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Working with us – Systems Planning & Analysis, Australia (SPA)

SPA Australia is a leading provider of integrated consulting, legal, commercial and analytics services to government and large organisations. Our multidisciplinary approach combined with trusted advisory and leading-edge technology and analysis takes our clients further. For more than five decades, Systems Planning & Analysis (SPA) has supported clients across the world to meet complex national security challenges.

In 2025 SPA acquired Proximity Advisory Services, a well-established and highly regarded consultancy organisation with unrivalled legal abilities, exceptional commercial capability, and a raft of specialisations in consulting. Today, SPA has more than 2,800 employees across 15 office locations within the US, UK and Australia. In Australia, more than 130 employees are based across Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide.

SPA Australia’s Defence & Analytics team provides senior decision-makers within the Australian Department of Defence (Defence) with timely, objective assessments that inform capability employment and investment strategies.

Our team of former military professionals and operations research analysts integrates deep operational expertise with advanced analytic methodologies—including force generation modelling, agent-based tactical simulations, and operational mission analyses—to deliver trusted decision support that directly contributes to national security outcomes.

SPA Australia offers decision-makers within the Australian Defence Force evidence-based insights that address capacity and capability gaps, strengthen operational effectiveness, and optimise the deployment of current, and future Defence capabilities.

SPA seeks a passionate and dedicated Director to join our Defence & Analytics practice.

This senior role provides strategic leadership to high-performance, cross-functional teams conducting advanced quantitative and qualitative analyses of Australian and adversary military operations and capabilities across all warfighting domains, missions, and functional areas.

The Director will lead multiple concurrent workstreams—often under tight timelines—while rapidly assimilating new information, technologies, and concepts. The role requires the ability to anticipate emerging analytical needs, balance immediate customer priorities, and consistently deliver rigorous, defensible insights that inform senior decision-makers at strategic and operational levels.

This role will suit an experienced defence professional with demonstrated fluency across priority military operations and the enabling capabilities that underpin them. The successful candidate will also play a critical role in business development, leveraging existing networks to identify opportunities, strengthen client relationships, and contribute to the growth of the Defence & Analytics practice.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership to cross-functional teams conducting complex analysis across all warfighting domains assessing Australian and adversary military operations, capabilities and capacities.
• Foster a mission-focused, high-performance culture and provide strong leadership to project teams.
• Demonstrate and apply deep expertise in military operations and support and enabling capability roadmaps
• Build high level relationships with senior Defence stakeholders and be a trusted advisor.
• Support Defence clients in the planning, design, and execution of experimentation and operational analysis aligned with joint force design and integration priorities.
• Facilitate stakeholder engagements, including workshops and demonstrations.
• Oversee multiple concurrent analytical workstreams, ensuring timely delivery of rigorous, defensible analysis that supports strategic and operational decision-making.
• Write capability analysis reports and briefs and present results to stakeholders from a wide range of Defence organisation and varying levels of domain expertise
• Support clients in implementing operational and tactical plans that contribute to national security objectives.
• Identify strategic growth opportunities across the joint domain and lead growth within the defence joint operations market.

Required Experience:

• 15 + years relevant Australia Defence and Australia Federal Government experience in military operations and associated technologies.
• Demonstrated expertise in providing one or more warfighting domains, missions, or functional areas to the Australia Defence Force.
• Background in capability development, systems engineering, operations or mission analysis.
• Proven ability to conduct rigorous research and analysis and form defensible conclusions using available, often incomplete, information.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, producing compelling and clear analytic products and briefings to support senior-leadership decision-making.
• Experience leading small teams and projects in support of Australian Defence capabilities, or Australia Federal Government key projects.
• Demonstrated ability to apply innovative analytical concepts, quantitative tools, and data visualisation methods to military problem sets and present results to executive-level leaders.
• Experience in Australian military operational planning within an operational headquarters or in Australian Defence capability management (including requirements definition, capability documentation, modelling and simulation, or operations research).
• International Defence cooperation initiatives experience highly regarded.
• Current Negative Vetting 2 (NV2) Australian security clearance, or willingness and ability to obtain and maintain one.

