APS6 - Senior Compliance Officer / Senior Investigator, Vehicle Safety Operations 

The department supports workplace diversity and values the contribution of people from diverse backgrounds. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, people with cultural and linguistic diversity, and LGBTQIA+ people. The department is committed to achieving gender equality and, in particular, supporting women’s progression into senior leadership.

The opportunities we have available

The Road and Vehicle Safety Division aims to improve road safety and reduce road trauma for all Australians. The division has four main functions: 

• setting the policy direction for road safety through the National Road Safety Strategy 2021-30 and National Road Safety Action Plan 2023-25;
• delivering targeted road safety programs;
• developing and maintaining legislation including the Road Vehicle Standards Act 2018 (RVSA) and other legislative instruments and vehicle standards; and
• regulating the first provision of vehicles in the Australian market including vehicle certification, imports, enforcement and vehicle recalls.

The Vehicle Safety Operations Branch administers the RVSA and the Road Vehicle Standards Rules 2019 (together the RVS legislation), which sets vehicle standards for all new vehicles entering the Australian market and regulates the supply of used vehicles to the market, establishes a Register of Approved Vehicles (RAV) and establishes a framework for recalling unsafe road vehicles and approved road vehicle components.

The Compliance and Enforcement Section within the Vehicle Safety Operations Branch is responsible for the department’s compliance and enforcement activities under the RVS legislation. The Section consists of 4 interlinked teams:

• Intelligence – This team uses research, data analysis and external relationships to produce intelligence products. These products assist us in understanding the industry we regulate and helps inform us where to direct our monitoring and investigation resources based on risk.
• Compliance – This team undertakes proactive and reactive compliance activities to confirm if regulated entities are complying with RVS legislation. Where non-compliance is identified the team works to correct the identified non-compliance voluntarily. This team may also refer serious matters to the Section’s Investigations team.
• Compliance Monitoring – This team proactively monitors regulated entities to ensure their compliance with RVS legislation. The team’s work is both intelligence and risk led. It undertakes its work via targeted desk based and field based compliance monitoring activities.
• Investigations – This team investigates serious alleged breaches of the RVS legislation and recommends resolution via a suite of enforcement responses such as fines or court action. This team also works with regulated entities who decide to offer the department an Enforceable Undertaking to correct identified non-compliance/s.

We are looking to fill APS6 Senior Compliance Officer and Senior Investigator positions within the Compliance and Enforcement Section.  A merit pool may be created for other similar vacancies for a period of 18 months from advertisement.

Senior Compliance Officer

 
The APS6 Senior Compliance Officer has a leading role in undertaking a range of regulatory, compliance, enforcement, intelligence and / or compliance support activities. The position reports to an Assistant Director and works within a small team. The Senior Compliance Officer also regularly works with the Section’s investigations officers.

The position requires an individual who is results oriented and who is naturally self-motivated to thrive in complex and sometimes high-pressure work environments.

You will enjoy a self-directed work environment and will be able to react quickly to new or unexpected events while exercising defensible regulatory judgement.

The position requires you to demonstrate excellent interpersonal and liaison skills and a refined ability to build rapport with people.

This position may require some domestic travel to undertake field activities related to compliance monitoring and / or responding to allegations of non-compliance.

Senior Investigator 

The Senior Investigator will have a leading role in undertaking a range of regulatory, compliance and enforcement activities. To succeed in the position you will demonstrate excellent interpersonal and liaison skills and naturally build rapport with people.

You will thrive in a self-directed work environment, often with limited supervision and will be able to react proactively to new or unexpected events while exercising excellent judgement and continuously assessing risk.

The position requires an individual who is results oriented and you will also be someone who enjoys complex and sometimes high-pressure work environments.

As a Senior Investigator in the Compliance and Enforcement section, you will discharge your duties with the highest levels of personal integrity and professionalism.

This position will require some domestic travel to undertake field activities related to compliance monitoring and / or responding to allegations of non-compliance.

What will you do? 

Key duties of the Senior Compliance Officer position include:

• risk assessing, prioritising and processing complex reports of alleged non-compliance with RVS legislation
• encouraging voluntary compliance to resolve non-compliance issues and regularly identifying appropriate and proportionate escalation pathways to resolve complex non-compliance reports
• developing and fostering enduring relationships with stakeholders, both internally and externally
• providing support, guidance and assistance to others within the Section regarding reports of alleged non-compliance and resolution pathways
• taking a leading role within the broader Compliance and Enforcement Section with either high risk or strategic compliance and enforcement matters, projects or general tasks
• identifying and recommending appropriate and proportionate compliance and enforcement escalation pathways to resolve complex compliance issues, including the use of various legislated enforcement tools
• preparing detailed operational policy, procedures, templates and guidance materials that support the Section’s functions.

