Adelaide, Australia – Fast-growing defence and national security specialist WorkSec has appointed former corporate executive Shawn Donaldson as its inaugural General Manager, as increasing personnel security governance requirements drive demand for specialist support across Australia’s critical infrastructure and sovereign industrial base.
The strategic executive appointment comes as Australia accelerates its AUKUS commitments and ramps up domestic defence capabilities, as part of the Defence Industry Security Program (DISP); this, in turn, is placing intense pressure on sovereign supply chains, defence prime contractors, and government agencies to rapidly onboard and manage trusted workforces.
WorkSec's expansion and decision to appoint a General Manager to help guide its growth highlight a broader structural shift within Australia's defence ecosystem, as organisations face increasingly complex personnel security, governance and assurance requirements across their workforce.
Speaking on his appointment, Mr Donaldson said the decision to join WorkSec represents a deliberate pivot into one of the country's most vital sectors.
"WorkSec operates at the intersection of national security, sovereign capability, and human capital," said Mr Donaldson.
"With expanding investment and policy focus across the defence sector and critical industries, the requirement for robust workforce governance and reliable clearance sponsorship has never been more acute. My primary focus will be on strengthening our operational foundations, maturing our service delivery systems, and scaling our high-performing team so that our clients can continue to execute critical national security contracts with minimum friction caused by workforce gaps.”
Mr Donaldson brings over 25 years of senior leadership experience across technology, corporate operations, and professional services to the role.
Having previously held Service Delivery, General Manager, and Chief Executive Officer positions, he is tasked with expanding WorkSec’s operational foundations, system maturity, and governance frameworks to support the company’s rapid national scaling.
Throughout his career, Mr Donaldson has built a reputation for driving operational maturity, establishing scalable delivery structures, and leading high-performing teams through periods of accelerated business growth.
Specialising in personnel security, workforce governance and security clearance sponsorship, WorkSec provides the critical compliance architecture that enables private enterprise and technology providers to deliver into highly classified defence, intelligence, and critical industry environments.
WorkSec’s board confirmed that establishing a dedicated General Manager position is a key milestone in the company’s long-term growth trajectory as it continues to bolster its position as a trusted partner to Australia’s defence industrial base.
According to WorkSec Managing Director and Chief Security Officer, Stuart Rainsford, this appointment comes at a critical time for the organisation as it continues to scale.
“This appointment bolsters our own workforce capability at a critical time for WorkSec as we continue to grow our national presence to support the growing personnel requirements under the DISP framework,” Mr Rainsford said.
“Speed is everything in the defence sector at this critical moment and Shawn’s appointment allows us to strengthen our ability to support the cleared workforce requirements of defence contractors across the country. His experience in steering companies through rapid growth and in developing and implementing agile service delivery models will be critical for WorkSec as we enter the next phase of our growth.”
For WorkSec Director – Trusted Workforce Matt Kirk, the focus is now on ensuring the business proactively addresses the workforce requirements of Australian defence contractors.
"WorkSec exists to provide the critical compliance framework that allows Australian businesses to deliver securely into defence, intelligence, and critical infrastructure," said Mr Kirk.
“Over the past 12-months we have extensively engaged with the industry across the country, liaising with companies ranging from tier-one defence primes to the many smaller companies that make up a large portion of the supply chain; the workforce capability gap is a common theme in these conversations. Shawn’s appointment as General Manager is a pivotal step in expanding our operational footprint and ensuring our governance models continue to set the benchmark for trusted workforce sponsorship nationwide to meet the cleared personnel requirements of our clients and provide them the capabilities to support our defence industry needs.”
About WorkSec
WorkSec is an Australian-owned, DISP Level 3-accredited security firm specialising in personnel security, security clearance sponsorship, and compliance governance. Operating at Essential 8 Maturity Level 2, WorkSec provides the infrastructure and expertise required to build and maintain a "Trusted Workforce" for government and defence contractors.
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Matt Kirk, Director, Trusted Workforce, WorkSec e [email protected] / p 1300 453 285
