Food Incident Response & Complaints Officer

• 2 Full time ongoing roles available
• Location: Newington NSW
• Salary from $71,734 to $117,363 + superannuation. (Food Safety Officer Grades 1-3)
• Create impact in your industry, using your specialist skills and experience 

Diversity and inclusion are core values of the Department of Regional NSW. The Department of Regional NSW is a workplace where everyone is able to contribute and participate to their full potential, and we are proud to have a team that reflects the richness and complexity of the regional NSW communities we serve.  

About Us

The Department of Regional NSW was formed in 2020 as a central agency for regional issues. The Department is responsible for building resilient regional economies and communities, strengthening primary industries, managing the use of regional land, overseeing the state’s mineral and mining resources and ensuring government investment in regional NSW is fair and delivers positive outcomes for local communities and businesses. 

The NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) supports the development of profitable primary industries that create a more prosperous NSW and contributes to a better environment through the sustainable use of natural resources. 

Within NSW DPI, the Biosecurity & Food Safety Division is responsible for effective management and risk minimisation of biosecurity threats to NSW as well as the through-chain regulation of food safety. It delivers a risk based approach to policy and compliance, and provides regional engagement and coordination in response to emergency incidents and natural disasters impacting primary industries and the food sector 

About the Role

The BFS Food Incident Response & Complaints (FIRC) team plays a critical role in responding to and addressing food safety risk and compliance in NSW. In this role, you will be directly involved in investigations of foodborne illness outbreaks. You will also be undertaking compliance inspections and investigations of a variety of NSW based food businesses to address food safety risks and maximise compliance with food safety legislation. This involves writing inspection reports and initiating enforcement action where appropriate. You will also assist in NSW DPI emergency management operations as required.

Our ideal candidate

We are seeking an individual with demonstrated experience in undertaking a range of compliance and enforcement actions in a food regulatory environment. Responding promptly and effectively, often at short notice, to rapidly evolving issues and emerging noncompliance, you will need to be able to work independently and as part of a team. 

As the first point of contact for many food businesses, you will need excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, to provide information and recommendations to business owners and engage with industry stakeholders to facilitate compliance in the food industry.

You will need a high degree of judgment, conflict management, and client engagement skills to deliver the required outcomes in a dynamic and high-volume environment with strict deadlines.

You will work within delegation and in accordance with established policies, procedures, and protocols to create consistency and transparency across compliance activities and be required to interpret and keep up to date with current and new legislation, policies and procedures.

Essential requirements

• Tertiary qualifications in Science or Food Technology, or a related discipline
• Current Class C NSW Driver Licence as well as the ability and willingness to travel throughout NSW and interstate as required; and work outside normal working hours to achieve outcomes at short notice across a wide range of issues.

Desirable attributes

• Demonstrated practical experience in food regulation, food manufacturing and foodborne illness investigations.
• Excellent knowledge of Food legislation, including the Food Standards Code and Food Act 2003 (NSW)
• Practical knowledge of food safety, food technology and food microbiology including food pathogens.

Applying for the role:
You can apply by submitting a cover letter (no more than 2 pages) and a current resume (no more than 5 pages) that outline your skills and experience relevant to the role. For more information, please view the role description.

Applications close: Tuesday 16 April 2024, 11:55pm

To learn more about the role, please contact Anne McIntosh at *************@dpi.nsw.gov.au.

If you require adjustments in completing your application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, information in an alternative format, or otherwise participating in the recruitment process, please let us know so we can assist. Please send an email to ***************@regional.nsw.gov.au or contact the hiring manager listed above for a confidential discussion.

Further Information

A recruitment pool may be created for ongoing and temporary roles of the same role or role type that may become available for filling over the next eighteen months.  

The successful applicant in this role will be required to undergo a police check, health assessment and other assessments as required.

The salary offered to the successful candidate will be commensurate with qualifications, skills and experience, as outlined in the Crown Employees (Department of Industry, Skills and Regional Development) Food Safety Officers Award and the NSW DPI Professional Officer Progression Criteria.

Why work for Department of Regional NSW (DRNSW)? 

Why work for us?

We work hard every day to support and grow thriving communities across regional NSW that will have a positive impact on generations to come. Our goal is always to be a trusted local partner and problem-solver working deeply in community.

As part of our team, you will be able to:

• Deliver with impact. You are empowered and trusted to create impact through exposure to cutting-edge projects and research, career defining opportunities, and get to be part of a team creating sustainable solutions that will leave a legacy.
• Connect to what matters. We are all about forming deep community relationships, fostering our passionate and connected teams. It is central to our work to support a true sense of belonging across the team.
• Live your way. From bringing your whole self to work, to designing flexibility, that fits you and the team, at Regional NSW you will be able to find the balance that works for you.