Assistant Director

The Consumer Energy Resources (CER) Branch is focused on implementing national reform priorities under the National Consumer Energy Resources Roadmap (the Roadmap) Implementation Plan, which was endorsed by Energy Minister and Climate Change Council in 2024. This involves leading the interjurisdictional CER Working Group responsible for delivery of the roadmap, and reporting to ministers on progress. The branch leads a CER Taskforce comprised of officials, market body secondees and contractors, which is progressing several projects under the Roadmap, including the development and oversight of project plans. The branch oversees a CER Taskforce Reference Group that leans on the technical expertise of key stakeholders to provide input into work under the Roadmap. The branch is made up of several teams responsible for leading on projects covering different areas under the Roadmap Implementation Plan. There are teams responsible for the development of technology interoperability standards for CER including electric vehicles (EVs) (CER Technology and Standards), establishing a national regulatory framework to oversee and enforce standards (National Regulatory Framework for CER), and reforms to market and power system operations (CER Market Reform). There are also teams responsible for taskforce coordination (Taskforce program office) and policy advice (Policy). Policy advice and analysis covers CER but extends to distributed energy resources more broadly, including integration of EVs into the grid. The CER Consumer Information team is responsible for developing a communication framework and strategy to support consumers to understand the role that CER can play in the energy system, and their opportunities to participate, creating benefits for themselves and others. The CER Technology and Standards team is working on projects to optimise the energy system to accommodate CER as an integral part. A key element is the development of technology interoperability standards for CER, including electric vehicles (EVs). The CER Program Office supports the CER Taskforce branch by providing secretariat services to key stakeholder groups, program governance reporting, and general project management support. It also helps identify and coordinate work between CER priority areas in the CER Roadmap. The CER Market Reform team is working on developing well-designed markets and incentives to optimise utilisation of CER and existing grid assets to unlock significant value for market participants, including networks and consumers. Key initiatives include: redefining roles for market and power system operations, establishing CER data sharing arrangements, and enabling new market offers and tariff structures. The National CER Technical Regulatory Framework team is designing a new regulatory framework that is consumer-centric, future focused and administers a nationally consistent regulatory environment for establishing and enforcing CER technical standards and addressing associated issues. It is anticipated a Commonwealth regulator will be required as part of the regulatory framework. The team will be responsible for ensuring the establishment of the Commonwealth regulator including gaining policy support, informing the drafting of legislation and guiding the legislation through the Parliament. The CER Policy team provides strategic policy oversight of the CER landscape in Australia. The team tracks relevant trends and emerging issues and seeks innovative solutions to key CER policy challenges. Outputs include new policy proposals, briefings and policy advice to the government. Collaboration with other CER Taskforce branch teams, other policy areas, agencies and CER stakeholders is core work for the Policy team. The key duties of the position include: Depending upon the role, duties may include all or some of the following: undertaking and/or coordinating research and analysis (potentially including supporting data, modelling, legislative/regulatory, and/or procurement activities) developing and providing advice based on that research and analysis developing briefings for the executive, the Minister and other areas of the department/other agencies as needed (both oral and written) drafting cabinet submissions or parts of cabinet submissions liaising with stakeholders, including with market participants, energy market bodies, state and territory governments and other Commonwealth departments and agencies, on complex policy and regulatory issues program and project management managing government processes, such procurements (e.g. support research, data analysis, modelling etc.) managing staff For detailed information about the job-specific capabilities for this role, please view the Job Description which can be downloaded from our website - the Apply Now link will take you there. 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 Check - 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 of 6 months.

Location: Perth CBD, AU

Posted Date: 2/1/2025