Chief Operating Officer

Job no: 493760
Work type: Full Time, Full Time / Part Time
Location: Head Office, Canberra
Classification: Senior Executive Service Band 2

Context

Defence Housing Australia (DHA) was established in 1988 following the passage of the Defence Housing Australia Act 1987 (Cth) to provide adequate and suitable housing for, and housing-related services to, members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and their families. We remain committed to our purpose of providing housing and housing-related services to ADF members and their families to support Defence’s operational needs.  

DHA manages an expanding portfolio of housing solutions and provides housing for over 17,200 ADF members and their families and administers rent allowance for more than 16,000 ADF members and their families in private rental accommodation. DHA provides housing-related services, advising on eligibility, providing posting support, and managing bookings and allocation services for all DHA-provided housing and on-base accommodation to approximately 60,000 ADF members.   DHA also manages a range of construction projects, and subdivision developments that can involve complex legal and commercial structures.

To find out more about DHA, please refer to DHA.gov.au or read our latest Annual Report.  

The Role

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is an integral part of DHA senior leadership team. The COO provides leadership and advice, overseeing the Finance & Corporate Support, Governance, Communication, Human Resources and Legal business functions across the agency, influencing the development and implementation of strategies for financial, governance, legal, and HR related outcomes.

The COO is part of DHA’s Executive Group and Investment Committee and is a key engagement role across the whole of DHA’s activities, building and maintaining relationships with DHA’s Board and key stakeholders, including joint ministers and government agencies.

The COO leads a team of four direct reports:

• Chief General Counsel, responsible for leading DHA’s corporate strategic and tactical legal initiatives, providing senior management with effective advice on company strategies and their implementation, managing the legal function, and obtaining and overseeing the work of external counsel.
• Chief Governance Officer, who provides best-practice leadership and advice, influencing the development and implementation of strategies for governance outcomes. The CGO is a key engagement role across the whole of DHA’s activities, building and maintaining relationships with DHA’s Board and key stakeholders, including joint ministers and government agencies. The CGO also holds the positions of Chief Security Officer, Chief Audit Executive, and Principal Officer delegate under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013.
• Chief People Officer, who delivers a range of functions, including representation on employment matters, end-to-end employee lifecycle, capability development and working to build a positive and inclusive workplace culture. The CPO leads the delivery of a range of transactional and corporate support services, ensuring that people-performance information and operational insights are accessible and meaningful to stakeholders.
• Chief Financial Officer, providing financial leadership, strategic advice, business insight and delivering a range of transactional and corporate support functions. This includes providing input into the development of DHA’s strategy and business plans, making a strong contribution to the identification of opportunities, direction of initiatives, and shaping of activities, as well as offering insight, financial sustainability assessment, financial and investment analysis, and forecasts.

All SES roles represent the Australian Public Service (APS) and government externally to stakeholders and are characterised by a high level of accountability for outcomes. How outcomes are delivered is equally as important as the outcome. The Secretaries’ Charter of Leadership Behaviours sets out the behaviours that secretaries expect of themselves, the SES, and those they want to see in leaders at all levels of the APS.  The Charter focuses on behaviours that support modern systems leadership within the construct of the APS Values and Code of Conduct. These behaviours build on the Integrated Leadership System and APS Leadership Capability Framework.

Qualifications and Experience Requirements

The COO will have:

• Demonstrated experience across a broad range of subject matter as well as specialised experience within one or more of the following disciples: Financial, HR, Legal and Compliance.
• Strong leadership and problem-solving skills/analysis and exemplify personal drive and integrity.
• Excellent communication skills and able to negotiate persuasively.
• The ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships across functions and portfolios.
• A demonstrated ability to shape strategic thinking and achieve results.
• Experience or capability to work with a board of directors.
• Developed ability to contribute to organisational leadership, including to implementing strategies building organisation capability and responsiveness, and continuous improvement activities across a range of functions.
• Demonstrated an active commitment to the APS Code of Conduct, values, leadership capabilities and performance.

Eligibility Requirements

Employment with DHA is subject to the following conditions:

• Australian Citizenship.
• Security Clearance: The occupant of this position must obtain and retain an AGSVA security clearance to the specified level.
• Probation: A probation period will apply to any new ongoing engagement to the Australian Public Service.

RecruitAbility applies to this vacancy.

Under the RecruitAbility scheme you will be invited to participate in further assessment activity for the vacancy if you choose to apply under the scheme; declare you have a disability; and meet the minimum requirements for the job. For more information visit: https://www.apsc.gov.au/recruitability. This initiative/program is only applicable where the successful applicant will be employed under the Public Service Act 1999. Similar conditions may apply when employed under other Acts. 

Merit Pool Creation

Applicants suitable for the role but not offered the position for the current vacancy, may be placed in a merit list or pool. If the applicant agrees, the results may be shared with other Australian Public Service (APS) agencies for filling similar roles. Applicants may be offered a future role, without the need to reapply. A merit list or pool may be used for up to 18 months. This merit list or pool may be used to fill other vacancies anywhere in Australia.

For more information please go to APSC's website -The APS Merit Principle.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted through Beaumont and Beaumont’s online recruitment system: https://www.beaumontandbeaumont.com.au/11586

Your application should include:

• A written pitch of up to 1000 words which outline your skills and experience and how they align to the advertised role.
• An up-to-date CV

Before applying, please review the Candidate Information Pack and selection criteria. If you have further questions after reviewing the materials or if you need assistance with the application process, please contact Jonathan Beaumont on (02) 6126 4500 or via DHA@beaumontandbeaumont.com.au.

All enquiries will be kept in strict confidence.

Please note, applications close 11:30 PM AEDT 9 November 2025.

View Candidate Pack