Performance Audit Services Group (PASG) | Australian National Audit Office (ANAO)

Are you interested in work that is rewarding and varied, which involves:

research and analysis;
gaining an in-depth knowledge of and insights into many different areas of government policy and programs;
engaging with all levels of staff, including senior management, in your organisation and others; and
working outside the office, including some travel?

Performance audits aim to improve how government agencies go about their work. From high level governance issues through to the delivery of services to communities, performance audits look at a diverse range of topics across public sector agencies.

As part of the Performance Audit Services Group, you will be working in a collaborative environment with staff who have a diverse range of skills. Performance audits are usually conducted in small teams of two to four people. The audits can take up to 12 months, during which time the team will gain an in-depth knowledge of the subject matter, building a picture of how the relevant area is performing.

The end result of a performance audit is a report to the Parliament of Australia. Public sector agencies are required to respond to each report's recommendations, and Parliament may then monitor the implementation of these recommendations. All team members make a significant contribution to all stages of the audit.

Roles, requirements and responsibilities

Job Requirements

To be considered for a Performance Audit position at the ANAO, you will require the following:

Tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline and/or experience that is considered relevant by the delegate;
Training/background in evaluation and/or administrative review is highly desirable;
Strong analytical skills; and
Australian Citizenship.

More senior positions also require:

Relevant tertiary qualifications are highly desirable;
A professional background demonstrating superior management ability;
A strong track record in client and project management; and
Capacity to lead and manage audit operations.

Roles and responsibilities

Analyst (APS Level 4)

Individuals in Analyst level positions engage in specific audit assignments with a low to medium level of complexity. The main tasks involve gathering data and evidence and preparing documentation, reports and papers on those audit assignments. You have a fair degree of independence, but within the guidance of your supervisors.

Under the broad supervision and guidance of the Audit Manager, staff working at this level:

Undertake specific audit assignments as a member of a performance audit team;
Contribute to the maintenance and enhancement of client relationships;
Assist in encouraging and promoting effective teamwork; and
Provide professional or technical support and advice.

Analyst (APS Level 5)

Under the broad supervision and guidance of the Audit Manager, staff working at this level:

Contribute the delivery of complex performance audit tasks in accordance with an approved plan and supervisor’s directions;
Are responsible for one of the more complex performance audit issues, projects or tasks;
Assist in encouraging and promoting effective teamwork; and
Provide significant professional or technical support.

Senior Analyst (APS Level 6)

At Senior Analyst level, you engage in more complex audit tasks and are responsible for formulating audit work plans and participating in the continuous improvement of audit techniques. In addition to data gathering and documentation tasks, you also form opinions and develop recommendations. The increased responsibility at this level is matched with a higher level of autonomy.

Under the general supervision and guidance of the Audit Manager, staff working at this level:

Contribute the delivery of complex performance audit tasks in accordance with an approved plan and supervisor’s directions;
Are responsible for at least one or more complex performance audit issues, projects or tasks;
Assist in encouraging and promoting effective teamwork; and
Provide significant professional or technical support.

Director (Executive Level 1)

At Director level, you are responsible for managing and delivering smaller and less complex audits or leading teams in larger and more complex audits, or managing follow-up audits. Your focus is on managing audit projects, analysing and reporting complex audit issues, and leading and developing team members. You are also responsible for managing constructive client relationships, and developing professional relationships with Parliamentary Committees, Client Audit Committees and other senior stakeholders.

Under the broad guidance of the Audit Manager/Executive Director, positions at this level:

Manage and deliver less complex audit products or assist in the management and delivery of complex audit products in accordance with approved plans and operational priorities;
Develop team members’ skills and communicate audit goals and priorities;
Provide high level professional and technical advice; and
Manage client relationships.

Senior Director/Audit Manager (Executive Level 2)

At Senior Director level, you are responsible for managing and delivering large, complex audits and managing overall audit products. Your focus is on managing audit projects, analysing and reporting complex audit issues, and leading and developing team members. You are also responsible for managing constructive client relationships, and developing professional relationships with Parliamentary Committees, Client Audit Committees and other senior stakeholders, and assisting in the management of the Performance Audit Services Group.

