Group Leader, Strategic Decision Analysis - Department of Defence - ExecutiveCareer

First listed on: 15 August 2019
Group Leader, Strategic Decision Analysis 


EL2 (S&T Level 7)
$142,470 – $160,330 (plus super)
Edinburgh, SA & Fairbairn, ACT 

Group Leader Strategic Decision Analysis (GL SDA) will provide scientific leadership to the Strategic Decision Analysis Science and Technology Capability (STC) and will report to the Research Leader Strategy and Joint Force (SJF).

The STC develops and applies advanced high-level decision making and analysis approaches across the strategic centre focusing on the whole-of-portfolio, supporting decisions on prioritisation, integration, strategic risk and balance of investment. This STC also includes a significant component on systems science which allows for the understanding, modelling, analysis and managing defence force systems-of-systems.   The Group Leader will be responsible for building the STC capability to meet future requirements in these areas, as well as leading force integration focused client program to meet client needs. The Group Leader will have a strong research background in one, or more, of the disciplines that underpin the group’s work program.

These disciplines include (but not limited to) operations research, systems science, systems engineering, mathematical modelling, strategic risk analysis and data science. The Group Leader will forecast future Defence problems, initiate research and generate new knowledge to produce enhanced Defence capability. They will be able to select the best scientific method to achieve Defence outcomes, and to review the S&T quality of reports and publications prepared by staff in the STC. In collaboration with other STC leaders in the SJF Major Science and Technology Capability (MSTC), the Group Leader will ensure the integrity of the analytical advice delivered through all SJF programs. The Group Leader will lead a complex area of S&T by providing the vision, guidance, direction and collaboration necessary to ensure that the group can be most effectively harnessed to deliver agreed outputs to Defence. They will use their understanding of the Defence context including knowledge across all the warfare domains to understand client priorities and associated requirements, and transpose these into a well-planned set of S&T activities.

In collaboration with other STC and MSTC leaders, they will ensure that the resources of the group are applied to agreed priority activities and will demonstrate flexibility to adjust the work plan as circumstances change. They will provide effective supervision of the senior staff in the STC and be responsible for workforce planning of the group within the broader context of the SJF MSTC. They will create a motivating and collaborative culture within the group to ensure that all the staff can make effective contributions to the output of the STC. Under broad guidelines from the Research Leader SJF, the Group Leader will facilitate the creation of cross-STC, cross-MSTC and cross-Divisional teams, and will develop and maintain appropriate external linkages to industry, universities and overseas organisations.

As change is a norm in modern organisational context, the Group Leader will lead and manage changes, including but not limited to organisational structural changes, effectively and be prepared to take other Group Leader or S&T 7 roles within the MSTC if deemed necessary.

Application Closing Date: Thursday 29 August 2019

For further information please review the job information pack, reference DST/02932/19 on www.defence.gov.au/apscareers