Assistant Director, AI Adoption & Governance

Geoscience Australia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Cultures: and to elders past and present.

About us

Geoscience Australia is Australia's pre-eminent public sector geoscience organisation. We are the nation's trusted advisor on the geology and geography of Australia. We apply science and technology to describe and understand the Earth for the benefit of Australia. We apply our diverse professional expertise, our deep and trusted knowledge, our national-scale Earth observation infrastructure and our strong partnerships, to the opportunities and challenges that face our nation.

Our culture

Our strength lies in our people, including our diversity in backgrounds, skills and experiences, and the way we work together to respond to the emerging needs of our work. We value diversity in gender, backgrounds, culture, and experiences of our employees and are committed to providing an inclusive workplace culture that ensures everyone has equal opportunity to contribute, participate and progress. Applications from people who reflect this diversity are encouraged.

Our workplace is committed to the health, safety and wellbeing of our employees and offer a variety of flexible working arrangements to enhance flexibility, including remote working arrangements.

What we can offer you

When you work at Geoscience Australia you will have access to a range of benefits and the opportunity to experience a workplace culture that truly values and promotes diversity, inclusion, equity and belonging. To learn more about our competitive salary, free onsite parking, generous flexible working arrangements and the role you can play in growing our culture click here.

Our team

The Chief Information and Transformation Officer (CITO) Branch is responsible for driving the organisation’s digital, data, and business transformation agenda. The branch provides strategic leadership and governance for information and communication technology (ICT), data management, security, and enterprise architecture, ensuring systems and platforms are secure, reliable, and aligned with organisational priorities.

The CITO Branch leads the design and delivery of innovative, user-centric digital services while enabling continuous improvement across business processes. It works in partnership with business areas to modernise capabilities, leverage data for decision-making, and embed scalable, future-ready solutions. The branch also fosters a culture of agility, collaboration, and innovation to support sustainable transformation and improved outcomes for stakeholders.

The role

The Assistant Director, AI Adoption and Governance is responsible for leading the design, implementation and continuous improvement of enterprise AI governance and adoption, translating whole‑of‑government policy into agency practice, and enabling safe, high‑value use of AI aligned to organisational priorities.

What you’ll do

You will play a critical leadership role in ensuring AI at Geoscience Australia is ethical, secure, sustainable and aligns with whole of government requirements.

Advise and enable decision-making

• Provide strategic advice to the AI Accountable Official, Chief AI Officer and Executive on AI obligations, risks and opportunities
• Prepare high-quality briefings, submissions and decision papers
• Support business case evaluation, prioritisation and risk-based decision-making for AI use cases

Embed AI governance and assurance

• Operationalise whole-of-government AI frameworks, standards and policies
• Embed risk, ethics, accountability and transparency into AI use
• Oversee AI assurance activities (e.g. impact assessments, AI register, audit readiness)

Drive AI adoption and delivery

• Establish a pipeline of AI use cases, with effective prioritisation and business ownership
• Support capability uplift and practical adoption of AI across the organisation
• Establish and track adoption and performance metrics (e.g. usage, productivity uplift, risk posture)

Collaborate and influence

• Build strong partnerships across the organisation, coordinating input from business, data, digital, legal and governance teams
• Influence the adoption of consistent and responsible AI practices
• Represent the agency in cross-government AI communities, forums and working groups
• Coordinate and grow an internal AI Community of Practice

Support transformation and organisational alignment

• Align AI initiatives with enterprise strategic outcomes and organisational transformation priorities
• Manage interdependencies with transformation workstreams, including digital, data and workforce initiatives

Work-related attributes

• Outcomes-focused and comfortable working in a fast-changing environment
• Collaborative, with strong relationship-building skills
• Curious, adaptable and committed to continuous learning
• Motivated to apply innovation in a public sector context
• Flexible in taking on new challenges, working with different areas of the organisation and contributing to organisational priorities.

Required skills, experience and/or qualifications

• Experience in governance, risk, policy or assurance in a public sector context
• Experience translating policy into operational frameworks and practices
• Proven ability to provide strategic advice and executive-level briefings
• Experience leading organisational change or technology adoption initiatives
• Understanding of AI capabilities, risks, ethics, and responsible use (deep technical skills not required)
• Strong communication skills when working with a highly technical workforce
• Proven ability to engage and influence stakeholders across diverse functions

Success in this role looks like

• AI governance frameworks implemented and operating effectively
• Increased safe and compliant AI adoption across the organisation
• Identifiable delivery of high-value AI use cases
• Positive assurance outcomes
• Strong engagement across internal and APS AI communities

Are you unsure about applying?

Did you know that a Hewlett Packard internal report found that men apply for jobs when they meet an average of 60 per cent of the job requirements? Women and other people from diverse backgrounds tend to only apply when they check every box. If you think you have what it takes, but don’t necessarily meet every single point on what we are looking for, please still apply or get in touch with the contact officer to learn more about the role.

Please visit the careers page of our website to submit your application via our e-Recruit system. Your application should include:

• Your resume (no more than 3 pages)
• A brief statement (no more than 700 words) outlining your transferable skills, experience and capabilities related to the role and the value you would bring to Geoscience Australia.

If you have any questions regarding the role, please contact Kia Wallwork on (02) 6249 9*** or email ************@ga.gov.au.  

To learn more about applying for roles within the Australian Public Services please review, ‘Applying for an APS job: cracking the code’.

Use of AI in Recruitment

Geoscience Australia may use Microsoft Copilot to support limited administrative and preparatory aspects of the recruitment process. Artificial Intelligence is not used to assess or select candidates, and all decisions are human-led and based on merit.

Candidates must ensure their application reflects their own skills, experience and capabilities. Any use of AI must be responsible, transparent where required, and must not misrepresent their suitability for the role.  

Candidates will be asked to disclose their use of AI when submitting an application and may also be asked to do so at various stages throughout the recruitment process.

Applicants are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the Principles for candidate use of AI in recruitment, as well as the Principles for agency use of AI in recruitment which outline expectations for the responsible, ethical and transparent use of AI when applying for APS roles.

To be eligible to apply for this position you must meet the below eligibility criteria.

• Be an Australian Citizen at the closing date of application.
• The successful applicant must be able to obtain, hold and maintain a Baseline security clearance.
• Commencement of employment is subject to the successful applicant undergoing and satisfying pre- employment screening, which includes a police history check.

RecruitAbility

RecruitAbility applies to this vacancy. Under the RecruitAbility scheme you will be invited to participate in further assessment activity for the vacancy if you choose to apply under the scheme; declare you have a disability; and meet the minimum requirements for the position. For more information, please visit the Australian Public Service Commission website.

Hearing or speech impaired applicants are invited to use the National Relay Service by contacting 133 677, and requesting to be connected with our Recruitment team on 02 6249 9*** in order to obtain selection documentation.

Technical Assistance

If you require technical assistance, call Human Resources on (02) 6249 9*** or email ***********@ga.gov.au.

A merit list/pool may be created from this process. If you are successful for the merit pool, your details may be shared with other Australian Public Service agencies unless you choose not to have your details disclosed.