Director, Infrastructure and Operations

• Join the NSW Electoral Commission and provide strategic leadership to a critical Infrastructure and Operations function responsible for delivering the technology and operational services that support trusted electoral processes across New South Wales.
• Ensure the Commission is prepared to successfully deliver major electoral events through effective ICT infrastructure, service delivery, workforce planning and operational readiness.
• Drive organisational capability, strategic planning, commercial outcomes and operational excellence within a highly visible and purpose-driven public sector environment.

About the NSW Electoral Commission

The New South Wales Electoral Commission delivers trusted and independent systems, processes, oversight and engagement that support democracy in New South Wales. The Commission’s vision is to maintain confidence in the integrity of the democratic process and make it easy for people to understand and participate.

The Commission’s work includes:

• Running and regulating elections
• Communicating and engaging with current and future voters, key NSW community stakeholders and NSW election participants.
• Providing trusted processes for political participants to comply with their legal obligations.
• Supporting transparency through oversight and publication of political disclosures and registers.
• Investigating possible offences and enforcing electoral and lobbying laws such as the Electoral Act 2017 and the Electoral Funding Act 2018.

About the Role

Reporting to the Executive Director, Technology Group (CIO), the Director, Infrastructure & Operations is a senior leadership role responsible for leading a critical function within the Commission and building a high-performing team capable of delivering secure, reliable and effective technology services. The role plans and manages the Commission's core technology infrastructure and operational services, including network operations, cloud platforms, service delivery, end-user computing and workplace technology services.

As a key member of the Technology leadership team, you will lead the Commission's Infrastructure and Operations function, providing strategic oversight across infrastructure services, service delivery, workforce planning, procurement, vendor management and commercial governance. Working closely with peers and senior stakeholders across the organisation, you will drive operational readiness for major election events, improve planning and accountability, and lead the delivery of high-quality, customer-centred technology services that support the Commission's mission and long-term objectives. You will lead the project to deliver election infrastructure in preparation for major election events ensuring high quality and timely outputs.

This role offers the opportunity to shape a critical public service function. Alongside maintaining operational stability and election readiness, you will lead the development of a high-performing Infrastructure and Operations function by building organisational capability, strengthening leadership depth, embedding greater accountability and planning discipline, enhancing commercial and vendor management practices, and fostering a more proactive, collaborative and service-focused culture.

The NSW Electoral Commission must maintain public confidence in the electoral system of NSW and therefore all employees must meet strict political neutrality standards. These include requirements relating to political party memberships and affiliations with election candidates, third-party campaigners and elected members. Applicants are asked to disclose any information that may be relevant to making an assessment about their political neutrality as part of their application. Full details about the political neutrality requirements for employment with the Commission are in its Political Neutrality Policy.

Key knowledge, experience and essential requirements

As the successful candidate, you will have:

• Proven success leading teams through change, building capability, strengthening accountability and creating high-performing, customer-focused cultures.
• Exceptional stakeholder engagement, communication and influencing skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships, navigate complex organisational environments and achieve outcomes through collaboration and consensus.
• Strong commercial capability, including the management of large-scale technology contracts, vendor relationships, procurement activities and supplier performance.
• The ability to balance operational delivery with strategic planning, workforce capability development and organisational improvement.
• Significant experience leading ICT infrastructure, operations and service delivery functions within a large and complex organisation.
• Experience leading operational technology environments that support critical services and time-sensitive business outcomes.
• Experience operating within government, highly regulated or public interest environments will be highly regarded.
• Relevant tertiary qualifications and/or equivalent professional experience.

The NSW Electoral Commission is committed to maintaining public confidence in the integrity of the electoral system. The NSW Electoral Commission expects that employees refrain from membership of any political party and from engaging in political activity which could be seen as reflecting adversely on the strict political neutrality of the NSW Electoral Commission. Applicants who are seen to be or are active in political activities should disclose such information as part of their application.

How to apply

You should include a covering letter and an up-to-date resume which clearly detail your skills and experience as relevant to this role. Please submit your application to DirectorInfrastructure@kornferry.com

For further queries, contact Will Lukabyo & Grace Tan from Korn Ferry at DirectorInfrastructure@kornferry.com

For further information regarding the role please download the Role Description

Applying for a role in the NSW Public Service

For more information on how to apply for a role in the NSW Public Service, please refer here

The NSW Electoral Commission embraces diversity and inclusion and is committed to creating a workplace that reflects the population of New South Wales. We welcome applications from people from diverse backgrounds and encourage women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, LGBTQIA+, people with disability, mature-age people, and people from culturally diverse backgrounds to apply for this role.

If you have any questions about applying or would benefit from an adjustment to the recruitment process to help you perform your best please contact talent@elections.nsw.gov.au. For more information on recruitment adjustments visit I Work for NSW Adjustments for individual needs.

Applications received and completed after closing time will not be considered for selection.

The selection process will include a range of assessment techniques to assist in determining your suitability for the role.

We also offer

Employee Assistance Program

• Access to Fitness Passport

Other Information

Your employment will be subject to National Criminal Records Check to determine your suitability for employment.

A talent pool may be created from this recruitment action for ongoing and temporary roles of the same work classification that may become available for filling over the next 18 months.

This role is based mainly in our Elizabeth Street, Sydney office with some flexible arrangements agreed with the Electoral Commissioner.

Applications Close: 18th October 2026 @ 11.59pm

PLEASE NOTE: Applications for this position will only be accepted via DirectorInfrastructure@kornferry.com. Applications submitted through the ‘I work for NSW’ website will not be accepted. DO NOT click on the ‘APPLY’ button down below.