Key duties of the Senior Investigator position include:

• develop plans for complex investigations: including elementising offences, developing lines of enquiry, setting key milestones and allocating resources
• proactively lead complex and sensitive investigations, enforcement matters and/or projects
• undertaking detailed consideration of complex compliance issues to identify and demonstrate where non-compliance may have occurred
• conduct a range of complex investigation activities to progress regulatory outcomes against the investigation plan, including: collecting evidence, obtaining witness statements and conducting records of interview
• identifying and recommending appropriate and proportionate escalation pathways to resolve complex compliance issues, including the use of various legislated enforcement tools
• leading the analysis and assessment of information gathered as a result of compliance activities and then recommending and leading an appropriate enforcement response
• proactively and regularly engage with key industry stakeholders
• taking a leading role within the broader Compliance and Enforcement section with either high risk or strategic compliance and enforcement matters, projects or general tasks
• preparing various investigation reports, correspondence, statutory notices, and other materials including recommendations for decision makers
• working with other authorities in relation to matters under investigation, inquiry, and /or subject to proceedings
• as required, appear in courts or tribunals
• as required, undertaking domestic travel to support or lead various compliance and/or enforcement related activities.

Who are we looking for 

The person we are looking for has:

• a strong commitment to integrity and accountability
• highly developed judgement and discretion
• excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a proven ability to generate high-quality written materials to support informed regulatory decision making
• the capacity to manage multiple activities and/or multiple tasks to meet deadlines
• highly developed problem-solving skills including the ability to analyse issues from different perspectives and draw sound inferences from available data and information
• experience in stakeholder engagement
• highly-developed interpersonal skills with the ability to work within a team that fosters a culture of informed decision making, continuous improvement, integrity and respect
• the ability to work to high standard in a complex environment while demonstrating resilience
• the ability to apply a high level of attention to detail, while undertaking various competing tasks
• ability to interpret and apply regulatory legislation.

Desirable qualifications and / or experience:

• demonstrated understanding of government administrative frameworks and decision-making processes
• formal qualifications or experience in any of the following: audit, law, regulation, risk management, compliance, investigation, engineering or an aligned discipline
• understanding of mechanical engineering, automotive technology or the automotive industry
• familiarity with RVS legislation
• Certificate IV or Diploma in Government - Investigations (or an ability and willingness to quickly obtain).

RecruitAbility minimum requirements

Minimum requirements for these roles include:

• a strong commitment to integrity and accountability
• highly developed judgement and discretion
• excellent written and verbal communication skills
• highly developed problem-solving skills including the ability to analyse issues from different perspectives and draw sound inferences from available data and information
• experience in stakeholder engagement
• ability to interpret and apply regulatory legislation.

RecruitAbility is a scheme which aims to attract and develop applicants with disability and also facilitate cultural changes in selection panels and agency recruitment.

Job applicants with disability who meet the requirements are advanced to the next stage of the selection process:

• Opt into the scheme
• Declare they have a disability, and
• Meet the minimum requirements of a vacancy advertised in the scheme

More information can be found at RecruitAbility scheme: A guide for applicants | Australian Public Service Commission.

What else can we offer?

Eligibility requirements

Employment with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts is subject to conditions prescribed within the Public Service Act 1999 including:

• Citizenship: To be eligible for employment with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts, applicants must be an Australian citizen.  Only in exceptional circumstances will the department consider waiving this requirement.

• Health Assessment: The preferred applicant may be required to undergo a medical examination conducted by the department’s preferred medical provider.

• Security Clearance: The successful candidate must be able to obtain and/or maintain a security clearance at minimum Baseline Level.  You must be willing to disclose all relevant and required information.  You must have lived in Australia, or have a checkable background, for at least the preceding five years for Baseline Vetting clearances.  More information on the security clearance vetting process is available on the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) website.

• Police check: The successful candidate must satisfactory complete an Australian Federal Police criminal history check.

• Integrity and Performance check: The successful candidate must satisfy the requirements in an Integrity and Performance check which is completed by your most recent employer.

Timeline and assessment

A selection panel will be established to assess your suitability against the advertised role.

If a merit pool is established it will be valid for 18 months from date it first appeared in the APS Gazette.

Anticipated timeline for recruitment milestone dates: the APSC has set the target of recruitment processes being completed and offers made to successful candidates within 42 days.

Applications open: 20 November 2025

Applications close: 3 December 2025

Application shortlisting: Week commencing 8 December 2025

Further assessments: Week commencing from 15 December 2025

Selection report finalised: Week commencing 12 January 2025

Offers and announcements: Week commencing 19 January 2025

The above is indicative only, please reach out to the contact person if you have any questions on the recruitment process or timeframes.

Your application will be assessed against the requirements of the job and the Work level standards. Once the entire applicant pool has been assessed, the panel will create a shortlist of applicants. If your application is shortlisted, you may be asked to undertake further assessment, this may include interviews and reference checks.

How to apply

Applications for this exciting opportunity close 11.59pm (AEDT), Wednesday 3 December 2025. 

In applying for this position, you are not required to address individual selection criteria. Rather, you should provide in a PDF document a statement of no more than 2 pages outlining your background, capabilities and experiences, and how these align with the advertised role.

You should also provide a tailored CV in PDF, no more than 3 pages. The capabilities and behaviours required to be successful for this role are identified in the ‘Who are we looking for’ section.

Your application should be received through the department’s online recruitment system.  Applications via Indeed will not be accepted.

If you experience any issues with the system please contact the recruitment team on 02 6136 8989 or via email at [email protected] to discuss an alternative way to submit your application.

Please advise the contact officer if you require reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process. The department is committed to the accessibility of our systems. If you identify as someone with disability and you require accessibility assistance or more information, please email [email protected] 

Work with us. Apply now!