Assistant Director – Employer Advisory Service

The Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman (OFWO) is seeking an Assistant Director – Employer Advisory Service (EAS) to support the delivery of a specialised service that provides small businesses with tailored, written, technical (not legal) advice about pay and entitlements under awards and enterprise agreements, the National Employment Standards and other matters covered by the Fair Work Act 2009 (Fair Work Act).

We are seeking to fill an ongoing Assistant Director position. A merit pool may be created from this recruitment process and used to fill ongoing or non-ongoing positions that may become available in the future.

About the OFWO

The Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman (OFWO) is an independent statutory office established by the Fair Work Act 2009 (Fair Work Act). Our functions outline the responsibilities we have as set by the Fair Work Act and other legislation to achieve our purpose:

• provide education, assistance, advice and guidance to employers, employees, outworkers, outworker entities and organisations
• promote and monitor compliance with workplace laws
• inquire into and investigate breaches of the Fair Work Act
• take appropriate enforcement action
• perform our statutory functions efficiently, effectively, economically and ethically.

What our employees say about us

We are one of the most engaged and high performing agencies in Australia; consistently scoring above average on employee engagement and wellbeing when surveyed against other APS agencies. 

What we offer you

We provide a diverse, inclusive and supportive work environment with access to:

• Great training and development opportunities
• Generous leave and flexible working arrangements
• Our Employee Assistance Program (EAP), a free counselling service for you and your family
• A competitive salary, plus 15.4% superannuation
• Rewards and recognition initiatives

We Value Diversity

OFWO has been accredited as a Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace since 2011. We are also members of the Australian Network on Disability and Pride in Diversity. We encourage and welcome applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, LGBTQIA+ people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and mature age people.

About the Team

The EAS team is dedicated to helping small businesses by giving them greater confidence to identify and apply their obligations under the Fair Work Act and reduce the likelihood of wage underpayments occurring. The written advice we provide makes a real difference to thousands of small business people and their employees every year.

What we are looking for

As an Assistant Director – EAS you will support the delivery of a specialised technical advice service to small business by leading a geographically-dispersed team of advisers and senior advisers. You are an experienced leader with a successful track record of customer-focussed operational service delivery and a strong commitment to fostering the supportive and collaborative culture we have established. You inspire your team to achieve performance and customer service measures and meet the needs of small business for accurate, timely written advice. You are able to provide guidance on the application of complex legislation and policies and are adept at recognising and managing associated risks. You ensure that the EAS aligns with policy objectives and that opportunities to improve the service are identified and implemented.

Typical duties

The duties of this role include, however, are not limited to:

• Ensuring customer and quality standards are met by your team
• Drafting and/or reviewing written technical advice on complex workplace relations matters and managing associated risks
• Providing guidance and brainstorming solutions when needed in relation to enquiry management including the application of the Fair Work Act and industrial instruments, customer service, quality and risk management
• Identifying and recommending measures to assess and improve workflow, resourcing and work plans, to ensure the EAS is responsive and proactive in its service delivery
• Building team capability by providing coaching, feedback, performance management and supporting career development
• Engaging and collaborating with key internal stakeholders to identify opportunities, achieve outcomes and facilitate cooperation
• Working collaboratively as part of the EAS leadership team.

Selection Criteria

1. Demonstrated ability to lead the operational delivery and capability of a customer-focussed team that exceeds performance, quality and customer outcomes which are aligned to organisational objectives
2. Experience drafting, reviewing and providing guidance on written correspondence that provides complex information in easily understood language
3. Experience identifying risks and sensitivities and recommending mitigations
4. Demonstrated ability to build and maintain positive relationships with peers and internal stakeholders to achieve collaborative outcomes in the attainment of strategic or operational goals
5. Demonstrated in-depth knowledge of the Australian workplace relations system

How to Apply

If you are excited about this opportunity, please tell us in no more than 1000 words:

• Why you want to apply for this role?
• How your skills and experience address each of the 5 selection criteria for this role.

All applications must be submitted via our online application system through the FWO website.

If you have any questions about this recruitment exercise, please email ***********@fwo.gov.au.

*Please ensure you check your junk mail throughout the recruitment process, as sometimes our emails sent from our online system end up in junk mail folders.*

Applications close 11:00pm (AEDT) 21 April 2024

More Information

• Working with us and tips on applying, visit https://www.fairwork.gov.au/about-us/careers
• Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman purpose and functions, visit https://www.fairwork.gov.au/about-us/our-role-and-purpose 
• Office locations, visit https://www.fairwork.gov.au/about-us/contact-us/offices