The Performance and Talent team is part of the Recruitment and Staff Development Branch, which delivers integrated people services that strengthen the capability and performance of the NDIA. The branch provides strategic leadership across performance and talent, learning and development, and recruitment to ensure the agency attracts, develops, and retains a highly capable and diverse workforce. This role is ideal for an experienced HR professional who is passionate about transformation and thrives on leading teams through new and complex work. You will play a key role in building a high performing and engaged workforce by driving and embedding an enhanced talent management approach across the agency. A core focus of the role is to develop, support and grow our talent, strengthening capability now and into the future. The key duties of the position include: Under broad direction, the EL1 Assistant Director Performance & Talent, leads the NDIA’s talent architecture and programs to build a sustainable pipeline of capability. Duties include: Lead the design, maintenance and implementation of the NDIA’s Talent Framework , ensuring it supports workforce planning, critical role pipelines, and consistent talent assessment practices across the agency. Manage the end-to-end delivery of the Graduate and Entry Level Programs, including workforce demand intake, attraction and recruitment, assessment processes, onboarding, rotations, cohort learning pathways, and program evaluation. Coordinate enterprise-wide talent programs and initiatives to build a strong internal talent pipeline for priority roles and future capability needs. Oversee the agency’s mentoring program at scale, including participant onboarding, matching processes, mentor/mentee support, resources, and program evaluation to improve development outcomes. Provide strategic, evidence-based advice to executives on talent, workforce capability, and pipeline risks/opportunities, including preparation of briefs, reports, guidance and recommendations. Lead program governance, planning and delivery, including project schedules, reporting, risk and issue management, budget oversight, and procurement of vendors. Engage and influence internal and external stakeholders, including business leaders, HR/L&D/DEI partners, universities, APS talent networks, and external suppliers to ensure high quality program outcomes. Ensure inclusive, culturally safe and accessible program design, consistent with APS values, accessibility standards and best practice talent management. Lead, develop and support a high performing team, providing coaching, feedback, workload prioritisation and capability development aligned to team and organisational goals. Drive continuous improvement in all talent programs by embedding feedback loops, participant insights, evaluation data, and lessons learned to enhance program quality and participant experience. Represent the agency in internal and external forums, promoting best practice in talent, early career programs and capability development. Eligibility You will be an experienced HR professional who is a confident, capable leader with strong drive and initiative. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in human resources, paired with the ability to unlock new perspectives that drive innovation, productivity and continuous improvement. You will bring strong, inclusive leadership and a proven ability to take teams on a change journey, including in areas where the work is new or evolving. As a proactive self‑starter and strong collaborator, you will work confidently beyond your immediate team and branch, building effective networks and partnerships across the organisation. You will exhibit a positive, future‑focused mindset to change and play a key role in shaping strategic HR outcomes. Experience in workforce planning, talent management, and HR strategy will be highly regarded. Notes While this role is ideally performed from Geelong - VIC, Richmond – VIC, Brisbane - Qld or Canberra – ACT, we are open to accepting applications from other locations as flexible working arrangements can be considered. We intend to fill this role in an ongoing capacity, however non-ongoing roles up to 12 months with the possibility of extension up to 2 years may be offered. Successful candidates will be required to undergo a pre-employment National Police History check, Worker Screening check and/or Working with Children Check (where required) and provide evidence of Australian Citizenship. Applications for this role close: Sunday 22 March 2026 @ 11:30pm AEST If you have any questions, please contact Casey Simpson on 0447 540 or via email: ndis.gov.au Getting to know the National Disability Insurance Agency The NDIS provides funding to eligible people with disability to gain more time with family and friends, greater independence, access to new skills, jobs, or volunteering in their community, and an improved quality of life. The NDIS also connects anyone with disability to services in their community. This includes connections to doctors, community groups, sporting clubs, support groups, libraries and schools, as well as providing information about what support is provided by each state and territory government. The NDIS now supports over 500,000 Australians with disability to access the services and supports they need. This includes supporting approximately 80,000 children with developmental delay, ensuring they receive supports early so that they achieve the best outcomes throughout their lives.
