate

Security is a critical enabler underpinning the NPS Program and in this EL 2 role you will use your strong initiative and judgement to develop and deliver timely and appropriate protective security advice with a strong focus on personnel security, respond effectively to emerging security issues and develop timely and appropriate solutions to unique protective security problems.

You will build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders across the ASA, Defence and the NPS Enterprise and work productively and collegiately in a multidisciplinary environment. You will be adept at managing competing, changing and time critical protective security priorities, and will provide detailed and sound strategic advice to internal and external stakeholders on diverse and complex protective security matters in support of the longer-term objectives of the ASA.

We are seeking highly motivated EL 2 leaders who work collaboratively to solve complex security problems. Our ideal candidate will possess strong leadership, problem-solving, stakeholder engagement and organisational skills as well as demonstrate a proven record of accomplishment of leading teams to develop and deliver effective protective security advice and tailored personnel security solutions meeting our corporate priorities and legislative obligations.

As the EL 2 for Workforce Security, you will be well acquainted with legislative as well as protective security frameworks and policies. A background in undertaking and or managing personnel security investigations and or a Cert IV in Government Investigations is highly desirable.

Our ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Capability to lead, plan and manage the development, advocacy and implementation of advice on very complex and sensitive personnel and protective security issues.
• Initiative, problem-solving, and strong organisational skills, including the ability to effectively prioritise to meet deadlines, manage competing tasks and deliver against corporate priorities and legislative obligations
• Experience in operating under broad direction, exercising a considerable degree of independence to manage and prioritise a broad range of accountabilities and functions.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills and a demonstrated ability to develop productive relationships and work collaboratively with a range of internal and external stakeholders, including international partners.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
• Attention to detail, with the ability to take responsibility for your actions as well as the timely and accurate completion of work.
• Experience in preparing complex briefing material, reports and other correspondence.
• Capacity to develop and lead a high-performing team to deliver organisational outcomes.
• Understand, demonstrate and model a strong understanding of the Nuclear Mindset.

Application Closing Date: Sunday 14 September 2025.

For further information please review the job information pack, reference ASA/07143/25 on https://defencecareers.nga.net.au/?jati=12404ADA-2360-6DE4-C7DB-E41FFF05FF83