Under the broad guidance of the Executive Director, staff working at this level:

Are responsible for the delivery of audit products and services in accordance with approved plans and operational priorities;
Manage a performance audit team and establish and communicate a shared strategic focus for the team;
Provide high level professional and technical advice;
Manage client relationships, including with Parliamentary committees; and
Undertake designated non-audit duties.

Meet your workmates

Daniel Whyte

I joined the ANAO in 2016 with eight years’ experience working within the Australian Government in regulatory policy, strategic policy coordination and program evaluation roles. My academic training was in political science and sociology, although I had recently completed a postgraduate course in program evaluation.

While at first glance my background may not seem directly relevant to auditing, I found it provided me with an excellent grounding for embarking on my new career. Performance auditing involves delving into detailed aspects of public administration to diagnose what is working well and what is not. It requires a broad knowledge of public policy, strong research skills and critical thinking. I have found working on performance audits feels similar to postgraduate research, but with better access to information, people and resources, more teamwork and greater capacity to make a difference.

Since joining the ANAO I have worked on a diverse range of audits, from assessing agencies’ management of personnel security to reviewing arrangements for monitoring and reporting against the Closing the Gap strategy. I have found the culture of the ANAO to be collaborative, professional and supportive, and I enjoy the challenge of picking up a new topic every nine months and diving in.

Sara Casey

I joined the ANAO as a graduate in 2016 after studying an Honours degree in psychology. I was originally attracted to the ANAO by the office’s unique role in the public service in providing independent, objective, evidence-based assessments of the performance of Government programs. The research and analysis skills I learned during my degree have been highly relevant to my work here.

I am part of the Major Projects Report team in the Performance Audit Services Group. This report provides assurance annually over the status of the Department of Defence’s major military equipment purchases, such as warships and fighter jets. I am involved in all aspects of the report, from visiting Defence project offices and interviewing staff during the fieldwork stage, to ensuring all statements in the report are supported by evidence, as well as report drafting, editing, and publication. Between the number of projects included in the report, and the various review stages, I am usually working on something different every week.

Having contributed to multiple Major Projects Reports, I am now involved in training new team members. This provides me with opportunities to develop my leadership and mentoring abilities as well as deepening my own understanding of our process.

One of the best aspects of working at the ANAO is its people and workplace culture. This is a diverse and welcoming workplace where people genuinely look out for each other and you always have someone to support you. I made friends among my graduate cohort quickly and easily, and have enjoyed a great dynamic within my audit team.

Alicia Vaughan

A career in performance audit was not the first prospect that sprung to mind when I graduated from Arts/Science, majoring in languages and molecular sciences. But having entered through the 2016 graduate program, I am so grateful I found the ANAO. The great thing about working in performance audit is that you learn almost everything on the job. However, I believe both the arts and science disciplines have really helped me in my role.

My first audits were in the Agriculture portfolio. I have also worked on audits examining how government entities report their performance to demonstrate the outcomes of public expenditure. In addition, I undertook a secondment to the Committee Office at Parliament House, where I contributed to several parliamentary inquiries. This was a fantastic opportunity to gain exposure to parliamentary proceedings and learn about new public sector issues.

During my time at the ANAO, I have contributed to various corporate projects including the development and implementation of the ANAO’s first Reconciliation Action Plan. This includes helping organise annual National Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week celebrations at the office.

In future, I am looking forward to collaborating with the ANAO’s Data Analytics group and developing my data skills.

A woman with glasses smiles at the camera

Zoe Pilipczyk

I joined the ANAO at the start of 2019. Prior to this, I spent about four years working across secondary education, recruitment and several contract roles within the Australian Public Service.

I was drawn to the ANAO as I was looking for a role that would intellectually challenge me — and I found it! The performance audits I have worked on have required me to:

analyse population data to identify whether an entity is becoming more efficient over time
use legislation and case law to undertake qualitative sampling analysis, and
conduct international and national comparative analysis to compare Australian Government functions with similar entities and/or programs.

At the end of 2019, I also became involved in learning and development (L&D) in PASG. This began as organising one session a month, with different teams sharing insights on a recently tabled audit report. In 2020, I expanded this L&D program to include team members sharing insights into some of the day-to-day tasks we undertake in PASG. In 2021, I was made responsible for re-designing PASG’s L&D program. This was an amazing opportunity which utilised my background as a high school science and mathematics teacher, as well as my two years’ experience as a recruitment consultant, to identify skills across the organisation and how we can learn from each other.

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