APS 6 Policy/Regulatory Officer (Various Roles)

Who we are 

The Nature Positive Regulation Division is looking for people with diverse experiences and care about the future of the environment. It is an exciting time to join the division within the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. The government has announced that it will establish a national Environment Protection Agency (EPA) as a strong independent environmental regulator. It is expected that the work of the division will transition to the independent EPA in the period ahead. 

We are a modern regulator that works to a high professional standard to deliver better practice regulation. We use the best scientific evidence and sound judgement, and work with a wide range of stakeholders, to solve complex environmental challenges on a daily basis. Our work is engaging and meaningful and contributes to maintaining a resilient and healthy environment for all Australians. Our primary role is regulation under Australian environmental laws. We manage environmental impact assessments to deliver ecologically sustainable development, and associated policy, data, governance, assurance, and stakeholder engagement support functions. 

Our work spans Australia’s terrestrial and marine environments, including Antarctica, to protect and manage Australia’s unique plants, animals, habitats, and places. We work with a range of sectors including renewable energy (e.g., onshore, and offshore wind farms), major infrastructure, airports, agriculture, residential housing, and mining and gas. We engage with First Nations people and communities as part of the environmental impact assessment process. 

We also engage with a broad range of stakeholders including mining, business and industry peak bodies, farmers, environmental consultants, environmental non-government organisations, local communities, and state, territory, and local governments. The various teams in the Nature Positive Regulation Division are generally responsible for: 

Undertaking environmental impact assessments, providing robust and informed regulatory advice and ensuring all key decisions are completed effectively and within statutory timeframes.
Supporting our stakeholders to comply with their conditions of approval.
Supporting regulatory functions through the provision of high-quality governance, policy advice, training materials and business systems and reforms, including in response to internal and external audits. 

The Job

We are looking for APS 6 Policy/Regulatory officers with a strong work ethic and interest in contributing to better practice environmental impact assessment. We have multiple vacancies in our division across multiple sections. 

The duties may include, but are not limited to: 

• Reviewing complex development proposals and researching their environmental impacts in accordance with legislative obligations, associated policies, and established procedures.
• Developing an in-depth understanding of the context and operation of relevant Commonwealth and State legislation and policy frameworks.
• Undertaking analysis, evaluation and preparing accurate and high-quality briefing material to inform decision-makers of the environmental impacts of development proposals and advise on regulatory decisions. 
• Managing complex stakeholder engagement through written, online, and face-to-face activities and providing accurate regulatory advice.
• Undertaking activities, including data analysis, coordinating correspondence and briefing material, and other administrative tasks.
• Policy development, project management, stakeholder engagement and communication, conducting quality assurance and implementing business process improvement activities. 
• Assisting in the management, training and development of junior staff, and work with junior staff to achieve results.

What we are looking for

As the division has various roles available, the desired knowledge and experience, and skills and capabilities outlined below will depend on the specific role. All successful applicants will be expected to participate in and contribute to culture building, information sharing and staff development initiatives.

Knowledge and experience

• Understanding of working in a complex regulatory role or relevant transferable skills and experience.
• Knowledge of environmental science/management or experience in related fields. 
• Experience providing advice on strategic issues and working with internal and external stakeholders to facilitate the resolution of complex regulatory and policy matters.
• Experience in environmental assessments and approvals may be an advantage.
• Policy development or implementation (particularly in a regulatory environment). 
• Project management and stakeholder engagement skills may be an advantage for some positions. 
• Procurement, financial governance and contract management, data collation, analysis, and visualisation and/or a background in data/business analytics or information systems may be an advantage for some positions.

Skills and capabilities

We are seeking candidates who have: 

• The ability to work as part of a team, with excellent interpersonal skills to develop productive working relationships with government and non-government stakeholders. 
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, ability to communicate complex concepts, communicate with influence and negotiate with confidence.
• The ability to think strategically, identify effective solutions using sound judgement and progress work with minimal direction. 
• Good organisational skills, including the ability to effectively prioritise and manage competing tasks to meet deadlines within a dynamic and busy working environment. 
• A willingness to learn and contribute to implementing and promoting a collegiate culture of adaptability, responsiveness and continuous improvement.

Desirable qualifications

Tertiary qualifications in natural resource management, environmental or biological science, project management, science, law, economics, engineering or equivalent experience are desirable.

Eligibility and other requirements

Citizenship - To be eligible for employment with the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water you must be an Australian citizen.

Pre-employment Check - Your suitability for employment will be assessed through a pre-employment screening process. This process includes a requirement to undergo and satisfy a National Police Check, referee checks, character clearance and where required a pre-employment medical assessment, specified mandatory qualification(s) validation and a probation period of 6 months.