Policy Intern

NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission

Candidate Information Pack:

APS 3 Intern
Regulatory Policy, Insights and Review

Job

Reference

Number

119_04/24
Number of

vacancies
3

Position TitlePolicy InternDivision Regulatory Policy, Insights and Review

Classification APS 3 Branch Regulatory Policy, Insights and Review

Status

Temporary,

Part-Time (up

to 3 days per

week)

Section Various

Salary Range
$39,379-

$42,727
Location Flexible – national or state offices

Contact

Person
Robert Cook

Contact Job

Title
Policy Officer

Contact

Number
(02) 6152 5***

Contact

Email
***********@ndiscommission.gov.au

Date

Applications

Open

10 April 2024

Date

Applications

Close

8 May 2024

About the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission

The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (the NDIS Commission) is an independent

agency established on 1 July 2018 to improve the quality and safety of NDIS supports and

services. The Commission is the dedicated national regulator of NDIS service providers in

Australia and a non-corporate entity under the Public Governance, Performance and

Accountability Act 2013.

NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission 2

The NDIS Commission’s core legislative functions

• uphold the rights of, and promote the health, safety and wellbeing of, people with

disability receiving supports or services, including those received under the National

Disability Insurance Scheme

• develop a nationally consistent approach to managing quality and safeguards for people

with disability receiving supports or services, including those received under the National

Disability Insurance Scheme

• promote the provision of advice, information, education and training to NDIS providers

and people with disability

• secure compliance with relevant legislation through effective compliance and

enforcement arrangements, including through the monitoring and investigation functions

conferred on the Commissioner by legislation

• promote continuous improvement amongst NDIS providers and the delivery of

progressively higher standards of supports and services to people with disability

• develop and oversee the broad policy design for a nationally consistent framework

relating to the screening of workers involved in the provision of supports and services to

people with disability

• provide advice or recommendations to the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA)

and its Board in relation to the performance of the Agency’s functions

• engage in, promote and coordinate the sharing of information to achieve the objects of

the relevant legislation, and

• provide NDIS market oversight, including:

i. by monitoring changes in the NDIS market which may indicate emerging risk; and

ii. by monitoring and mitigating the risks of unplanned service withdrawal.

The NDIS Commission is a disability friendly organisation that offers interesting and

challenging roles. People with a disability are encouraged to apply for jobs in the NDIS

Commission.

Regulatory Policy, Insights and Review Division

The Regulatory Policy, Insights and Review Division supports the NDIS Commission’s

delivery of legislative functions through strategic policy development and advice, market

design and oversight, data and analysis activities, major projects and initiatives.

This includes innovative and strategic thinking, data analysis and evidence reviews, to solve

complex policy issues that facilitate upholding the rights of people with disability through

regulation of the NDIS market, to enable the provision of safe and quality supports.

NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission 3

The Division supports the NDIS Commission’s contributions and response to the Royal

Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability. It also

supports the NDIS Commissioner with inquiries and reviews, delivery of NDIS workforce

capability activities and monitoring the operation of NDIS markets and regulation.

Role description

The Regulatory Policy, Insights and Review division internship is an unique opportunity for

current tertiary students and recent graduates. The internship offers the chance for interns to

develop a wide range of opportunities to engage with the NDIS Commission’s work and

develop their professional skillset. Guided by their Assistant Director, interns will participate

in the development, coordination and delivery of policy, programs, projects and activities for

the NDIS Commission.

In particular, as an intern in the NDIS Commission you will get to:

• Experience working in the public service: Interns will develop the skillset to thrive in a

professional environment, allowing them to smoothly integrate into the public or private

sector after graduation.

• Develop transferrable skills: Interns will develop a range of skills in the intern role,

including policy research and development, teamwork, communication and briefing skills.

• Understand how government works: Interns will learn about the processes of

government and how the NDIS market is regulated and monitored, giving them a sample

of the work and experiences available across the NDIS.

• Build on study experiences: Interns will get the chance to network with a wide variety of

people, while having the flexibility needed to complete their studies while working at the

Commission.

The division will allocate interns to teams based on need and existing skillset. There may be

opportunities to move between teams as part of the internship.

Key duties

The Intern will:

• Provide administrative and support services to facilitate delivery of business operations to

agreed standards, including records management, routine correspondence, meeting and

event coordination, to support the effective operation of the team/unit.

