The executive for the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.
Secretary
Natalie James
Natalie James is the Secretary of the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations – commencing her role on 11 July 2022.
Natalie is a workplace relations expert with over twenty years’ experience. Prior to commencing her role as Secretary of the department, Natalie was a Partner at Deloitte Australia where she established the firm’s Workplace Integrity practice, a national practice made up of several partners and talented staff who help businesses develop data-driven, risk informed solutions to their workplace relations challenges.
View Natalie's profileDeputy Secretaries
Tania Rishniw, Deputy Secretary, Employment and Workforce
Tania is the Deputy Secretary of Employment and Workforce, in the Department Employment and Workplace Relations in the Australian federal government. She leads a range of programs that enable services to support and help people overcome barriers and develop skills to gain employment.
Prior to commencing with DEWR, Tania worked in the Department of Health from 2015-23 delivering primary and community care policy and programs. She has worked for over 20 years in public administration, across areas of social, environmental, and economic policy.
Before being appointed as Deputy Secretary in May 2020, she held senior positions in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Department of Finance, Department of Education and Employment, and Department of Environment.
Tania has delivered policy reform at the federal level in environmental and financial regulation, First Nations' employment and education, primary care and mental health, and service delivery. She led the response to the Montara oil spill, has represented the Australian Government at the United Nations, and successfully negotiated with states and territories in areas of hospital funding, mental health and suicide prevention, primary care COVID arrangements and wider health reform.
Tania has a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, as well as holding an Executive Master's Degree in Public Administration.
Anna Faithfull, Deputy Secretary Skills and Training Group
Anna Faithfull is the Deputy Secretary for the Skills and Training Group.
Anna has extensive experience in both the public, private and community sectors leading policy, digital and commercial projects. Prior to joining the Department of Employment and Workforce Relations, Anna was a Senior Client Partner in the private sector, supporting public sector clients on range of digital transformation, data and technology projects.
Anna has held senior leadership positions including as Deputy Secretary at the Victorian Department of Justice and Community Safety and Executive Director at the Department of Premier and Cabinet, where she was responsible for Victoria's response to the Royal Commission work on Family Violence reform, NDIS implementation, post-disaster recovery and industry and jobs policy. Anna has also designed and delivered innovative jobs and employment ventures at Social Ventures Australia.
Anna holds a Bachelor Degree in Arts and Law from the University of Melbourne and is a licensed Solicitor and Barrister of the Victorian Supreme Court.
Martin Hehir, Deputy Secretary Workplace Relations Group
Martin is the Deputy Secretary of our Workplace Relations Group, leading a range of industrial relations policy and programs.
Martin has held several deputy secretary positions in federal government during his career. He has been responsible for areas including developing a new employment services model; work, health and safety policy; and small business and industrial relations policy. Before this, Martin Worked as Deputy Secretary for Schools and Youth in the former Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations and the former Department of Education, dealing with the Australian Education Act, and associated funding mechanisms.
He has also held a number of positions in ACT Government, including as the Director-General of the Community Services Directorate, ACT Government.
Martin holds an Economics Degree from the Australian National University. He also holds a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment.
Deborah Jenkins, Deputy Secretary, Corporate and Enabling Services, Chief Operating Officer
Deborah is the Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer for the Corporate and Enabling Services Group.
Prior to taking up this role in January 2023, Deborah was the Deputy Commissioner, Small Business at the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) where she was responsible for the management of the Small Business Client Experience, the Goods and Service Tax (GST) product and the ATO’s program of work to address the shadow economy.
During 2022, she was the acting Australian Charities and Not-for-Profit Commissioner, pending the appointment of the permanent Commissioner.
Deborah joined the ATO in 2015. In addition to holding several roles within the agency, Deborah was involved in key projects including Single Touch Payroll, E invoicing and COVID stimulus measures.
Prior to joining the ATO Deborah was a partner at a large advisory firm where she held various leadership positions.
A passionate and dedicated professional, she has multinational experience through her work in Australian, New Zealand and Europe. In New Zealand she worked in both the public and private sectors, starting her career with Inland Revenue before joining law firm Bell Gully.