A little bit about us
The Road & Vehicle Safety Division aims to improve road safety and reduce road trauma for all Australians. The division has four main functions: setting the policy direction for road safety through the National Road Safety Strategy 2021-30 and National Road Safety Action Plan 2023-25; delivering targeted road safety programs; developing and maintaining legislation including the Road Vehicle Standards Act 2018 (RVSA) and other legislative instruments and vehicle standards; and regulating the first provision of vehicles in the Australian market including vehicle certification, imports, enforcement and vehicle recalls.
The Vehicle Safety Operations Branch administers the RVSA and the Road Vehicle Standards Rules 2019 (together the RVS legislation), which sets vehicle standards for all new vehicles entering the Australian market, regulates the supply of used vehicles to the market, establishes a Register of Approved Vehicles (RAV) and establishes a framework for recalling unsafe road vehicles and approved road vehicle components.
The Compliance and Enforcement Section within the Vehicle Safety Operations Branch is responsible for the department’s compliance and enforcement activities under the RVS legislation. The Section consists of 3 interlinked teams:
1. Intelligence – This team uses research, data analysis and external relationships to produce intelligence products. These products assist us in understanding the industry we regulate and helps inform us where to direct our compliance monitoring and investigation resources.
2. Compliance and Monitoring – This team undertakes proactive and reactive compliance monitoring activities to confirm if regulated entities are complying with the RVS legislation. Where non-compliance is identified the team works to correct the identified non-compliance voluntarily, or through using enforcement responses. This team may also refer serious matters to the Investigations team.
3. Investigations – This team investigates serious alleged breaches of the RVS legislation and recommends resolution via a suite of enforcement responses such as fines or court action.
The opportunities we have available
We currently have a number of vacancies for APS5 Intelligence, Compliance and Investigations Officers and we are looking to fill these positions across all 3 teams. A merit pool may be created for other similar vacancies for a period of 18 months from advertisement.
These positions have a key role in proactively monitoring industry compliance and also identifying, considering and assisting in responding to potential non-compliance. All the positions report to an Assistant Director and each position works within a small team that collectively undertakes and delivers a range of compliance and enforcement outcomes under the RVS legislation.
The positions require individuals who are naturally results oriented and you will be someone who enjoys complex and sometimes high-pressure work environments.
You will also thrive in a self-directed work environment, with limited supervision and will be able to react proactively to new or unexpected events. You will also exercise sound judgment while continuously assessing risk.
These positions require you to demonstrate excellent interpersonal and liaison skills and also naturally build rapport with people.
What will you do?
Key duties of the Compliance Officer position/s include:
4. risk assessing, prioritising and processing reports of alleged non-compliance with RVS legislation
5. encouraging voluntary compliance to resolve minor non-compliance issues and, as needed, identifying appropriate and proportionate escalation pathways to resolve a compliance issue
6. proactively engaging with key stakeholders, both internally and externally
7. providing general support and assistance to the broader Compliance and Enforcement Section with either high risk or strategic compliance and enforcement matters, projects or general tasks
8. with guidance, prepare proportionate administrative responses for low, medium and high-risk non-compliance matters. For example, guidance emails, advisory letters or recommendations to vary, suspend or revoke relevant RVS approvals
9. assisting with developing operational policy, procedures, templates and guidance materials to support the Section’s functions.
Key duties of the Intelligence Officer position/s include:
10. undertaking appropriate research in support of an investigation activity to inform whether non-compliance exists
11. apply various modern intelligence methodologies regarding the collation and analysis of complex information
12. identifying and recommending appropriate and proportionate escalation pathways to resolve complex compliance issues, including the use of various legislated enforcement tools
13. assist in the developing of detailed reports and /or targeted intelligence products.
Key duties of the Investigations Officer position/s include:
14. support the Assistant Director and Senior Investigators in undertaking work on complex compliance and enforcement matters and/or projects
15. with guidance, conduct a range of investigation activities to progress regulatory outcomes against an investigation plan, including: assisting in collecting evidence, assisting in obtaining witness statements and assisting in the conduct of records of interview
16. assist in identifying and recommending appropriate and proportionate escalation pathways to resolve compliance issues, including the use of various legislated enforcement tools
17. undertaking analysis and assessment of information gathered as a result of compliance activities and then assisting with recommending an appropriate enforcement response
18. engage with various key industry stakeholders
19. under guidance prepare various investigation reports, correspondence, statutory notices, and other materials including drafting recommendations for decision makers.
Who are we looking for
The people we are looking for have:
20. a strong commitment to integrity and accountability
21. well-developed judgement and discretion
22. excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a proven ability to generate high-quality written materials to support informed regulatory decision making
23. the capacity to manage assigned workload to meet deadlines
24. well-developed interpersonal skills with the ability to work within a distributed multistate team that fosters a culture of informed decision making, integrity and respect
25. the ability to apply a high level of attention to detail while undertaking tasks
26. demonstrated experience in working in a regulatory environment and/or regulatory compliance and enforcement
27. ability to interpret and apply regulatory legislation.
Desirable qualifications and / or experience:
28. demonstrated understanding of government administrative frameworks and decision-making processes
29. formal qualifications or experience in any of the following: audit, law, regulation, risk management, compliance, investigation, engineering or an aligned discipline
30. understanding of mechanical engineering, automotive technology or the automotive industry
31. familiarity with RVS legislation
32. Certificate IV in Government - Investigations (or an ability and willingness to quickly obtain).
What else can we offer?