Senior Security Advisor - DISP

About this role

We currently have an opportunity for a *Senior Security Advisor*to join our *Commercial and Risk*team and play a key role in leading enterprise security support, ensuring compliance with *Defence Industry Security Program (DISP)*requirements and strengthening organisational security capability.

The position provides leadership to Security Advisors, drives governance and audit readiness, and promotes a proactive security culture to support Defence-related operations.

Working within Commercial & Risk, this position partners with senior stakeholders across Defence programs to deliver security governance, risk management, and compliance.

What You’ll Do

This role offers a broad scope, with key responsibilities including:

• Lead DISP compliance activities, including audits, governance and reporting
• Oversee security incident management and continuous improvement actions
• Develop and maintain enterprise security documentation and controls
• Mentor and support Security Advisors and Deputy Security Officers
• Drive security awareness initiatives and strengthen organisational security culture

What You’ll Bring

• Proven experience in DISP compliance and Defence security frameworks
• Strong leadership capability with experience supervising and mentoring teams
• Expertise in security risk, incident management and governance processes
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills across complex environments
• 5+ years’ experience in Defence or national security, and relevant security or risk qualifications/accreditation desirable
• Defence security clearance

More than anything, you’ll bring a strong work ethic, a positive attitude, and a commitment to delivering high-quality outcomes for our clients.

Why Downer?

At Downer, we plan, create, and sustain essential public services across Australia and New Zealand. From hospitals to data centres and defence partnerships, we manage critical infrastructure that keeps communities thriving.

What It Means to Belong at Downer

We’re proud of our high-performance culture and commitment to diversity, offering:

• Training and development to support and diversify your career.
• With 30% of vacancies filled internally you’ll find real opportunities to advance your career.
• Perks@Downer: healthcare discounts, great savings on retail purchases, car purchases and much more.
• Employee Assistance Program: professional support for you and your family when you need it most.

You want your work to matter and so do we. With over 26,000 people across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, our team is made up of individuals with unique perspectives, backgrounds, and ideas.

We know that diversity makes us stronger and we actively celebrate it through our commitment to inclusion and belonging.

We’re committed to building a team that reflects the diverse communities we serve and we welcome people of all ages, genders, sexual orientations, cultures, abilities, and lived experiences. We especially encourage applications from those whose voices have traditionally been underrepresented in our industry, including women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, Māori and Pasifika Peoples, veterans, people with disability, and neurodivergent individuals. Even if your experience doesn’t align perfectly with this role, we’d still like to hear from you. If it feels like the right fit, apply - potential counts, and so do you.

As a WORK180 Endorsed Employer, we support flexibility that works for your life, inclusive leadership that values your voice, and equitable access to opportunity so you can do your best work and bring your whole self to it.

If you need support or adjustments through the recruitment process, just let us know, we’re here to help you put your best foot forward.

About security roles for ex-police

Security management, operations and consultancy roles. Years of operational policing — command, incident response, public order — translate directly into corporate security, and employers in this sector actively rate police experience.