Foi And Privacy Support Officer

• Support important information law work in a high performing team 
• Provide high-quality administrative support to CSIRO’s FOI Officer and Privacy Officer
• Promote best practice! Understand and support performance of FOI and Privacy obligations

If you have experience in providing high-quality, practical administrative support in the area of information law (including FOI and Privacy), this may be a great role for you.

As the FOI & Privacy Support Officer, you will play an important role within the Enterprise Legal Team (part of CSIRO’s Governance function and responsible for providing strategic legal advice and pragmatic support to CSIRO’s Board, Executive, Business Units and Enterprise Support Services). 

This rewarding opportunity will allow you to provide high-quality, practical administrative support and advice as part of the Enterprise Legal Team’s information law practice, including in the areas of FOI and Privacy. The role may also include making routine FOI decisions, under the oversight of an Enterprise Legal lawyer and in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) (the FOI Act).

Success in the role will also require someone who is able to maintain confidentiality when dealing with personal and commercially-sensitive information and great at communicating openly and effectively with all staff, clients and suppliers in the interests of good business practice, collaboration and enhancement of CSIRO’s reputation.

• Supporting the functions of the CSIRO FOI Officer, including assisting in drafting and making routine decisions under the FOI Act.

• Supporting the functions of the CSIRO Privacy Officer, including applying the Privacy Act 1988(Privacy Act), and/or any other relevant legislation, to assist CSIRO and its staff to understand their privacy obligations and promote best privacy practice.

• As appropriate, assisting members of the Enterprise Legal team in connection with other document/information production obligations (e.g. litigation discovery, responding to subpoenas and complying with orders to produce).

• Developing an understanding of the business, strategic objectives, external regulators, stakeholders, political context and relevant industry partners of CSIRO generally.

• Exercising initiative and influencing to build relationships with key internal clients and promoting the role of the Enterprise Legal Team, and the FOI Officer and Privacy Officer, as “trusted advisors” in CSIRO.

• Generating improved solutions to complex problems and resolving issues efficiently and effectively using creativity, reasoning and past experience.

Location: CSIRO Sites Black Mountain, ACT, and Clayton, VIC, preferred. Other locations may be considered

Salary: AU $105,806 - $114,500 plus up to 15.4% superannuation

Tenure: Specified term of 12 months 

Reference: 95889

• Experience working in the area of access to information, including privacy, freedom of information, open access, litigation discovery and/or orders to produce.

• Demonstrated work experience in administrative services in a complex large corporate or government department or agency.

• Working knowledge, or ability to quickly acquire such knowledge, of the FOI Act and/or Privacy Act

• Demonstrated high level written and oral communication skills with the capacity to provide clear and concise messaging.

• Demonstrated ability in fostering and developing strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders (including regulatory bodies such as the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner).

Applications for this position are open to Australian/New Zealand Citizens, Australian Permanent Residents or you must either hold, or be able to obtain, a valid working visa for the duration of the specified term. Appointment to this role is subject to provision of a national police check and may be subject to other security/medical/character requirements.

We work flexibly at CSIRO, offering a range of options for how, when and where you work. 

We are working hard to recruit people representing the diversity across our society, and ensure that all our people feel supported to do their best work and feel empowered to let their ideas flourish. 

At CSIRO Australia's national science agency, we solve the greatest challenges through innovative science and technology. We put the safety and wellbeing of our people above all else and earn trust everywhere because we only deal in facts. We collaborate widely and generously and deliver solutions with real impact. 

CSIRO is committed to values-based leadership to inspire performance and unlock the potential of our people.

Join us and start creating tomorrow today!

Please apply on-line and provide a cover letter and CV that best demonstrate your motivation and ability to meet the requirements of this role.

8 February 2024, 11:00pm AEDT