EL1 Assistant Director - Strategy, Risk and Finance

Who we are

The Inspector-General of Water Compliance (Inspector-General) is an independent statutory role and an identified integrity agency, supported by staff provided by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment & Water (the Department).

Inspector-General’s vision: Effective and resilient water management across the Murray-Darling Basin, today and for future generations.

Inspector-General’s purpose: To drive the integrity of water management across the Murray-Darling Basin.

The Inspector-General’s role includes oversighting the performance of government agencies in the management of Basin water resources, as well as ensuring compliance with various commitments under legislation.

The Inspector-General currently has offices located in Adelaide, Albury, Brisbane, Canberra, Dubbo, Goondiwindi, Melbourne, Mildura and Sydney. The Inspector-General can support regional relocation to one of our Basin communities.

The Operations Branch

The Operations Branch provides enabling services and strategic support that strengthen organisational capability and ensure the office can effectively deliver its legislative and operational responsibilities. The Branch partners with business areas to provide consistent, high-quality and fit-for-purpose advice and services, applying specialist expertise to meet operational needs and support strategic priorities.

The Operations Branch is responsible for:

• Strategy and Governance
• Information and communications technology and data
• Regulatory Best Practice

Strategy and Governance team

The Strategy and Governance team is the administrative centre of the Inspector-General of Water Compliance, and is responsible for establishing and administering governance, risk, and reporting frameworks, as well as facilitating corporate services for the office, in accordance with the legislative and administrative responsibilities of the Inspector-General.

The Strategy and Governance team is responsible for:

• Corporate Governance
• Strategy and planning
• Enterprise risk management
• Corporate services, including finance and procurement, human resources and WHS
• Change management
• Office-wide coordination

The job

The Assistant Director Strategy, Risk and Finance supports the Director Strategy and Governance in the development, oversight and maintenance of the organisational budget; monitoring of enterprise risk; and development and monitoring of organisational strategy, including associated reports and publications. They also contribute to the ongoing improvement of the organisation's corporate governance practices, ensuring compliance with relevant policies, procedures and obligations, and promoting consistent governance practices across the agency.

The Assistant Director Strategy, Risk and Finance is a suitably qualified professional with extensive experience in organisational strategy and enterprise risk. They are responsible for leading and managing a team in the delivery of organisational strategy, risk and finance services across multiple locations throughout the Murray-Darling Basin, including regional localities.

Under the broad direction and with the support of the Director Strategy and Governance, in this role you will be responsible for:

• Managing the implementation and maintenance of the Inspector-General’s Risk Management Framework in accordance with departmental policies and procedures, and Commonwealth Risk Management Policy.
• Supporting the Strategy and Governance team in setting the strategic direction and forward work program of the Inspector-General which includes:
• The coordination and delivery of the annual work plan
• The coordination and delivery of the annual report
• The review, creation and maintenance of the strategic plan
• Reporting against operational and work plan deliverables.
• Overseeing financial functions of the office, including:
• the design and implementation of both the administrative and operational budget for the division
• procurement
• fleet and property coordination.
• Overseeing, coordinating and preparing a range of written material including statutory publications, reports and advice regarding strategy, finance and risk.
• Providing leadership, mentoring, and coaching to team members.
• Providing high level advice on organisational strategy, risk and financial matters.
• Engaging in business planning and ensuring alignment with policies and procedures.
• Managing the continuous improvement of governance tools and documentation.
• Coordinating the preparation of instructional and other guidance material and operational template documents in relevant fields, including organisational risk management.
• Managing and monitoring projects undertaken by the team that aim to deliver more efficient and effective business processes and impact on strategic, or operational outcomes.
• Managing secretariat services for relevant committees, such as risk management committees.
• Identifying and progressing opportunities for practice and/or process improvements.
• Performing other duties and functions in support of the Inspector-General and team, as required.

What you’ll gain from the experience

• • Work with an independent integrity agency in a complex legislative environment.
• Flexible working arrangements are available at all levels.
• Regional relocation assistance available.

What we are looking for

We are seeking candidates who can demonstrate the following:

Knowledge and Experience

With a keen eye for detail and a strategic mindset, we are seeking a highly motivated, experienced and driven team member to manage a small team in providing strategy, financial and risk management support and advice for the Inspector-General. The Assistant Director Strategy, Risk and Finance will have strong risk management expertise, and should be able to demonstrate the following:

• An extensive knowledge of enterprise risk including identification, planning and reporting.
• Proven ability to communicate and negotiate, working collaboratively with internal stakeholders to identify and implement continuous improvement and processes in the delivery of risk management for the Inspector-General and team.
• Proven ability to plan and manage allocated resources, develop appropriate controls, monitor achievement against plans and adjust plans to manage competing tasks under limited direction.
• Experience motivating team members, building cooperation between work areas and improving team performance.
• Ideally candidates will also have extensive experience in corporate governance, organisational strategy, project management and/or budget development and monitoring.

Skills and Capabilities

The successful candidate will demonstrate the following:

• Comprehensive Enterprise Risk Management Expertise: Demonstrated ability to design, implement, and oversee risk management processes, including developing and maintaining corporate and strategic risk registers.
• Risk Identification and Mitigation: identify and analysing risks in the working environment identifying solutions to address these risks, including developing, reviewing and/or updating processes, tools and systems.
• Strategic Planning and Governance Skills: Proven capability in developing and monitoring organisational strategies, including strategic plans, annual reports, and work plans, ensuring alignment with policy objectives and operational deliverables.
• Financial Management Proficiency: experience in overseeing budgets, procurement, and financial operations, including the design and implementation of administrative and operational budgets, is desirable.
• Leadership and Team Development: Strong leadership skills, with the ability to mentor and coach team members, foster professional growth, and manage multi-location teams to deliver high-quality outcomes.
• High-Level Communication Abilities: Skilled in preparing statutory publications, reports, and advice on strategy, risk, and finance, as well as providing actionable recommendations for governance improvements and business process enhancements.
• Problem solving skills: show initiative and originality in working with complex issues and applying innovative techniques to suggest a range of potential solutions to problems.
• Build effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders as a trusted in-house expert.
• Work collaboratively and cooperatively as a member of a team, contributing to ideas, coordinating projects, suggesting improvements and leading and developing other team members, as appropriate.

Mandatory qualifications

The successful candidate must hold:

• Relevant qualifications, and/or equivalent experience in risk management.
• Qualifications and/or relevant experience in the following areas are also desirable: finance, governance, strategy, public administration or business.

Flexible employment arrangements are available with the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.