Information Access Officer and Senior Information Access Officer
The Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) exists to meet the Nation’s commitment to care for our veteran and defence service community who have served Australia in times of war and conflict as well as peacetime. We do this through programs of care, compensation, commemoration, income support and Defence support services. Our aim is to ensure enhanced self-sufficiency, quality of life, financial wellbeing and community recognition for those we support. DVA is both a policy and service delivery agency. We have strong relationships with Australian ex-service organisations, the Department of Defence, the international veteran community and international veterans’ administrations. DVA’s vision is to be a responsive and flexible organisation, efficiently delivering high quality, connected services to all generations of veterans and the wider veteran community.
The Information Access Unit is a Unit within the Client Engagement and Support Services Division and is responsible for the management and processing of requests for information made under the Freedom of Information Act 1982, Safety Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988, Military Rehabilitation Compensation Act 2004, Privacy Act 1988 and certain administrative access arrangements. Additionally, the Information Access Unit manages and processes information access requests made under subpoena and other notices to produce information from regulatory agencies.
About the role
- Salary rate: $76,696 to $106,713
- Full-Time, Ongoing; Non-Ongoing
- APS Level 4, APS Level 5, APS Level 6
- Locations: Canberra ACT, Sydney NSW, Adelaide SA, Brisbane QLD
The key duties of the position include:
As an APS4 - Information Access Officer you will:
- Resolve routine issues, refer stakeholders to appropriate business area and/or escalate complex issues to more senior staff
- Respond to applicant enquiries about the information access process and conduct follow-up for more senior officers
- Liaise with applicants to keep them up-to-date on the progress of their request, clarify the scope and request supplementary evidence related to information requests
- Document communications within the designated database
- Maintain and file records in accordance with information management processes and security requirements
- Exercise delegations appropriate to role in accordance with legislation and guidelines.
As an APS5 – Information Access Officer Duties you will:
- Manage and process requests relating to personal and non-personal information access requests
- Manage and process subpoenas and other notices to produce from regulatory agencies
- Analyse and evaluate information to make decisions on routine matters and provide recommendations for review by senior staff
- Prepare documentation that may include correspondence, briefing papers, reports for review by senior staff
- Prepare submissions, responses, statistics to Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
- Manage search minutes, create and allocate returned search minutes and maintain the search minute log
- Allocate information access requests
- Resolve escalated issues, refer stakeholders to appropriate business area and/or escalate complex issues to senior staff
- Provide regular quality assurance and check adherence with relevant procedures and legislation
- Maintain and file records in accordance with information management processes and security requirements
- Exercise delegations appropriate to role in accordance with legislation and guidelines
- Support and mentor junior staff including coaching and training to build knowledge and capability.
As an APS6 – Senior Information Officer you will:
- Manage complex matters relating to personal and non-personal information access requests
- Analyse, integrate and evaluate information to make decisions on complex matters and provide recommendations for review by more senior staff
- Prepare documentation including information that is sensitive, such as briefing papers, reports, Ministerial responses for review by senior staff and submissions to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
- Conduct Freedom of Information internal reviews
- Manage and resolve escalated issues, refer stakeholders to appropriate business area and/or escalate complex issues to senior staff
- Provide specialist advice and technical expertise in area of specialisation to staff and stakeholders
- Provide regular quality assurance and check adherence with relevant procedures and legislation
- Maintain and file records in accordance with information management processes and security requirements
- Exercise delegations appropriate to role in accordance with legislation and guidelines
- Manage, support and mentor staff including coaching and training to build knowledge and capability.
Eligibility:
Candidate must be an Australian citizen.
This recruitment process is being used to fill ongoing and non-ongoing positions.
A merit pool of suitable applicants may be created which may be used to fill future ongoing and non-ongoing vacancies should they become available over the next 18 months.
Successful applicants engaged into the APS will be subject to a probation period.
DVA embraces and fosters a culture that supports diversity, inclusion and respect, where people are empowered to fulfil their potential. We welcome people with diverse skills, experiences, perspectives and backgrounds. We are dedicated and committed to attracting and recruiting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and encourage applications from people with disability, people that identify as LGBTQIA+ and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Take on a rewarding, varied, and broad career with an Australian Public Service Department that can bring balance and flexibility to your working life, while supporting you to stay connected to your community.
DVA is committed to improving the data skills and capability of our workforce to underpin our goal of becoming a leading data-driven organisation.
RecruitAbility applies to this vacancy. Under the RecruitAbility scheme you will be invited to participate in further assessment activity for the vacancy if you choose to apply under the scheme; declare you have a disability; and meet the minimum requirements for the job. For more information visit: https://www.apsc.gov.au/recruitability