Assistant Director

Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling (formerly VVCS) is Australia’s leading provider of high quality mental health assessment and clinical counselling services for Australian veterans and their families. Open Arms are focused on meeting client needs through a combination of proven clinical practices and new and emerging evidence-based approaches.

The Assistant Director supports the Director in implementing the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) business and strategic plan at a service wide level, including identification and application of quality improvement activities related to Open Arms’ procedures, DVA policy, and evaluation of service delivery. Assistant Directors streamline strategic initiatives, oversee program management, and communicate objectives to service streams. They utilise strong interpersonal skills to collaborate between regions and across the Division of Open Arms. The position requires strong writing skills, critical thinking, analytical ability and organizational skills. A clinical background in healthcare along with effective written and verbal communication skills are essential to the role, with experience in project management highly desirable. 

• Oversee Open Arms project and program initiatives, from development, implementation and evaluation under the guidance of the Director.
• Assist and communicate with regional leadership in prioritisation, decision-making, service delivery, and initiative implementation.
• Design, implement and evaluate improvement to service delivery, identifying knowledge and skills gaps and capability requirements.
• Improve current and develop new procedures to optimise organisational processes for efficiency and productivity.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationship with internal and external stakeholders to achieve Section, Branch and Agency goals as part of the Commonwealth Government’s broader business, by anticipating and responding to stakeholder needs.
• Develop and review advice, input, briefings, papers, submissions, procurement and correspondence for use in both internal and external decision-making forums and present the section or branch or organisation position in the context of more complex issues. 
• Monitor and drive the implementation of quality assurance activities relating to client engagement and satisfaction, auditing, and business support and practices.
• Act as a representative of the Director as required.
• Provide supervision, mentoring and coaching for direct reports to effectively manage performance and encourage professional growth and build capacity in a team environment.
• Apply the principles of cooperative and safe work practices consistent with APS Values and the Department’s mission, vision, approach and values.

• Under section 22(8) of the Public Service Act 1999, employees must be Australian citizens to be employed in the Australian Public Service (APS). 
• 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.
• Any successful candidate will also be required to obtain and/or maintain, a baseline Vetting (AGSVA) security clearance as a minimum. 

This recruitment process is being used to fill ongoing and/or non-ongoing position/s. For more information about the role, please see the Candidate Information Pack.

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.

DVA embraces and fosters a culture that supports diversity, inclusion and respect, where people are empowered to fulfil their potential. We welcome people with diverse skills, experiences, perspectives and backgrounds. We are dedicated and committed to attracting and recruiting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and encourage applications from people with disability, people that identify as LGBTQIA+ and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Take on a rewarding, varied, and broad career with an Australian Public Service Department that can bring balance and flexibility to your working life, while supporting you to stay connected to your community.

DVA is committed to improving the data skills and capability of our workforce to underpin our goal of becoming a leading data-driven organisation.

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) exists to fulfil the nation’s duty to support our serving and ex-serving Australian Defence Force members and their families. We do this through programs of care, compensation, commemoration, income and Defence support services. Our aim is to enhance self-sufficiency, quality of life, financial wellbeing and community recognition for those we support. DVA is both a policy and service delivery agency. We have strong relationships with Australian ex-service organisations, Federal and State Government agencies and the veteran community. DVA’s vision is to honour veterans, and empower them and their families to continue life after service, within a society that understands and values their military service and their ongoing contribution to the community.