• Collect and compile information for and prepare documentation and correspondence in

line with quality and organisational requirements.

• Support information flow and inform decision-making.

• Respond to enquiries, and escalate or redirect issues as required, to ensure the provision

of accurate information.

• Learn about the NDIS Commission and its processes.

NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission 4

• Work closely with other members of the team.

Skills, knowledge and personal attributes

Our ideal candidate will have a positive contemporary attitude to people with disability, and:

• Passionate about working towards a better quality of life for people with disability, and

desire to gain firsthand skills and experience of the operation of the disability support

sector in Australia.

• Prioritises tasks and manages work schedules across multiple projects to meet deadlines.

• Brings innovative solutions to complex and multifaceted problems.

• Works well in a team with a diverse group of people to achieve results.

• Has excellent written and oral communication skills.

• Manages files and keeps appropriate records throughout projects and when

corresponding with stakeholders.

• Promotes values conducive to an inclusive and diverse workplace.

Desired attributes

Our ideal candidate will be a student with a passion for supporting people with disability and

tackling systemic issues in the disability sector. The student should ideally be in their second

or final year of tertiary education. We particularly encourage applications from students

studying the following degrees or certificates:

• Health science / public health

• Law

• Data analytics

• Social sciences

• Project management

• Business management

• Disability care and support (for examples, see the OUA Disability Care Courses page)

Employment Requirements

All NDIS Commission are required to meet employment suitability requirements prior to, and

throughout, their employment:

• Be an Australian citizen.

• Have a favourable National Police Check.

NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission 5

• Have or be willing to obtain and maintain a Baseline Vetting security clearance.

• Complete an NDIS Commission external influences and associations declaration form.

To be eligible to obtain a security clearance (Baseline, Negative Vet 1 or Negative Vet 2) the

successful candidate must be an Australian Citizen. Candidates must be able to establish

their background as checkable to be considered eligible for a security clearance. Any gaps

or periods spent overseas for 12 or more months (cumulative) that cannot be verified by an

Australian referee are typically deemed uncheckable, rendering the candidate ineligible for a

security clearance. Background history must cover 5/10 years (Baseline / Negative Vet 1 or

Negative Vet 2) of employment, education, residential, criminal history and anything else

specified by the AGSVA. The successful candidate must be willing to disclose all relevant

and required information to fulfil this process.

NDIS Commission employees are required to comply with the APS Code of Conduct,

including to at all times behave in a way that upholds the APS Values and Employment

Principles, and the integrity and good reputation of the NDIS Commission and the APS.

The NDIS Commission completes regular internal screening, monitoring and assessments to

ensure all employees meet employment suitability requirements.

How to apply

1. Applications are to be submitted online at the NDIS Commission current vacancies

page.

2. Submit a one-page cover letter describing how your skills, knowledge, experience

would make you the ideal person for the role. Please ensure you address the Key

Duties and Attributes of the ideal candidate in the statement. The statement must be

no longer than 500-750 words.

3. Attach an up-to-date resume / Curriculum Vitae (CV) and the contact details for one

referee.

The assessment/selection process

The merit assessment process is designed to suit the circumstances of the vacancy, the

business environment in which it operates and generally includes the following stages:

The application

Applicants provide written evidence of their skills, knowledge and experience supported by

relevant examples.

Shortlisting

Shortlisting is undertaken to identify the applicants with the strongest claims.

Further assessment

The selection panel (usually 3 people) acquires as much information as they consider

necessary. This may include contacting referees and undertaking an interview. A work

sample test and/or psychometric testing may also be included in the assessment. The

NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission 6

contact person for the vacancy is available to provide further information about the

assessment techniques that will be used.

RecruitAbility

The NDIS Commission participates in the Australian Public Service RecruitAbility Scheme to

attract applicants with disability by removing some of the barriers in recruitment and

employment processes. The scheme provides an opportunity for applicants with disability to

progress to the next stage in the selection process if they are assessed as meeting the

minimum requirements of the job. Disability is defined as ‘current limitation, restrictions or

impairment, which has lasted, or is likely to last, for at least six months and restricts

everyday activities. More information about RecruitAbility can be found here:

http://www.apsc.gov.au/priorities/disability/recruitability .

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

We also recognise the richness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and the

unique knowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees bring to our workplace,

policy development and service delivery. We welcome and encourage applications from

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.