Desired Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline; or substantial military experience plus an advanced non-technical degree and proven Defence capability acumen (e.g., completion of the Capability Technology Management Program or equivalent).

Note: International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or Export Administration Regulations (EAR) are applicable to this role and as such, the position will or is likely to require access to material controlled by ITAR and EAR (Controlled Material).  Therefore, any person occupying the position must be able to satisfy ITAR and EAR controls, which may require specific authorisation to access Controlled Materials.  Accordingly, your citizenship, previous citizenships, race or nationality, or substantive contacts where such contacts are affiliated with proscribed countries under ITAR may be a factor in determining your suitability for this role. Further information on this requirement can be found at: https://spa.com/about/compliance-statements/. If you are concerned about whether you will satisfy the requirements of the role insofar as they relate to ITAR and EAR, you should contact Talent@spa.com, who will be able to provide you with relevant information.

The SPA Australia Difference

We believe work should be a positive part of your life. It should challenge, engage, and support you in equal measure. By joining SPA Australia, you will enjoy:

• Flexible working options
• Health and Wellbeing support
• Professional development
• Career progression pathways supporting your development and career goals
• The chance to give back to your community by working with our not-for-profit partners.

Why SPA Australia

We provide a highly competitive executive compensation package, performance-based incentives, a collaborative and supportive leadership environment, comprehensive employee benefits, and the opportunity to oversee work that delivers significant strategic impact and meaningful outcomes.

To find out more or to have a confidential discussion, please contact Loretta Pabian at careers@proximity.com.au / careers@au.spa.com

This is my description

Where Your Legal Career Goes Further

• Exceptional client work that makes a difference
• Flexible working options – including permanent and contract roles to suit your lifestyle
• Competitive salaries and benefits, or rates that reflect your skills and experience
• Clear pathways for development and opportunities to advance

Working with us

Systems Planning and Analysis, Australia (SPA Australia) is a leading provider of integrated consulting, legal, commercial, and analytics services to government. Our multidisciplinary approach, combined with trusted advisory and leading-edge technology and analysis, takes our clients further.

For more than five decades, Systems Planning & Analysis Inc (SPA), SPA Australia’s parent company, has supported government clients across the world to navigate a myriad of complex challenges. In 2025, SPA acquired Proximity, a well-established and highly regarded consultancy with specialist expertise in delivering legal, consulting, and commercial advisory services to government.

Today, SPA has more than 2,200 employees across 15 offices in the US, UK, and Australia, with over 130 employees in Australia alone.

Government Lawyers – 5+ years PQE

SPA Australia, formerly Proximity, is looking for Government Lawyers to join its Legal Group. Our Legal Group is a go-to for Commonwealth legal teams requiring expertise and support on complex matters specialising in administrative law, commercial law, information law, and litigation. We’re committed to helping our clients succeed by embracing the complexity and sensitivity of Commonwealth legal issues and knowing how to be helpful within the APS environment.

Our legal secondment model provides opportunities to foster your career growth, work in a variety of legal roles across the Commonwealth and accelerate your legal expertise. As a member of our Legal Group, we offer you the opportunity to engage in fascinating public sector work, all while receiving support, development, and care.

Our lawyers bring passion and purpose to everything they do – and have fun doing it – without compromising our commitment to clients, integrity, and pro bono work.

Key responsibilities

Working as a seconded lawyer in the Federal Government requires:

• Navigating complex issues with sound legal insight
• Curiosity, responsiveness, adaptability, and integrity
• Building strong client relationships by working proactively onsite
• A desire to share your legal expertise and build capability in others
• Demonstrating your specialist or generalist legal capability on matters of significance.

To succeed in this role, you will bring:

• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in public law, commercial law, information law, or litigation within, or for, the Commonwealth
• A restricted (minimum) Australian legal practising certificate (ACT, NSW, or VIC)
• An AGSVA security clearance (Baseline minimum).

