- All state/territory office locations considered
- Salary Range: $159,145 - $179,125 + Attractive Superannuation
- This vacancy has been identified to participate in VetPaths
The Australian Government is establishing a new Veteran and Family Wellbeing Agency (the Agency) within DVA. The Agency responds to Recommendation 87 of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide and supports the delivery of several other recommendations (80, 81 and 86).
On 2 December 2025, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, the Hon. Matt Keogh MP, announced $78 million in funding over four years (from FY 2025-26) for establishment of the agency.
The Agency will commence with a foundational service on 1 July 2026 and will sit within the Department of Veterans Affairs and will build capability and operational scope over time.
On 1 July 2027 the Veteran and Family Wellbeing Agency will commence operating as an Executive Agency.
Reporting to an Assistant Secretary, the Director will manage the Organisational Learning, Evaluation and Data Governance Section within the Agency. The Director will be responsible for setting strategic direction and will be accountable for organisational learning and evaluation and reporting activities across the Agency. They will also oversee data governance and quality assurance.
Activities will include:
- Synthesising evidence to support high-impact evaluations (carried out by an independent evaluator)
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Determining options for the development of the agency’s capability
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Present key trends and insights to Senior Executives and advisory committees
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Support the Chief Executive by managing lessons learnt and continuous improvement governance in the agency
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Represent the agency in cross-government initiatives.
As part of continuous improvement, the Director will analyse lessons learnt and develop practical evidence-based and outcomes-focused solutions to make continuous improvements to Agency operations and service delivery. The Director will establish a framework for data sharing between DVA, Defence and the Agency, and create a feedback mechanism to pass learnings back to research and policy teams.
DUTIES
As an
EL 2 you will be required to
- Lead a team responsible for Organisational Learning, Evaluation and Data Governance functions of the Agency
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Provide strategic advice and contribute to the Agency’s strategic planning
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Support the Agency to manage complex or sensitive projects or work programs that have strategic, political and/or operational significance
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Build strong collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders (ie Defence, Services Australia)
As the Director you will deliver the following functions.
Organisational Learning
- Manage the development, delivery and scheduling of the Agency’s Organisational Learning Framework
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Build organisational capability and expertise to ensure a robust workforce
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Provide leadership to drive a change, continuous improvement and innovation mindset
Agency Evaluation and Data Governance
- Lead the activities supporting the overarching Agency Evaluation Strategy
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Ensure high quality evidence and data is used to produce high-impact evaluations
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Keep senior executive and advisory committees informed and aware of new and ongoing trends (supported by evidence, including data)
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Create a feedback mechanism to pass on lessons learnt to internal/external stakeholders to ensure continuous improvement
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Identify, manage and evaluate risk in all decision-making and delivery of outcomes
HIGHLY DESIRABLE
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Relevant professional qualifications or relevant experience in organisational learning and evaluation will be highly desirable.
ELIGIBILITY
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Under section 22(8) of the Public Service Act 1999, employees must be Australian citizens to be employed in the Australian Public Service (APS).
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Any successful candidate external to DVA offered employment will be required to undergo a pre-engagement screening check, even if they have a security clearance. The screening check is conducted in accordance with the Australian Government Protective Security Policy Framework requirements.
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Any successful candidate will also be required to obtain and/or maintain, a baseline Vetting (AGSVA) security clearance as a minimum.
NOTES
This recruitment process may be used to fill ongoing and/or non-ongoing position/s. For more information about the role, please see the .
A merit pool of suitable applicants may be created which may be used to fill future ongoing and non-ongoing vacancies should they become available over the next 18 months.
Successful applicants engaged into the APS will be subject to a probation period.
We welcome people with diverse skills, experiences and perspectives. DVA is committed to building a workforce that reflects the community we serve and encourages applications from:
- Veterans and former Australian Defence Force members, whose skills and experience are highly valued across the APS
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
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People with disability
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People who identify as LGBTQIA+
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People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
We are a Veteran Employer of Choice! This means you benefit from a workplace actively supporting veterans and families of veterans – one that understands and values military experience. You’re joining an organisation publicly recognised for its commitment to fostering veteran-friendly employment pathways and long-term career success.
The Australian Public Service (APS) values the unique skills, perspectives, and experiences that veterans gain during their Australian Defence Force (ADF) employment and encourage veterans to apply. Support may be available to veterans transitioning to meaningful APS careers through participation in VetPaths, which offers veterans an opportunity to participate in a six-month program offering formal learning and development, career mentoring and activities for wellness and peer support.
RecruitAbility applies to this vacancy. Under the RecruitAbility scheme, you will be invited to participate in further assessment activities for the vacancy if you choose to opt-in to the scheme, declare you have a disability and meet the minimum requirements for the vacancy. All requests for reasonable adjustments will be considered and managed in consultation with you.
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