The Director of ESG and Sustainability will lead DHA’s enterprise approach, turning its ESG strategy into governance, reporting and practical priorities across a large housing and property operation. The role advises leaders on emerging issues and builds the internal systems needed to track and manage performance.
DHA’s work connects housing provision for Defence members and families with residential development, property management and government programs. This gives the position a broad remit: bringing environmental, social and governance considerations into decisions about homes, communities, risk and organisational performance. Climate-related reporting and stronger ESG data practices are specific parts of that agenda.
This suits an experienced ESG leader who can work across a complex public-sector enterprise, explain reporting and regulatory expectations clearly, and guide business owners through change. Sound judgement, comfort with ambiguity and the ability to influence across functions will matter as much as technical knowledge.
Job FAQs
What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?
The Director leads implementation and ongoing improvement of DHA’s ESG Strategy and Framework, translating strategic aims into enterprise priorities, governance arrangements and reporting. The role also provides authoritative advice on complex or emerging ESG matters.
A central focus is integrating ESG into business planning, risk management, performance reporting and organisational decisions. The Director leads sustainability and climate-related reporting, strengthens ESG data governance and assurance, monitors legislative and industry developments, and works with business owners to improve organisational capability.
Key learning opportunities for this job
The role could build deep expertise in applying ESG governance and reporting across a large government business enterprise, including the relationship between sustainability, risk, planning and performance. The housing and property remit may also provide experience with ESG issues across development, construction, acquisitions, leasing and property management.
The position is likely to offer exposure to climate-related reporting, data governance, assurance and changing legislative expectations. Leading enterprise change and advising on complex matters could also develop senior leadership and public-sector governance experience. The posting does not specify formal training or certifications.
How does the ideal candidate look like (experience, skills)?
The role calls for an established ESG or sustainability leader able to set enterprise priorities and turn strategy into governance, reporting and organisational practice. Relevant experience could include ESG frameworks, sustainability and climate-related disclosure, data governance, assurance, risk management and regulatory monitoring.
The candidate should be comfortable advising senior leaders, influencing business owners and working through competing priorities. Clear communication, sound judgement and experience leading organisational change are likely to be important. The vacancy requires Australian citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain the required security clearance; specific qualifications are not stated in the supplied description.
Advice to stand out and make a successful application
DHA requests a current resume and a 500-word, one-page pitch addressing the role requirements. Use the pitch to connect specific examples of enterprise ESG leadership to the position’s core needs: implementing a framework, improving reporting and assurance, strengthening data governance, and embedding ESG in planning and risk decisions.
Show how you influenced business owners to deliver shared outcomes, managed ambiguity and responded to changing regulatory expectations. Where possible, explain the scale of the work and the evidence used to assess progress. Follow the cited Australian Public Service Commission guidance and address behaviours in the Integrated Leadership System at this role’s level.
What aspects of the company's sustainability is this role likely to focus on?
The role is likely to focus on DHA’s enterprise ESG strategy and framework, with climate and sustainability reporting, data quality, governance and assurance among the stated priorities. It also brings ESG considerations into organisational planning, risk management and performance decisions.
Given DHA’s housing, property management and development activities, the work could connect sustainability with the organisation’s housing portfolio and the communities it serves. The supplied description does not identify specific emissions targets or environmental projects, so the precise operational focus would depend on DHA’s strategy and reporting priorities.
What are the main challenges someone in this role might face?
A key challenge could be turning enterprise ESG objectives into consistent action across a complex organisation with multiple projects and business owners. Integrating ESG into planning, risk and performance routines may require influencing teams that have different priorities and levels of reporting maturity.
The Director must also manage changing legislative and industry expectations while strengthening data governance and assurance. Producing credible reporting from information gathered across varied housing and property activities could require careful coordination, clear ownership and sound judgement when information is incomplete.
How could a typical day look like for someone in this position?
A typical day could combine reviewing ESG and climate reporting, assessing data or assurance gaps, and advising leaders on an emerging regulatory or governance question. The Director may also meet with business owners to connect ESG priorities with their plans, risks and performance measures.
The balance is likely to shift with reporting cycles, concurrent projects and new requirements. Some days may focus on strategy and executive advice, while others involve working through data quality, governance arrangements or change priorities with teams across the organisation.
What are the opportunities for professional growth and development in this role?
The position could deepen experience in enterprise ESG leadership, public-sector governance and sustainability reporting within a substantial housing and property operation. It offers scope to develop expertise in climate disclosure, ESG data governance, assurance and the integration of sustainability into risk and performance management.
Leading capability uplift and advising on complex issues may also broaden executive-level influence and change leadership skills. Potential future directions could include broader corporate sustainability, governance or risk leadership, although DHA does not specify a promotion pathway in the supplied information.
The main stakeholders you might be interacting with
The Director is likely to work with the Governance and Communication Branch, senior leaders and business owners responsible for planning, risk, performance and operational delivery. Their interactions would include advising decision-makers and helping teams assign ownership for ESG actions and reporting.
Other relevant stakeholders could include staff working across housing, property management and development, as well as government counterparts or reporting and assurance advisers when required. The role’s purpose also connects indirectly to Defence members and families through DHA’s housing services, though the posting does not describe direct customer engagement.
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