Policy Officer

Classification Band: / Band 9
Position No.: / 32465
Business Unit: / Legal Services
Division: / Legislation, Policy and Information Services Division
Employment Type: / Ongoingposition
Position reports to: / Manager, Policy & Strategy Services
Direct reports: / No
Work location: / WorkSafe is relocating its headquarters to Geelong by 2018. This position will be based in the Geelong office from 2018. Prior to this date, this role will be based at 222 Exhibition Street.

At WorkSafe, we’re dedicated to supporting all Victorians to be healthy and safe at work, and to recover from any workplace injury or illness as quickly as possible. Our passion for safety and wellbeing is what unites us.

Our organisation is undergoing major transformation, with relocation of our Headquarters to Geelong and implementation of Strategy 2030. As we build the WorkSafe of the future we’re committed to delivering value to our people and to Victorian employers, workers and the wider community.

Agile and curious, our people come from a wide range of professions and with no two days being the same, diverse thinking comes naturally to us. We work closely with employers, workers and the community to prevent workplace injury and illness and to improve outcomes and the client experience. We make WorkSafe.

Our values

The work we do is important because we impact upon many people’s lives, every day. We have a responsibility to ensure that our values guide us in everything we do.

  • Constructive in the way we provide information, advice and service
  • Accountable for what we do and what we say. We live up to our promises
  • Transparent in the way we work, our environment is open and honest
  • Effective by working collaboratively to deliver high quality services
  • Caring by showing empathy in our dealings with everyone we work with

Purpose

The purpose of this role is to manage the preparation of timely, accurate and high qualityagenda papers and briefing packagesto support the Minister for Finance and senior executives of WorkSafe Victoria to represent Victoria at national meetings, and to provide secretariat services to one or more committees as required. The Policy Officerwill work across a broad range of subject matter, including occupational health and safety, dangerous goods and workers compensation.

The role will work closely with the Manager, Policy & Strategy Services and the Director of LPIS to lead or assist in the provision of authoritative advice to WorkSafe executives and the Minister. The Policy Officerwill be required to liaise effectively with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders in formulating advice and briefings, including the offices of the Chief Executive and Executive Directors, SafeWork Australia, inter-jurisdictional policy officers, Victorian government agencies and subject matter experts across WorkSafe Victoria.

This role has an important role to play in ensuring WorkSafe continues its work towards actively preventing workplace injuries and illness from occurring.

Key accountabilities

  • lead or provide support in the development of WorkSafe Victoria’s responses to key priority and critical issues as they emerge (e.g.emerging policy issues, analysis, interpretation and review of legislation, as well as national developments)
  • undertake critical research and analysis on relevant academic literature, case law, industry trends and research in other jurisdictions both overseas, nationally and Australian jurisdictions on best practice approaches for identifying and addressing emerging policy and regulatory issues, including developing options and recommendations to resolve issues
  • provide critical policy analysis for the the LPIS Management Team, WorkSafe’s Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and WorkSafe Board in relation to significant policy and implementation issues and national developments
  • develop and maintain relationships with key stakeholders (internal and external), to identify and understand key policy issues, needs and concerns, utilising a variety of negotiation, presentation, communication and education techniques
  • lead the preparation and review of agenda papers and briefings to support the Minister for Finance and WorkSafe Victoria’s representation on national forums and formulate policy positions including input into briefings for Safe Work Australia and other national or Victorian forums
  • provide secretariat services to multiple (National and local) forums, where chaired by WorkSafe Victoria representatives
  • respond to requests for advice and information from key stakeholders including national committee members and secretariats, inter-jurisdictional policy officers, SafeWork Australia, Victorian government agencies and WorkSafe staff members
  • keep abreast of relevant academic literature, case law, industry trends and research in other jurisdictions both overseas, nationally and Australian jurisdictions on best practice approaches for identifying and addressing emerging policy and regulatory issues, and circulate findings to internal stakeholders
  • lead the review of and provide critical advice in relation to Memoranum of Understandings between WorkSafe and other Government agencies an/or Departments
  • support the Policy and Strategy Services Branch and LPIS Management in reepresenting WorkSafe at Victorian and national occupational health and safey and workers compensation forums
  • assist the Policy and Strategy Services Branch in the development of cabinet in confidence materials, including (but not limited to) parliamentary documents
  • participate in multi-disciplinary teams composed of legal, economic, technical and operational policy expertise; assisting areas of the business with responsibility for operationalising Victoria’s workplace laws.

Key relationships

  • LPIS management and team members
  • Health and Safety Business Unit managers and technical experts
  • Insurance Business Unit managers and technical experts
  • Enforcement Group managers and investigation and prosecution legal experts
  • Corporate LegalDispute Management Division
  • Government Relations & Stakeholder Governance Division
  • Victorian Government Agencies
  • OHS State/Commonwealth counterparts
  • Safe Work Australia
  • Victorian employers and workers
  • Victorian trade unions
  • Victorian employer associations

Requirements of the position

Skills and experience

  • Demonstrated high level written and oral communication skills, and interpersonal skills to build and manage internal and external networks and relationships.
  • Experience providing secretariat services to committees and/or boards
  • Excellent planning and organisational skills and the proven capability to meet strict timelines/deadlines and to self-manage.
  • Demonstrated ability to coordinate high volume work flows and ensure streamlined processes whilst maintaining attention to detail.
  • Demonstrated ability to conduct thorough research and think laterally and analytically.
  • Experience in developing strategic policy, gained in a Government environment in occupational health and safety, workers’ compensation or other regulatory environments.
  • Experience in providing high qualityand rigorous policy advice on a range of complex issues within limited time constraints.
  • Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain trust and confidence with stakeholders and to effectively negotiate with such stakeholders, including experience in influencing others.
  • Strong facilitation skills.

Desirable

  • Understanding of WorkSafe Victoria’slegislative and regulatory framework.
  • Understanding of Commonwealth-State processes and intergovernmental relations.

Qualifications

  • A relevant tertiary qualificationin public policyis highly desirable.

Attributes and approach

  • You have demonstrated policy expertise and the ability to quickly gain knowledge of WorkSafe Victoria’s legal, policy and operational environments.
  • You possess the ability to effectively coordinate a high volume of work with tight deadlines and work closely with others to ensure accurate and timely advice is provided.
  • You are able to anticipate the information needs of the Minister and senior executives attending national forums and meetings.
  • You exercise sound judgement in identifying policy and implementation issues that may need to be escalated for consideration by senior executives.
  • You must be able to work as an effective member of a highly motivated team who will be expected to be able to meet consistent timelines and to effectively manage varying and complex work loads.