Executive Director, Audit, Risk and Operational Governance

• Full time ongoing role
• Join a leadership group transforming education in NSW, and make a difference to students in NSW
• Ongoing Public Service senior executive band 2 role with a remuneration range of $327,198 - $364,617 per annum
• Based in Parramatta with flexible work options

About us

At the NSW Department of Education, we educate and inspire lifelong learners – from early childhood, through schooling to vocational education and training.

We ensure young children get the best start in life by supporting and regulating the early childhood education and care sector. We unlock excellence and unleash the potential of two-thirds of school children in NSW. We’re proudly public and the largest education system in Australia. We nurture opportunities for every learner to develop the skills needed for their chosen career path, helping shape the industries of tomorrow.

We respect and value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as First Peoples of Australia.

About the role

The Executive Director, Audit, Risk, and Operational Governance is the Chief Audit Executive for the department.  Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the role provides high-level strategic leadership and expert oversight of the Department’s operational governance, audit, fraud and corruption prevention and compliance functions with administrative oversight of the risk function.

For more details about this role, please click here to view the Role Description.

About you

You will be a strong people leader with extensive experience in providing operational governance and risk management within similar large, complex and multi-disciplinary environments.

In this pivotal role, you will collaborate with stakeholders to implement coordinated and cohesive systems, responding adaptively to growing demand for services and rapidly changing priorities while at the same time pursuing change and reform to frameworks and practices.

As a leader you will join an executive team focused on driving improved ways of working to deliver meaningful and long-lasting impact. You will be collaborative, courageous, agile, and disciplined about delivering outcomes for the students of NSW.

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Appropriate tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline such as education, business, management, social sciences or communications, and/or equivalent knowledge and experience.
• Appropriate professional certifications and qualifications (recognised by the Institute of Internal Auditors, CPA Australia or Chartered Accountants Australian and New Zealand) and/or demonstrated high-level experience for the oversight of a highly effective internal audit function.
• Demonstrated experience in leading a large and complex audit function, deep technical skills and extensive experience in developing and executing high quality and relevant internal audit programs coupled with comprehensive knowledge of key state and/or commonwealth legislation related to audit’s assurance over operational activities.
• Demonstrated senior-level experience in a large, complex organisation providing strategic leadership in governance, risk management, and assurance, with expertise in advising executives and Audit and Risk Committees, and overseeing governance frameworks, enterprise risk, controls assurance, and emerging risks.
• Knowledge of and commitment to implementing the Department’s Aboriginal Education Policy and upholding the Department’s Partnership Agreement with the NSW AECG and to ensure quality outcomes for Aboriginal people.
• Hold a valid clearance to work with children (Working with Children Check).
• Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to the value of public education.

As a condition of employment, successful candidates who have not previously worked for the department will be required to provide a current Working with Children Check (WWCC) Clearance number. This option would allow the WWCC to naturally expire without further communication needed with the employee. The employer obligations under the WWCC would apply for duration of the WWCC’s validity (up to 5 years).

Interested?

To apply for this role, please submit an online application and attach your resume along with a cover letter which describes how your capabilities, knowledge and experience make you the best person for this role.

Applications Close: 11:59pm on Sunday, 14 June 2026

Contact: For enquiries about the recruitment of this role, please contact [email protected]

Please note:
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including but not limited to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, people of any age or gender, people from culturally and linguistically diverse groups and/or from the LGBTQIA+ community, veterans, refugees, people with disability, people with sensory differences, and neurodiverse people. If we can make some adjustments to our recruitment/interview process to better help you shine, please reach out to the contact person for this recruitment, details listed above. For more information, visit the NSW Department of Education’s Diversity, equity and inclusion webpage.

A talent pool may be created for future ongoing and temporary roles and is valid for a period of up to 18 months. Candidates on a talent pool may be chosen and directly offered employment in other or similar roles (ongoing or term) in the near future.