Director, Corporate and Operations Support

South Australian State Emergency Service
Job reference: 860916
Location: 5035 - KESWICK
Job status: Long Term Contract
Eligibility: Open to Everyone

Why work with us?

We are a volunteer-based emergency response and rescue service. We provide emergency assistance to the South Australian community 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Our vision is of a reliable and trusted volunteer-based organisation building safe and resilient communities.

Our volunteers are supported by a skilled team of paid staff working across multiple areas including volunteer capacity, community engagement, emergency management and hazard planning, training, information systems, infrastructure and assets, operations – state, regional and marine, and corporate services.

Role purpose

The Director Corporate and Operations Support is a member of the SASES Executive and reports to the Chief Officer. The Director leads a directorate of about 43 positions through four managers covering corporate services; training and organisational development; volunteer recruitment and retention; public information and community engagement; risk and governance; and information systems.

Key responsibilities (what you will do)

The Director is accountable to the Chief Officer for the following functions:

• Strategy and planning. Lead SASES’s strategic and annual planning cycle including its Strategic Directions, Annual Business Plan, Workforce Plan, annual budget and Capital Plan.
• People, culture and safety. Lead the SASES culture program for staff and volunteers including its diversity, equity and inclusion program. Exercise due diligence as an officer under the Work Health and Safety Act 2012 and hold managers to account for safe systems of work.
• Governance, risk and assurance. Lead the implementation of SASES’s Corporate Risk Management and Governance frameworks, and deliver on internal audit measures and SASES’s response to external audit findings. Maintain SASES’s policy and procedure framework.
• Finance and corporate services. Manage SASES’s budget within its appropriation and delegations, with regular reporting on expenditure and performance. Ensure compliance with Treasurer’s Instructions and lead the development of budget bids and savings measures. Oversee asset management for fleet, vessels and facilities.
• Volunteer workforce. Oversee SASES’s volunteer attraction, onboarding and retention strategy, working with unit leaders and the SASES Volunteers Association.
• Training and organisational development. Oversee SASES’s training and capability development. Ensure volunteers and staff are trained to the standard SASES operations need, and that the SASES registered training organisation remains compliant with ASQA standards.
• Information systems. Oversee investment in SASES’s operational systems, including cyber security and data management.
• Government and sector engagement. Prepare Ministerial and Cabinet briefings and reports that reflect agency policy to a high standard. Support the Chief Officer at Parliamentary committees and Cabinet forums, and represent SASES on sector, state and national forums.
• Public information and community engagement. Oversee SASES’s public information and community engagement programs.
• Incident management. Take a strategic role in the SASES incident management structure to support the agency’s response during major emergencies

Remuneration

EXA - Executive - $154,678 - $216,626

Enquiries 

Chris Beattie

P: 8115 3800 E: chris.beattie@eso.sa.gov.au

Special conditions

This role is based at Keswick and requires regular on-site attendance. The Chief Officer may approve occasional work from home.

A current, unrestricted class C driver’s licence.

Satisfactory criminal history screening before appointment, including a Working with Children Check.

Frequent intrastate and interstate travel, including overnight stays.

Availability outside business hours, including evenings, weekends and public holidays, and during major incidents when extended shifts may be needed.

SASES is a uniformed service and the Director wears uniform when required.

Applications close: 20/10/2026 11:45 PM

Attachments:
- Application Guidelines - Director Corporate Operational Support.pdf
- Pre-Employment-Declaration_240522.pdf
- Role Description - Director Corporate Operational Support - October 2026.pdf

Flexibility Statement
The South Australian public sector promotes diversity and flexible ways of working including part-time. Applicants are encouraged to discuss the flexible working arrangements for this role.