DFAT searches for its next tech chief

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has put out the call for a new chief information officer after losing its tech chief to Services Australia.

The department began searching for its first CIO in more than five years this week to lead its Information Management & Technology Division

It comes as current tech chief Tim Spackman prepares to leave DFAT to become Services Australia’s new chief information security officer.

Spackman, who will start at the agency on Monday, replaces former IT security chief Narelle Devine, who left Services Australia to become Telstra’s new CISO for Asia Pacific in June.

DFAT's incoming CIO will oversee “teams delivering client-focused ICT enabling services including strategic ICT and ICT policy, operations, cyber security, and new business capability”.

As a member of the department’s leadership team, the SES 2 Band position will “support our ambitious and forward-looking reform agenda by leading the ICT transformation”.

This includes developing a strong ICT capability to support DFAT's workforce needs, which is distributed across more than 100 overseas posts in five continents, while also building capability.

The successful applicant will “have extensive experience leading and motivating teams across a range of ICT functions, adopting a collaborative and inclusive leadership approach.”

“You will have a track record of success in leading ICT at a senior level and experience in establishing and driving transformative change initiatives and developing innovative solutions for complex and geographically dispersed organisations,” the job ad states.

DFAT’s CIO leadership change comes just weeks after it shed dozens of contractors from the IT division after suffering a multi-million dollar budget blowout.