Defence hunts for CIO group execs after departures

The Department of Defence has put out the call for three senior executives to fill key vacancies within its chief information officer group (CIOG) after a spate of departures earlier this year.

The department began looking for three “dynamic” assistant secretary’s last week to lead its ICT infrastructure delivery, ICT strategy realisation and service management branches.

The senior executives will be expected to “look for new ways to deliver better ICT services and improve the ICT environment” to ensure Defence can work as “securely and efficiently as possible”.

The call-up follows the departure of three SES Band 1 level assistant secretary’s from CIOG at around the same time that former chief technology officer Aiyaswami Mohan left in May.

iTnews understands the three senior executives were Peter Corcoran (ICT architecture), Stewart Sibree (ICT infrastructure delivery) and Matt Smorhun (ICT strategy realisation).

Corcoran, who spent just over four years in the role, has since joined KPMG Australia as its new cyber director, while Sibree has become the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission’s new chief technology officer.

Defence has also subsequently lost ICT delivery first assistant secretary Paul Cazaz, who "separated" from the department in July after two-and-a-half years at CIOG.

Defence said the new ICT infrastructure delivery assistant secretary would be tasked with supporting teams to deliver both major and minor ICT projects from Defence’s integrated investment program.

“This includes the delivery of key capability to Defence through ICT infrastructure projects, such as integration of new ICT systems, relocation of data centres, preservation of heritage applications and the provision of multiple voice and data services nationally and internationally,” the job ad states.

The new ICT strategy realisation assistant secretary, on the other hand, will be responsible for supporting Defence’s business and military operations through ICT strategy and policy.

In this role, the successful applicant will need to “understand and monitor a range of external factors such as changes and innovation in the ICT field, as well as Defence’s "emerging integrated operational needs”.

The service management assistant secretary, which appears to be a newly created role, will oversee “the integration of ICT services” and provide “end to end ICT service planning, delivery and support across a diverse range of services”.

This will include ensure a high degree of responsiveness to urgent issues like system outages or problems that “require quick decision-making, a high level of problem solving and a rapid response”.

“You will be required to mitigate ICT operational issues, coordinate delivery of new or changed ICT services, provide excellent customer service, and manage ICT assets as a service,” the job ad states.

“This includes managing and resolving complex issues and risks to deliver effective ICT solutions that are in line with future Defence capability requirements.”

All three roles will sit within Defence’s senior leadership group.

Applications for the positions close October 18.