Senior Investigators and Investigators Regulatory Action Division

About the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner

Working with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) will put you at the forefront of data protection and access to information regulation. As an independent statutory agency, the OAIC’s work is of national significance and plays an important role in shaping Australia’s information handling landscape across the economy - from government, digital platforms and the online environment, to health, finance and telecommunications. Our mission is to uphold and promote Australia’s privacy and freedom of information laws.

We are an agency within the Attorney-General’s Department portfolio with responsibility for:

• privacy functions under the Privacy Act 1988 (Privacy Act) and other legislation, such as the My Health Records Act 2012 (Cth);
• freedom of information (FOI) functions, in particular review of decisions made by agencies and ministers under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act); and
• Australian Information Commissioner Act 2010 (Cth).

About the opportunity

The Regulatory Action Division oversees the management of compliance, investigation and enforcement to promote adherence to the FOI Act and Privacy Act. This includes the management of Commissioner-initiated and some high-risk complaint investigations, complex Notifiable Data Breach (NDB) scheme matters, general and funded assessments (including those for CDR and digital ID), monitoring compliance, and the enforcement of privacy and FOI legislation through legal action. This division provides the agency with expertise in enforcement, investigations, and litigation, and ensures the OAIC can regulate proactively and strategically.

The Investigations Team in the Regulatory Action Division plays an integral role in promoting and upholding privacy and information rights for the Australian community. The main responsibilities and work undertaken by the Investigations Team and Investigators in the Regulatory Action Division include:

• Actively managing a caseload of preliminary inquiries and/or investigations.
• Conducting research, preparing investigation plans, correspondence, drafting high quality investigation reports, internal briefings and making sound administrative decisions.
• Creating and maintaining evidence matrices and the preparation of statutory notices.
• Using evidence gathering powers to identify whether there has been a contravention of relevant laws and make risk-based recommendations.
• Liaising with respondents and stakeholders.
• Identifying, monitoring, and referring matters or trends of risk may warrant regulatory action in accordance with the OAIC’s strategic priorities and posture.

Staff at the APS6 level undertake work on more complex matters than staff at the APS 5 level. APS6 officers also provide advice, training and guidance to more junior staff and colleagues across the office. They may also lead an investigation and have greater autonomy in the management of their cases. APS 6 officers may also be involved in stakeholder engagements, and other tasks factoring in the classification and Work level standards.

Job specific capabilities, skills and experience

The OAIC is seeking motivated individuals with demonstrated investigations skills, who can apply technical knowledge, legal analysis, and strategic regulatory skills in a dynamic environment.  We are seeking individuals for roles across the APS5 and APS6 levels with the following attributes:

• Experience in the conduct of inquiries and investigations.
• Experience in preparing high quality written correspondence, briefs, reports and administrative decisions.
• Ability to undertake research and interpret and apply legislation in complex matters.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, with excellent attention to detail.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability communicate with influence.
• Knowledge of, or the ability to quickly acquire knowledge of, the Privacy Act and other relevant legislation, and key concepts of information security.
• Ability to work with independence, subject to limited direction, to deliver quality outcomes.

Highly desirable:

• Certificate IV in Government Investigations (or higher), or willingness to obtain on commencement.
• Knowledge of the principles of administrative decision making, or administrative law.
• Relevant tertiary qualifications and/or professional experience in one or more relevant areas such as law, regulation, public policy, investigations or similar.
• APS5: 1-3 years relevant professional experience.
• APS6: 3-5+ years relevant professional experience.

All roles at the OAIC require you to maintain a high level of integrity and discretion and abide by the APS Code of Conduct, combined with a demonstrated understanding of the principles and practices of Work Health and Safety, equity, and diversity in the workplace.

You are encouraged to familiarise yourself with the APS Work Level Standards for the relevant classification.

Security requirements

You must be able to obtain and maintain a minimum Baseline security clearance.

Position location

The OAIC operates a hybrid work model with a combination of remote working and office attendance.  Whilst the OAIC office is located in the Sydney CBD (and preferred), we will consider candidate applications from all other locations within Australia.

The OAIC values face-to-face interaction and fostering connection between our people and with our stakeholders. The OAIC’s hybrid work model expects in office attendance when the type of work or task is better suited to being completed from an office, for example, staff inductions and onboarding, planning days, relationship building activities and project or collaborative work.

Remuneration and benefits

APS5 Salary: $87,895 - $92,922 per annum plus 15.4% superannuation

APS6 Salary: $96,920 - $106,728 per annum plus 15.4% superannuation

Note: An employee will generally commence on the base increment point of their relevant classification salary range, unless otherwise agreed by a delegate in consideration of salary matching (existing APS staff) or in recognition of exceptional skills, experience, qualifications or expertise.

Terms and conditions of employment are set out in the OAIC’s Enterprise Agreement 2024-2027.

The OAIC is committed to enabling its people to perform at their best and offers the following benefits:

• Opportunity to work at the cutting edge of privacy and data protection, paving the way for future career opportunities
• Access to ongoing professional development, with a capability framework to guide skill enhancement
• Genuine flexibility to help achieve a balance between work and home life
• Additional paid leave over the Christmas to New Year period as well as access to other leave (e.g. for study or moving)
• Contribution to your wellbeing through subsidies for eye health, flu vaccinations and a wellbeing allowance.

The OAIC is committed to diversity and inclusion. We encourage and welcome applications from people living with disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, LGBTIQ+ people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and mature age people.

Eligibility

• Section 22 of the Public Service Act 1999 requires that APS employees must be Australian citizens.
• There are restrictions on employment of people who have, within the previous 12 months, accepted a redundancy benefit from an APS agency or a non-APS Commonwealth employer.
• For the duration of your employment with the OAIC you will be required to obtain and maintain an Australian Government security clearance as outlined above and meet required background, identification and character checks.
• Note: All duties are to be performed in accordance with the APS Code of Conduct and APS Values and OAIC policies, including Workplace Diversity and Work Health and Safety. Under section 25 of the Public Service Act 1999 the OAIC may re-assign the duties of an employee from time to time.

How to Apply

1. Please complete the application form found at the end of this job pack as part of your submission.
2. You are asked to provide a single page application response (one A4 page-pitch) addressing your interest, motivation and fit for the role. Your pitch should include the use of practical and professional examples as relevant to the role and the job specific capabilities, skills and experience outlined above. Please also clearly indicate your preferred role in your pitch.
3. Your application form, CV (maximum 3 pages) and one-page-pitch should be collated as one document (where possible) and sent in a single email to: jobs@oaic.gov.au. Please ensure your email includes your full name in the email subject field, along with the job reference number found on the front page of this pack.