OSCA occupation

OSCA 149231: Commissioned Defence Force Officer

Provides high level management to support the running of an organisational unit within the Australian Defence Force. This record sits in Commissioned Officers (Management). Related ANZSIC industry links are included for faster classification cross-checking. Skill level 1 is attached to this occupation record.

Should you use OSCA or ANZSCO?

OSCA 2024 is the current Australian occupation classification for storing, organising and reporting occupation information. Use this OSCA record for current Australian statistical and analytical classification work.

Some migration and administrative programs still specify ANZSCO 2022. Check the exact system named by the agency or form rather than replacing the code automatically.

Check the current ABS guidance on OSCA and ANZSCO use

Official ANZSCO correspondence

Role overview

Provides high level management to support the running of an organisational unit within the Australian Defence Force.

Use this page to confirm the official title, the parent unit group, the task list and the related ANZSIC industry context before using the occupation in classification, reporting or migration-adjacent workflows.

Occupation facts

Skill level
1
Major group
1 Managers
Sub-major group
14 Education, Health, Welfare and Other Specialist Managers
Minor group
149 Miscellaneous Specialist Managers
Unit group
1492 Commissioned Officers (Management)

Tasks

  • Establishes administrative and operational procedures by considering the operating environment of the Defence Force
  • Makes policy decisions and accepts responsibility for Defence operations, staff performance and achievement of targets, and adheres to budgets, standards and procedures
  • Establishes lines of control and delegates responsibilities to subordinate Defence Force staff
  • Coordinates and facilitates the development of strategic plans and objectives for organisational units within the Defence Force
  • Liaises with other officers and external stakeholders to coordinate activities and achieve objectives
  • Represents the Defence Force at unit meetings, briefings and other official engagements

Skill level guidance

Skill level helps place the occupation inside the ABS hierarchy. Use it as a classification cue, then check the actual task list and occupational context before making a decision for HR, visa or reporting work.

How to use this occupation page

Start with the official OSCA title and task list. Then confirm the parent unit group and compare the related occupations on this page if the job title is broad, overlapping or used differently across employers.

The ANZSIC links are there to help when the same occupation appears across several industries and you need the business-side classification as well.

Compare before choosing

Compare OSCA 149231 with related occupations

Compare roles in the same OSCA unit group by their official definition, skill level, tasks and recognised alternative titles.

Comparison pointCurrent code149231 Commissioned Defence Force Officer149232 Commissioned Fire Officer149233 Commissioned Police Officer
Official role definitionProvides high level management to support the running of an organisational unit within the Australian Defence Force.Provides high level management to support the running of a geographical or operational section of a fire service.Provides high level management to support the running of a geographical or operational section of a police service.
Skill levelSkill Level 1Skill Level 1Skill Level 1
Key tasks
  • Establishes administrative and operational procedures by considering the operating environment of the Defence Force
  • Makes policy decisions and accepts responsibility for Defence operations, staff performance and achievement of targets, and adheres to budgets, standards and procedures
  • Establishes lines of control and delegates responsibilities to subordinate Defence Force staff
  • Coordinates and facilitates the development of strategic plans and objectives for organisational units within the Defence Force
  • Develops and implements strategic plans and policies for the geographical or operational section of a fire service
  • Manages the allocation of resources, including personnel, equipment and vehicles, to ensure the effective response to fire incidents
  • Provides leadership and guidance to personnel in emergency response operations
  • Prepares reports and provides advice to senior management on the performance and activities of the geographical or operational section of a fire service
  • Develops and establishes administrative and operational procedures, taking into consideration the organisation's operational environment
  • Makes policy decisions and accepts responsibility for operations, performance of staff, achievement of targets, and adherence to budgets, standards and procedures
  • Investigates and resolves complex issues and complaints
  • Establishes line of control, delegates responsibilities, and provides guidance and support to subordinate staff
Alternative titlesNot stated
  • Superintendent (Fire Services)
Not stated

Comparison uses occupation definitions, skill levels, tasks and title variants from the ABS OSCA data files.

Compliance risk score

4 of 4 factors passing

10 / 10
Verified official source
- ABS OSCA occupation record present
Previous edition migration
- OSCA to ANZSCO correspondence attached
Complete hierarchy
- Major, sub-major, minor and unit group links are present
Legacy crosswalk
- Legacy ANZSCO correspondence attached

How we calculate this score →

In this section

Frequently asked questions

What does OSCA 149231 do?

Commissioned Defence Force Officer is the current ABS occupation record used to describe a specific occupation. It sits in the OSCA hierarchy and carries skill-level context plus related titles and tasks.

How should I read the skill level?

The skill level tells you the educational or training depth that the ABS associates with the occupation. It is a classification signal, not a salary band or a qualification checklist on its own.

Why is industry context shown on an occupation page?

Industry context helps when the title is common or ambiguous. It shows where the occupation is typically employed so you can compare it with the right ANZSIC family.

Source and trust

Official source
ABS OSCA 2024 release and correspondence tables
Last reviewed
2026-04-17

This site is an independent reference resource. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the ABS, ATO or any Australian Government agency.

Please verify critical classification decisions with the official authority before using them for tax, payroll, licensing, immigration or compliance work.

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