Manager, Cyber Security and AI

• Help children have the best start in life through high quality education & care. 

• Improve outcomes for children and families in early education and care. 

• Join an expert team working across governments at the national level. 

About ACECQA

We want children in Australia to have the best start in life through quality education and care. 

We provide national leadership on the implementation of the National Quality Framework  (NQF) and collaborate with the Australian and state and territory governments to: 

• implement changes that benefit children birth to 13 years-of-age and their families

• monitor and promote the consistent application of the Education and Care Services National  Law across all states and territories 

• support the early childhood education and care sector to improve quality outcomes for  children 

We strive for innovation and continuous improvement and are committed to keeping the sector and  the community informed with the latest developments in early childhood education and care. 

ACECQA is committed to being a child-safe organisation, implementing the National Principles for  Child Safe Organisations and actively promoting the safety and wellbeing of children. 

The Role 

The Manager, Cyber Security and AI leads the development, implementation and continuous  improvement of ACECQA’s cyber security and AI strategy, policies, systems and governance  frameworks. The role ensures compliance with legal, regulatory and risk obligations, provides expert  advice to support secure technology decision-making, and drives the delivery of secure systems  through effective controls, tools and practices. Working closely with IT, developers, risk and privacy  teams, and external vendors, the position oversees security and AI policy, standards and assurance  activities, while partnering with IT Operations to ensure security controls are effectively  implemented and maintained across the organisation 

This role is full-time and ongoing at ACECQA Band 7/8 ($151,513 - $203,841).

About You 

To be successful in this role you will need: 

• Demonstrated experience leading cyber security and security operations functions within  government or medium-sized organisations, working closely with IT teams to manage cyber  risk and security controls. 

• Demonstrated experience applying recognised cyber security frameworks and standards,  including PSPF, ISM, ASD Essential Eight, ISO 27001, NIST and/or MITRE ATT&CK, across  corporate and digital service environments. 

• Demonstrated experience developing and governing organisational AI strategy, risk  management and assurance frameworks, including secure adoption and oversight of AI  technologies. 

• Demonstrated experience implementing and administering Microsoft 365 Copilot or similar  AI platforms, including information protection, access controls, data governance and  security compliance. 

• Strong leadership, stakeholder engagement and analytical skills, with the ability to develop  high-performing teams and influence secure technology practices. 

• Proven ability to communicate cyber security and AI risks to technical and non-technical  audiences, and to deliver security awareness and capability-building initiatives.

• Demonstrated experience in IT and cyber risk management using recognised risk  management frameworks. 

• Demonstrated experience in security architecture and cloud security, particularly within  Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365 environments. 

• Demonstrated experience implementing and managing a range of cyber security and AI  security technologies, including identity and access management, threat detection and  response, data protection, vulnerability management and security monitoring. 

While not essential, the following attributes will greatly assist you in the role:

• Tertiary qualifications in IT and/or relevant industry certifications in cyber security,  governance, risk and compliance. 

• Experience with enterprise platforms such as CRM, ERP, ECM and HCM systems.

• Demonstrated experience with PCI-DSS compliance and information security assurance  activities. 

• Solid understanding of web application security, OWASP principles, Secure SDLC and  DevSecOps practices. 

• Experience developing and governing enterprise security architecture using recognised  frameworks. 

• Demonstrated experience conducting information systems audits and security reviews.

• Experience in project delivery and governance, with recognised project management  methodologies and qualifications desirable. 

ACECQA is committed to removing barriers and opening up opportunities. As an employer we seek  to ensure people with differing needs and abilities have the same opportunities to successfully gain  skills, knowledge and experience through work, social activities, education and training irrespective  of their age, disability, colour, race, gender, religion, sexuality, family responsibilities, or location. In 

particular, we are committed to improving opportunities and outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres  Strait Islander peoples. 

You must have the right to work and live in Australia to apply for this role. 

The successful candidate will be required to consent to a national police check. How to apply 

The closing date for applications is 6 October 2026 at 11.59pm.  

Important Note: Please ensure you follow the recruitment process outlined below, otherwise you  may not be considered for the role. 

To apply, please register with the ACECQA Recruitment Candidate Portal, navigate to Manager,  Cyber Security and AI vacancy and click Apply for Job. The application process will require you to: 

• Attach a CV of no more than 5 pages which demonstrates your ability to meet the criteria  contained in the position description. 

• Provide the details of at least two referees who have directly supervised you within the last  five years of employment. 

• Attach a written response to the targeted questions below of no more than 2 pages  

Targeted Questions 

1. Describe an IT or cyber security and AI strategy or system you have led and describe how it  improved support for business operations or its cyber security posture. 

2. Outline your approach to the leadership and management of governance, risk and  compliance in IT, cyber security and AI. 

All complete applications will be acknowledged. 

More information 

If you have any questions about the role or recruitment process, please contact the Recruitment team at [email protected] .  

Notice to agencies 

ACECQA will not accept applications from any source other than directly from a candidate for this  vacancy. Recruitment agencies must have received instructions from ACECQA in relation to a  specific vacancy in order to submit applications on behalf of candidates. 

ACECQA is collecting the information requested in the advertisement for the purpose of selection,  recruitment and engagement of staff. ACECQA is authorised to do so by the Education and Care  Services National Law. Please refer to our Privacy Policy which can be accessed at  http://www.acecqa.gov.au/privacy-policy.