Director Coordination and Priority Initiatives (Australia nationals)

Provide executive-level coordination across the Regulation Branch, leading priority initiatives and cross-agency collaboration.
Integrate regulatory, compliance, audit and broader water management activities, identifying emerging risks and interdependencies.
Translate complex information into clear, practical advice to support strategic decision-making.

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: Water management and use within the Murray-Darling Basin is lawful, transparent, and accountable, and the Australian public is confident in the integrity of Basin Plan delivery.

Inspector-General’s purpose: The Inspector-General ensures various government bodies, water managers and users in the Murray-Darling Basin (the Basin) comply with their obligations under the Water Act 2007 (Cth) (Water Act) and the Basin Plan 2012 (Cth) (Basin Plan) and drives governments and water managers to uphold high standards of integrity and performance.
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, Melbourne, Mildura and Sydney. The Inspector-General can support regional relocation to one of our Basin communities.

The Regulation Branch: The Regulation Branch enables the Inspector–General of Water Compliance’s functions with respect to water trade regulation, audits and investigations, and compliance monitoring:

Compliance monitoring: ensures that the Basin Plan and water resource plans are followed. It encourages Basin governments and agencies to meet their responsibilities and manage Basin water to benefit the whole country. This is done by close monitoring, using accurate and up-to-date information.
Audits: check whether water managers are following the Basin Plan and water resource plan rules.
Investigations and Trade: Investigations follow up where rules have not been followed and take steps to resolve problems, including ensuring compliance with rules who apply to anyone buying, selling or helping trade water.
Coordination and Priority Initiatives: provides executive-level coordination across the Regulation Branch and leads priority initiatives and cross-agency integration. Connects regulatory, compliance, audit and broader water-management activities, identifies emerging risks and interdependencies, and translates complex information into practical advice for organisational decision-making.

The job

The role operates under broad direction with a high degree of independence. The role provides executive-level coordination and leadership across the Regulation Branch, supporting the AIG Regulation through the delivery of priority initiatives, organisational improvement activities, executive coordination and cross-agency integration. The key accountabilities of the Director will include, but are not limited to, the following:

Lead executive coordination and priority initiatives across the Regulation Branch.
Integrate branch planning, priorities, risks and reporting to support timely executive decisions.
Identify interdependencies, emerging risks and opportunities across regulatory and broader water-management activities.
Provide concise strategic advice to the Assistant Inspector-General Regulation on complex and emerging issues, including providing detailed technical or professional advice regarding complex water management, regulation and compliance issues.
Build monitoring and compliance strategies, programs, systems, frameworks and risk assessment tools to support the achievement of the Inspector General’s regulatory objectives.
Build and manage productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders to support collaboration, information sharing and promote the agency’s business objectives.
Drive organisational improvement and align initiatives with the Inspector-General’s strategic plan, values and risk-based approach.
Provide senior-level analysis and integration across the water management system to identify emerging issues, opportunities, risks and interdependencies that may impact the Inspector-General’s regulatory functions and strategic objectives.
Lead staff, allocate resources and manage performance in accordance with legislation and APS and agency requirements.

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:

Key Responsibilities

Maintain a broad understanding of Murray-Darling Basin governance, water policy, water markets, environmental water management, water resource planning, compliance frameworks and regulatory reforms.
Identify connections and dependencies between regulatory, compliance, investigations, oversight, audit and broader water management activities occurring across the Basin.
Analyse emerging trends, reforms and developments across Commonwealth, Basin State and agency programs to inform executive decision-making.
Provide strategic advice to the AIG Regulation on issues that may have implications for regulatory practice, compliance outcomes or future organisational priorities.
Act as a key integration point between the Regulation Branch, Oversight Branch and other corporate functions to ensure awareness of overlapping deliverables, risks and opportunities.
Support whole-of-agency thinking by bringing together information from multiple sources and translating it into actionable insights for executive leaders.
Monitor developments across the water sector and identify areas where the IGWC may need to adjust its approach, capability or future work program.
Foster relationships across government agencies, Basin institutions and internal business areas to support coordination and information sharing.
Ability to travel interstate and within the Murray–Darling Basin when required.

Desirable qualifications

Senior leadership experience in a regulatory, compliance, audit, investigations, or integrity environment.
Demonstrated knowledge of the Murray–Darling Basin, water policy, water resource management, or relevant legislative frameworks.
Experience developing or implementing risk-based regulatory, compliance-monitoring or assurance frameworks.
Experience leading complex, cross-agency initiatives and providing strategic advice to senior executives.
Tertiary qualifications in law, public policy, regulation, environmental or natural resource management, governance, or a related discipline.

Eligibility

Citizenship – to be eligible for employment with the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water you must be an Australian citizen.

Security Clearance – this position requires a Baseline Vetting security clearance. You will be required to obtain and maintain a clearance at this level.

Pre-employment checks – your suitability for employment will be assessed through a pre-employment screening process. This process includes a requirement to undergo and satisfy a National Police Check, referee checks, character clearance and where required a pre-employment medical assessment, specified mandatory qualification(s) validation and a probation period.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in recruitment
You may use AI tools to support your participation in this recruitment process, unless advised otherwise. If you use AI, you must ensure your use is transparent, authentic and truthful, and that all information reflects your own skills and experience.

The department may use AI in a limited, transparent and responsible way to support parts of this recruitment process. AI does not make decisions – all assessments and selection outcomes are made by people.

For more information, see:

For additional information about this opportunity, please read the job description below.

Candidate information pack [PDF]

Candidate information pack [word]

Job Description – Word

Job Description – PDF