Assistant Director, Freedom Of Information And Privacy

About the Group

The General Counsel Branch operates in a fast-paced, dynamic central agency environment providing high-level strategic advice and support, overseeing a number of essential functions including:

• providing in-house legal services for the Commissioner, the Commission, the Merit Protection Commissioner, the Remuneration Tribunal and the Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal
• delivering outcomes through legal policy development and implementation
• managing, delivering and monitoring legal projects
• managing FOI and Privacy matters
• supporting the General Counsel in engaging effectively and collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders, including senior executives, other APS agencies, and members of the legal profession.  

The Assistant Director – Freedom of Information and Privacy assists the Commission to manage its obligations under the Freedom of Information Act by processing requests for information in accordance with the Act and established procedures and guidelines. The Assistant Director supports the Deputy General Counsel and manages Freedom of Information and Privacy matters with the support of legal officers as required. 

The Assistant Director is required to: 

• manage the Commission’s caseload of complex or more sensitive FOI requests and coordinate the Commission’s response to each request within strict timeframes; 
• provide specialised assistance and guidance to decision-makers and action officers on FOI matters, including actively participating in meetings; 
• prepare or supervise the preparation of draft correspondence and decisions; 
• mentor and supervise junior staff members in their work on Freedom of Information and Privacy matters and review the work of others in the team; 
•  provide FOI assistance to the Minister’s Office as required;
• work with the other Commission staff including the General Counsel Branch and decision makers across the Commission to manage the workflow and caseload in the team, to ensure timeframes are met; 
• develop guidance and training materials and deliver FOI training to the Commission, and update the General Counsel Branch about trends in FOI and Privacy matters including guidance from the OAIC, and decisions of the Information Commissioner, Privacy Commissioner and the AAT;
• demonstrate awareness of the integrity context in which the Commission operates, with a view to understanding potential risks and sensitivities relating to FOI requests, and exercise critical thinking and sound judgement on FOI issues; and 
• identify and manage FOI related risks within the Commission, in conjunction with the Deputy General Counsel and General Counsel.

Under section 22(8) of the Public Service Act 1999, employees must be Australian citizens to be employed in the Australian Public Service (APS) or, in limited circumstances, in the process of obtaining citizenship.

Successful applicants will be required to undergo the process to obtain and maintain, or continue to hold the required security clearance level for the role as indicated. All Commission staff are required to have a minimum Baseline security clearance prior to commencement.

Successful applicants will be required to undergo a mandatory National Criminal History check as part of the pre-employment eligibility checks.

The Australian Public Service Commission is committed to building an inclusive and culturally diverse workforce. We welcome applications from across our community including, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, women, people with disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, those who identify as LGBTIQ+, mature aged employees and carers.

The Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) is a central agency within the Prime Minister and Cabinet portfolio. The Commission supports two statutory office holders: the Australian Public Service Commissioner—who is also agency head—and the Merit Protection Commissioner. Their functions are set out in sections 41(1) and 50(1), respectively, of the Public Service Act 1999. About the Commission The Australian Public Service Commission is a non-corporate Commonwealth entity within the Prime Minister and Cabinet portfolio. Our Statutory responsibilities are detailed in the Public Service Act 1999. The APSC also provides resources to support the Merit Protection Commissioner. We operate under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013. We employ around 350 staff, and have offices in Canberra and Sydney.