Defence struggles to find tech deputy

The Department of Defence has been forced back to the jobs market after failing to find an appropriate candidate to fill one of CIO Peter Lawrence’s key deputy roles.

In January Defence's CIO group began advertising the critical SES level two first assistant secretary role in charge of the full portfolio of IT projects being run by the department.

The ICT delivery division is responsible for acquiring new tech capability, engaging with industry, and heading up the all-important consolidation of applications within the huge Defence information environment.

The department offered a salary over $200,000 for the role, but said it was unable to find the right executive.

It has now reopened applications for the job, and will take CVs from candidates until June 26.

“The first assistant secretary information and communications and technology delivery job is being re-advertised to attract a broader skilled and experienced candidate pool,” a spokesperson told iTnews.

The department has also yet to fill some long-standing vacancies at the top of the infrastructure transformation and HR delivery divisions of CIOG, which would also answer directly to Lawrence.

The Department of Defence houses one of the largest IT networks in Australia and its IT arm conducts roughly $1.3 billion worth of business every year on a global scale.

The hiring struggle comes in the midst of an executive restructure within the CIO group, which has already seen two vacant SES level two roles abolished, and new recruits sought for a range of SES level one jobs.

The refresh is designed to better equip the group to support reforms recommended by the first principles review of the whole Australian defence operation.