Working with SPA Australia

Collaborating with our clients to overcome challenges and achieve excellent outcomes is what matters most. We create an exceptional workplace culture that empowers our people with the confidence and knowledge to find the ‘right fit’ solution for client needs. We’re committed to a safe and respectful workplace where everyone – regardless of identity, orientation, background, or ability – feels valued and accepted. Our values are central to everything we do. We strengthen our culture and client advantage by being Genuine, taking a Bold Approach, and delivering Helpful outcomes in an Objective, Trusted, and Responsive way. 

The SPA difference

We believe work should be a positive part of your life – challenging, engaging, and supportive in equal measure. By joining SPA, you’ll enjoy:

• Competitive pay and benefits, with opportunities to earn awards and bonuses
• Health and wellbeing support – financial and educational
• An environment where everyone can thrive
• Professional development (CPD) support and funding
• Opportunities to give back through work with our not-for-profit partners.

Does this sound like the right organisation for you?

To find out more or to have a confidential discussion, please contact Loretta Pabian at careers@au.spa.com / careers@au.spa.com

Where your legal career goes further

 

· Flexible working options – permanent and contract opportunities

· Excellent remuneration

· Career pathways and advancement

 

Government Lawyers 5+years PQE

Proximity, an SPA Australia company, is seeking Government Lawyers to join its Legal Group. Our legal secondment model provides opportunities to foster your career growth, work in a variety of legal roles across the Commonwealth and accelerate your legal expertise. As a member of Proximity’s Legal Group, we offer you the opportunity to engage in fascinating public sector work, all while receiving support, development, and care.

The Proximity Legal Group is a go-to for Commonwealth legal teams requiring expertise and support on complex matters specialising in administrative law, commercial law, information law, and litigation.

As a Proximity team member, your role is that of a trusted sidekick – helping our clients’ teams succeed by embracing the complexity and sensitivity of Commonwealth legal issues and knowing how to be helpful in the context of the APS environment. We infuse passion and purpose into everything we do and have fun while doing it, without sacrificing our commitment to clients, integrity, and pro-bono work.

 

You will bring:

· Minimum 5 years’ public law, commercial law, information law or litigation experience working within or for the Commonwealth

· Restricted (minimum) Australian legal practising certificate

· An AGSVA security clearance (preferred).

 

Culture matters

We’re looking for someone who fits and lives our values – someone who is:

· Tenacious. A can-do attitude, results-driven and dedicated to delivery.

· Client focused. Relationships matter. Listen, anticipate client needs.

· A team player. Collegiate, shares knowledge and builds confidence in others.

· Adaptable. Works through ambiguity or uncertainty.

· Solution oriented. Thinks beyond the immediate questions and challenges and develops comprehensive solutions.

 

The Proximity Difference

We believe work should be a positive part of your life. It should challenge, engage, and support you in equal measure. By joining Proximity, you will enjoy:

• Professional development
• Health and wellbeing support as well as social events throughout the year to connect with colleagues
• The chance to give back to your community by working with Proximity’s not for profit partners
• Flexible working options and including opportunities to work in your preferred are and with clients aligned to your expertise and interests
• Career progression pathways supporting your development and personal goals including a mentorship program and regular CPDs.

 

Working with Proximity (an SPA Australia company)

Proximity is a leading provider of integrated consulting, legal and commercial services to government entities and large organisations. We recently joined forces with Systems Planning and Analysis (SPA) and are in the process of integrating our Australian teams. Proximity collaborates with its clients to overcome challenges and achieve excellent outcomes. By creating an exceptional workplace culture, Proximity equips its people with the confidence and knowledge to find the ‘right fit’ solution for its clients’ needs.

 

We are committed to ensuring a safe and respectful workplace, where all our people, no matter their identity, orientation, background or physical ability, feel valued and accepted. Our values are central to everything we do and stand for. We are strengthening our culture and building our client advantage by being Genuine people, bringing a Bold Approach, and providing Helpful outcomes.

 

Does this sound like the right organisation for you?

To learn more about us, visit our website https://spa.nbf.codes/

If this work interests you, please contact Loretta Pabian: careers@au.spa.com