The Role
Your duties will include:
1. Providing strategic advice to key stakeholders as it relates to Defence’s international policy priorities and international engagement activities. This includes providing advice to DSTG’s leadership on the scope and direction of international engagements, and support and guidance to Defence IS&T Counsellors and Minister Counsellors posted internationally.
2. Managing a country portfolio of international engagement, including leading and managing a range of departmental and international stakeholder relationships, and representing DSTG at meetings related to international engagement.
3. Producing briefing material on a range of DSTG activities to support Defence’s strategic international policy and engagement objectives.
4. Managing inbound and outbound international visits, dialogues, and events.
5. Negotiating DSTG's international legal government-to-government arrangements.
6. Preparing briefs and correspondence as required on issues relating to DSTG’s capacity and capability to deliver scientific advice and innovative technology solutions for Defence and national security.
7. Providing advice to senior management and stakeholders on the application of DSTG’s resources and scientific developments to meet Defence requirements and support DSTG’s senior leadership at various departmental and inter-departmental fora.
8. Participating in work to anticipate and resolve science and technology issues from a Defence and scientific perspective to meet business objectives.
The Workplace Environment Includes:
9. Computer Use.
10. Graphical/Analytical based.
11. Sitting at desk.
12. Lifting 0-15kg.
13. Climbing, Bending, Squatting, Reaching, Push/pull.
14. Manual dexterity/manipulation.
15. Distance walking (i.e. large building or inter-building transit).
16. Requirement to wear personal protective equipment (PPE).
17. Exposure to Petrol, Oil, Lubricant Products that may cause dermatological conditions.
18. Dangerous Goods/ Equipment.
About our Team
The S&T International Engagement (S&TIE) team contributes to building capabilities for Defence through enabling Defence to obtain the research, innovation, knowledge and capabilities it needs from international partners. S&TIE achieves this by promoting strong international Defence Innovation Science and Technology (IS&T) partnerships and leveraging world-class capabilities.
S&TIE works to identify, facilitate and enable collaborative activities between DSTG and international partners through managing relationships, coordinating engagement activities and negotiating government-to-government bilateral and multilateral arrangements. The team also provides strategic guidance and works closely with DSTG’s posted staff in embassies and high commissions overseas, including in the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Republic of Korea and Singapore.
The S&TIE team comprises of Australia-based International Policy Officers as well as Minister Counsellors and Counsellors for Defence Science and Technology at Australian Embassies and High Commissions, who provide strategic guidance and advice on all international (IS&T) matters. The Science Strategy and Policy Directorate covers: Science Policy and Governance, National Science Policy and Science Strategy and Coordination.
Together, the SSP Directorate is DSTG’s lead for influencing, coordinating and developing policies and strategies related to Defence innovation, science and technology, and national science policy. We develop strong relationships both within DSTG and Defence, as well as across government and with industry and academia. Our mission is to understand Defence’s strategic context, develop approaches for DSTG to respond to this context, advocate for Defence science, and ensure world leading best practice shapes DSTG’s policy and strategy approach.
Our Ideal Candidate
Our ideal candidate will have strong written and verbal communication skills and experience in preparing strategic advice. You will be engaging, collaborative and able to liaise with stakeholders from across Defence, other government agencies, industry and academic partners and international counterparts. For the S&TIE team the ideal candidate should also possess and maintain sound awareness of global affairs influencing IS&T.
You will have experience or an active interest in developing the skills required to draft and negotiate international government-to-government arrangements. Most importantly, you will be a flexible team player who understands the value of working across the team and in partnership with departmental and interdepartmental colleagues.
The ideal candidate for the SSP Directorate should also be able to manage short-notice, reactive tasks alongside more involved, longer-term pieces of work. The candidate should have experience preparing a range of different material, including briefing material, strategies and policy position papers.
They should be comfortable working in a fluid environment currently undergoing transformation where priorities and responsibilities can change at short notice. Whilst not a mandatory requirement, a background in a science related field or experience engaging across the Australian Innovation, Science and Technology Ecosystem would be advantageous for a role with SSP.