Flexible working arrangements will be considered in accordance with the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations Enterprise Agreement 2024-27.
Senior Policy Officer, APS6 – Work Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation PolicyLocation: Adelaide SA, Brisbane QLD, Canberra ACT, Darwin NT, Hobart TAS, Melbourne VIC, Perth WA, Sydney NSW.
We have a number of opportunities available across the Work Health and Safety Policy Branch and Workers' Compensation Policy Branch in the Workplace Relations Group. These branches are responsible for shaping work health and safety (WHS) and workers' compensation policy in the Commonwealth jurisdiction, as well as driving national policy through tripartite forums such as Safe Work Australia.
Work Health and Safety Policy BranchThe Work Health and Safety Policy Branch drives reform within the Commonwealth jurisdiction as well as engage on national policy that will have a meaningful impact to ensure the safety of workers across Australia. As a Senior Policy Officer, you will play a crucial role in providing advice to the Minister and Senior Executives and influencing policies to address a range of WHS issues affecting workers across Australia. You will contribute to policy considerations, engage with stakeholders, and support projects to implement policy reforms. The Branch is currently leading a number of ongoing projects including:
A review of industry-specific safety frameworks, with a view to increasing harmonisation with the model work health and safety laws.Supporting the implementation of the ban on engineered stone, both domestically and at the border.Implementing national strategic plans on asbestos and silica aimed at eliminating silica and asbestos-related diseases respectively.Establishing the Family and Injured Workers Advisory Committee, which provides advice to the Minister and Commonwealth WHS regulators about the needs of persons affected by a workplace fatality or serious workplace incident.Ensuring work health and safety laws continue to be fit for purpose for emerging issues such as the platform economy and artificial intelligence.Workers' Compensation Policy BranchThe Workers' Compensation Policy Branch leads the development and delivery of workers' compensation policy initiatives and work health safety obligations related to psychosocial hazards. As a Senior Policy Officer, you will play a crucial role in shaping and supporting policy that underpins the Comcare scheme which covers approximately 500,000 workers of Commonwealth agencies and authorities, the ACT Government, and national corporations who self-insure under the Comcare scheme. The branch is responsible for a significant number of ongoing projects, including:
A comprehensive review of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988, the legislation underpinning the Comcare workers' compensation scheme.Re-establishment of the interjurisdictional First Responder Mental Health Working Group.Development of a Commonwealth Code of Practice on sexual and gender-based harassment.Implementation of the Health and Safety Representative training 2023-24 Budget measure which will support implementation of the psychosocial amendments to the model Work Health and Safety laws in the Commonwealth.Leading policy work related to addressing psychological risks, including sexual and gender-based harassment in the workplace, the self-insurance licensees under the Comcare scheme, and responding to emerging issues in workers' compensation schemes.The key duties of the position include:Leading the drafting of briefings and policy products for the Minister and Senior Executive.Undertaking research and analysis on policy issues to provide strategic policy advice.Assisting with internal and external stakeholder engagement, project management and/or secretariat duties.Proactively building and sustaining productive working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.Having a reasonable level of autonomy and managing own workload while successfully supporting the team to achieve outcomes.Please note, under section 22(8) of the Public Service Act 1999, employees must be Australian citizens to be employed in the APS unless the Agency delegate has agreed, in writing. This is a designated security assessed position. The successful candidate will have the ability to obtain and maintain a Baseline security clearance.
This selection process may be used to establish a merit pool. The pool might be accessed to fill ongoing and non-ongoing vacancies for similar roles in the Department over the next 18 months.
RecruitAbility applies to this vacancy. Under the RecruitAbility scheme you will be invited to participate in further assessment activity for the vacancy if you choose to apply under the scheme; declare you have a disability; and meet the minimum requirements for the job.
Getting to know the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR)We are the department that helps job seeking Australians find safe, secure, and well-paid work while we ourselves strive to be a model employer. We provide the framework for fair and productive relationships between employers and employees. We also oversee skills development and training initiatives to support those entering the workforce or retraining to take advantage of emerging employment opportunities. Secure jobs are vital—driving future economic growth and providing people with the certainty. We focus on connecting Australians who are starting, advancing or changing their career with the relevant skills, knowledge and experience to gain or regain employment. Our work directly contributes to shaping the employment landscape. It is our unique purpose to help people realise their potential and we want you to be part of it. Underpinning our important work is our focus on culture. We recognise that how we do things is equally important as what we achieve. Our workplace is one where different perspectives are encouraged, people feel a sense of belonging and draw on the expertise of their peers. Our people demonstrate the APS Values, which includes being open, thoughtful, curious and candid. We also value employee wellbeing and developing leadership through investment in capability.
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