Director, First Nations Operational Policy and Support

About the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission

The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (the Commission) was formed on 1 January 2019. We work to improve the lives of older people by maintaining the integrity of the aged care system.

As the single independent regulator of Australian Government aged care services, we offer a variety of interesting and challenging jobs across most capital cities.

It is an exciting time to join the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, with major reforms underway to improve aged care in Australia. You will be contributing to our role as the national regulator to safeguard and protect older Australians receiving aged care services. 

Meet some of our people and learn more about the Commission and our Regulatory Strategy on our website www.agedcarequality.gov.au 

What we offer 

• Cultural leave plus 4 weeks annual leave 
• Salary ranging from $141,487 to $167,513 plus 15.4% superannuation 
• Flexible working arrangements 
• Mentoring and support from our Indigenous Staff Network colleagues and experienced staff 
• Candidate support throughout the recruitment and onboarding process

The opportunity 

We are looking for an experienced change leader to help transform the way we regulate aged care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander older people.  

This is a new position reporting to the Executive Director, and is one of six policy directors, each with a specific focus on an area of the Commissions operations. 

The successful candidate will lead a small team working with internal and external stakeholders to develop, refine and implement high-quality internal policy and procedures that drive culturally-capable regulation. This will include supporting operational teams to ensure that the Commissions safeguarding of older people, education and engagement and registration of providers is culturally safe, culturally appropriate, trauma aware and healing informed. 

About the Team

Operational Policy and Support (OP&S) develops and provides advice on policy, guidance and tools that drives how we work, and explains how to apply broad policy within all operational environments. The teams contribute to the development and implementation of regulatory and aged care program reform.

Key Accountabilities include: 

• Provide clear and supportive team and peer leadership and direction on a program of related activities. 
• Lead the development, implementation and evaluation of related organisational priorities and policies, including supporting the development and delivery of training. 
• Develop and manage key strategic relationships with internal and external stakeholders promoting the Commissions business and cultural capability objectives. 
• Identify, escalate and manage risks associated with new or revised policy, including capacity and capability gaps. 

Key Capabilities (Selection Criteria):

To be successful in this role you will need to demonstrate the following:

• Demonstrated experience leading or being a key participant in a large and/or complex cultural capability development project.  
• Demonstrated ability to develop, monitor and evaluate operational policy. 
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement successful stakeholder engagement strategies. 
• Demonstrated ability to effectively manage interpersonal relationships and communicate with influence with internal and external stakeholders from a range of backgrounds and cultures. 
• Demonstrated ability to set priorities, meet deadlines, work effectively under pressure, build team member capability, and work effectively in a team environment. 
• Ability to travel interstate when required. 

Eligibility 

To be eligible for employment with the Commission, applicants must be an Australian citizen. 

Following the interview process, an applicants suitability for employment will also be assessed through a variety of pre-employment check processes, such as:  

• Satisfactory completion of pre-employment screening and a nationally co-ordinated criminal history check. 
• Completion of pre-existing medical condition declaration  
• Providing evidence of qualifications (where required). 
• Shortlisted applicants will be required to provide confirmation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander heritage.

A confirmation must stipulate that a person: 

• is of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent; and 
• identifies as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person; and 
• is accepted as such by the community in which they live, or formerly lived. 

To be eligible to apply for an Affirmative Measure - Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander position, you must provide confirmation of your Aboriginality or Torres Strait Islander heritage as part of the assessment process by providing one of the following documents: 

• a confirmation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent document signed and sealed by an incorporated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation 
• a letter signed by the chairperson of an incorporated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation confirming you are recognised as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person 
• a statutory declaration made by you and another by a member of an Indigenous service provider, confirming you are recognised as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person, if no other documents are available. 

Position Notes:

• Salary offered will be between $141,487 - $167,513 per annum depending on skills and experience. In addition, 15.4% superannuation will be paid.
• Only candidates who hold Australian citizenship can apply. Appointment is conditional on successfully completing a national police check. For more information, please visit www.apsc.gov.au/citizenship-aps
• Non-ongoing opportunity will be offered for an irregular/intermittent term. Opportunities will be offered for varying periods up to 12 months with the option to extend to a total of 24 months.
• Merit Pool established through this selection process may be used to fill this or future ongoing or non-ongoing vacancies.
• In your application, please provide a statement of claims against the position capabilities (selection criteria) in no more than 600-words, including what strengths you would bring to the role, and a copy of your CV.

Please complete the application and submit by 11:30pm (local time) on 12 September 2025.

Please contact our recruitment team on (02) 9633 3*** or ***********@agedcarequality.gov.au for assistance with accessing our website or with lodging your application. Applicants should quote “Affirmative measure recruitment query” to assist when making an enquiry. 

Alternatively, if you wish to speak to our Indigenous Liaison Officer (ILO), please reach out to our recruitment team who will help connecting you with the ILO. 

Diversity and Inclusion

The Commission is committed to fostering a workplace with flexible work arrangements to support a diverse, respectful and inclusive culture for all staff.  

The Commission recognises the richness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and is committed to the implementation of our Reconciliation Action Plan. The Commission values the unique knowledge and experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees which strengthens and supports our focus on protecting and enhancing the safety, health, wellbeing and quality of life of aged care consumers. 

Further information: 

For further information about the Quality Commission, office locations and other related resources, please visit https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au

For more information on the Australian Public Service, please visit http://www.apsc.gov.au/publications-and-media/current-publications/cracking-the-code/factsheet-4 and http://www.apsc.gov.au/publications-and-media/current-publications/cracking-the-code. 

Information :

• Company : Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission
• Position : Director, First Nations Operational Policy and Support
• Location : Melbourne VIC
• Country : AU