Applications and AI Lead

Many organisations are experimenting with AI. Far fewer have worked out how to turn it into practical improvements across applications, processes and everyday ways of working.

The Applications & AI Lead will take ownership of ARENA’s enterprise applications portfolio while helping the organisation identify where AI, automation and emerging capabilities can create genuine value.

This is a business-facing product leadership opportunity spanning enterprise applications, digital products, automation and emerging AI capabilities.

About ARENA

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) supports Australia’s transition to net zero by funding renewable energy and decarbonisation projects, helping emerging technologies and commercial models move towards practical application.

The agency also shares knowledge from the initiatives it supports, helping government and industry make better future investment decisions.

With approximately 150 employees across Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne, ARENA is large enough to undertake nationally significant work while remaining small enough for individual leaders to have genuine visibility and influence.

ARENA is investing in modern applications, trusted data and practical AI to reduce manual effort, improve access to information and give employees more time for higher-value work.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Director, Data & Applications, you will take ownership of ARENA’s enterprise applications portfolio and emerging AI agenda.

ARENA already has a broad applications landscape and capable technical partners. What it needs is stronger internal product ownership connecting those systems to business priorities and measurable outcomes.

You will work with stakeholders to understand how work is performed, where friction exists and what outcome they need, questioning whether new technology is required or existing capability can solve the problem.

Your remit will include:

• Owning application and product roadmaps and backlogs
• Prioritising demand and investment across the organisation
• Improving application adoption and utilisation
• Managing lifecycle requirements and technical debt
• Understanding integrations and information flows
• Identifying practical automation and AI opportunities
• Challenging vendor recommendations and delivery outcomes
• Tracking benefits and organisational value

Salesforce is an important part of the portfolio, alongside Microsoft technologies, integrations and other enterprise platforms.

You do not need to be a Salesforce developer. You will need enough technical understanding to engage credibly, recognise dependencies and challenge thinking where required.

Turning AI Into Practical Value

ARENA is already exploring Microsoft Copilot and AI functionality within its enterprise platforms.

You will identify genuine business problems, understand the capabilities ARENA already owns and determine whether an application, integration, automation or AI-enabled solution is the right response.

As individual experimentation develops into shared organisational capability, appropriate ownership, security, governance and version control will become increasingly important.

Success will be measured by whether AI and automation improve productivity, employee experience and decision-making, rather than by the number of new tools introduced.

Team and Delivery Model

You will lead one permanent direct report, the Senior Business Systems Analyst, while working closely with Digital leaders and stakeholders across ARENA.

Specialist partners will continue providing configuration, development and engineering capability where required. Your role is to set priorities, shape the roadmap and connect stakeholders, internal specialists and delivery partners around clear decisions and outcomes.

ARENA wants strong partnerships with its providers while retaining informed internal ownership. You will need to challenge assumptions and hold partners accountable for quality, value and agreed outcomes.

Why This Role Is Different

Many applications roles centre on one platform or operational maintenance.

At ARENA, you will influence an entire applications landscape while helping shape how AI moves from individual experimentation towards responsible enterprise adoption.

You will join while many of those decisions are still open, giving you genuine influence over how platforms work together and where investment creates the greatest value.

About You

You may currently be an Applications Manager, Business Systems Manager, Product Manager, Senior Product Owner, Digital Solutions Lead or Applications Lead.

Equally, you may be a Senior Business Systems Analyst or Technical Business Analyst ready to step into your first formal Lead role and take on broader portfolio and people accountability.

You will bring strong product thinking, stakeholder engagement and enough technical literacy to work confidently with specialists and vendors.

Most importantly, you will be curious about how ARENA actually works, why processes operate as they do and where technology can create a simpler or more valuable outcome.

Why Join ARENA?

In a larger organisation, applications, product, AI and automation may sit across several teams. At ARENA, you will gain exposure across all of them while working directly with senior leaders and influencing organisation-wide decisions.

This makes the opportunity particularly attractive for someone ready to broaden beyond ownership of a single product or platform.

ARENA invests in professional development and is open to candidates who do not arrive with every capability fully formed. For someone with the right foundations and appetite for greater responsibility, there is genuine scope to grow with the role.

Next Steps

For a confidential discussion, please contact Steven Fulop on 04•• ••• 446 or ••••@xceltium.com.

Alternatively, please contact Anthony Trimboli on 04•• ••• 782 or ••••@xceltium.com.

xceltium has been exclusively retained by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency to manage this appointment. All direct and third-party applications will be referred to xceltium and treated with the strictest confidence.