Associate Director, Governance (Integrity)

The Audit Office of NSW; Sydney; On-site; AUD 161,000 - 218,000; Full time

Job summary

The Audit Office of New South Wales is seeking an Associate Director, Governance (Integrity) to translate ethical, policy and compliance frameworks into practice across the organisation. You will provide expert governance advice to the Director Governance & Risk and the Auditor-General, supporting integrity, compliance and risk management.

This senior role requires strong experience in public sector governance, the ability to lead a team, and to develop practical training and engagement

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualification or equivalent experience in governance with public sector experience.
• Strong understanding of legislation, standards, policies and compliance.
• Australian permanent residency or citizenship; successful police check.

Responsibilities

• Develop and enhance integrity frameworks and related policies.
• Provide expert governance advice on ethics, compliance and policy matters to senior leaders.
• Support the Right to Information Officer, Privacy Officer and Disclosures Officer responsibilities.
• Lead direct reports and participate in relevant governance committees.
• Utilise Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) platforms to monitor governance activities.

Skills

Governance expertise

Public sector experience

Policy interpretation

Education

Tertiary qualification in governance

Job description

Associate Director, Governance (Integrity)

Are you ready for a career that creates meaningful impact? Here’s your opportunity to work for an organisation that informs and challenges government to improve outcomes for people in NSW.

Are you ready for a career that creates meaningful impact? Here’s your opportunity to work for an organisation that informs and challenges government to improve outcomes for people in NSW.

Who we are?

For over 200 years, the Auditor-General has assisted the Parliament of New South Wales to hold government accountable for its use of public resources.

Recognised as a centre of excellence in professional services, the Audit Office of New South Wales is an independent integrity agency. We conduct financial and performance audits across a diverse range of portfolios such as health, education, transport, local government, environment, justice, community services, industry and more.

Our work is diverse, challenging and meaningful. Our people interact with diversestakeholders regularly, and embrace opportunities to positivelyimpact the lives of citizens in NSW. A career at the AuditOffice is more than you imagine.

We have a people-focused culture, supported by corporate values that encourage pride in purpose, curiosity and open-mindedness, courage and integrity.Our diverse backgrounds, perspectives and experiences help usdeliver high standards of work that reflects the communities we operate in.

At the Audit Office, you won’t just fit in. You’ll belong.

How will you contribute?

Joining the Audit Office means being part of a team dedicated to excellence, integrity, and making a tangible difference for the people of NSW.

We are seeking an experienced public sector governance professional with the demonstrated ability to translate ethical, policy and compliance frameworks into practice for a newly created role at the Audit Office, the Associate Director, Governance (Integrity).

You will be expected to demonstrate and promote high standards of integrity, including professional conduct and compliance with legislation, policy, standards, and good practice. Your approaches will be informed by ‘what matters’ for a public sector audit institution, and an integrity agency.

You will be expected to provide expert, contemporary governance advice on ethical, compliance and policy matters to the Director Governance & Risk (to who you will directly report), along with the Auditor-General, Office Executive, Audit and Risk Committee, other key committees, and the leadership team. You will also be responsible for making certain statutory decisions under privacy, public interest disclosure, and information access legislation.

Key responsibilities of this role include:

• Develop, maintain and enhance the Audit Office’s integrity frameworks through:
  • implementing and continually improving ethical frameworks – such as the Conflict of Interest & Professional Independence Policy; Gifts, Benefits & Hospitality Policy; Fraud & Corruption Control Policy, and APES 110 Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (including Independence Standards) – and effectively managing and enhancing key processes such as annual and ad hoc declarations and attestations
  • effectively managing and providing advice on the handling of complaints, including public interest disclosures, and breaches of independence, or other ethical requirements
  • effectively implementing compliance and policy frameworks to support the identification, assessment, management and reporting on compliance obligations and risks, and by advising on the integration of compliance obligations into policy
  • promoting a culture of integrity and developing practical and tailored training, awareness, and engagement activities across the Audit Office
  • monitoring and reporting on staff compliance with integrity framework, including conducting root cause analysis on severe and/or pervasive system deficiencies
• Ensure the Audit Office has suitable policies and procedures for compliance with the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009, State and Commonwealth privacy laws, and the Public Interest Disclosures Act 2022. Additionally, fulfil the responsibilities of and exercise relevant statutory decisioning making powers as the Right to Information Officer, Privacy Officer and a Disclosures Officer.
• Partner effectively with the Associate Director (Risk) to share insights and achieve coordinated governance activities, including efficient approaches to internal stakeholder engagement
• Participate actively in relevant committees, providing insights and expertise to the business
• Manage and provide guidance to direct report/s to support them to effectively exercise their functions and fulfil their responsibilities
• Undertake other governance duties as and when required to meet business needs, including covering other roles during short term leave, ad hoc projects, research analysis, policy development and internal reporting
• Effectively utilise and maintain the Audit Office’s Governance Risk & Compliance (GRC) system to optimise governance practices, monitoring and reporting activities
• Deliver specific team objectives as agreed to achieve the vision, mission, values, goals and strategies of the Audit Office

What will you learn?

We will challenge and develop you, encourage your curiosity, open-mindedness and courage.

A governance role in an integrity agency in NSW is a unique opportunity to demonstrate and expand your professional practice and contributions to the public sector accountability. You will work closely with and learn from other governance, risk and assurance practitioners and build relationships with counterparts in other integrity agencies.

We value the growth and development of our people, with leaders who guide and mentor on your professional journey. With a focus on wellbeing, we support you to perform at your best and achieve meaningful outcomes in your role.

What will you need to succeed?

We are looking for an experienced public sector governance professional with a demonstrated track‑record providing trusted advice and exercising sound judgement on often complex, nuanced and sensitive matters.

You will be comfortable operating with autonomy, applying specialist expertise, and keeping pace with changes in our regulatory environment, while knowing when to draw on the perspectives and insights of others.

You will be confident working with people at all levels of the Audit Office, understanding their contexts or challenges, and translating obligations and expectations into practical advice that supports better decisions.

You will bring credibility and interpersonal skills to build capability across the Audit Office, helping leaders and teams to bring our ethical, policy and compliance frameworks ‘to life’ in their day‑to‑day roles – whether as audit practitioners, or for staff in corporate roles.

You will be able to connect the advancement of our integrity frameworks to strategic objectives, performance, and operational risks. This includes through appreciating the unique features of our stakeholder relationships auditees and the NSW Parliament, and the imperatives that come with operating in a high‑scrutiny environment.

A legal background and the ability to navigate questions of administrative law and policy will be an advantage, as will an understanding of policymaking, regulatory and legislative processes.

You will be a keen adopter of Governance Risk & Compliance (GRC) platforms and other business systems/tools, and be able to maintain and use these effectively to make your work and that of the business more efficient.

You will also need:

• tertiary qualification or equivalent experience in a relevant discipline with demonstrated substantial understanding of governance as it applies to the public sector.
• a high-level understanding of relevant legislation, standards, policies and procedures and ability to interpret and effectively apply these requirements to meet governance and compliance obligations
• extensive experience dealing with matters of public administration, regulatory practice and professional standards
• sound knowledge of the requirements of NSW Treasury policy in relation to internal audit and risk management and ISO 37301:2021 - Compliance management systems
• to be an Australian permanent resident or citizen or New Zealand citizen.
• a successful police check.

What are the benefits?

We provide genuine flexibility in the way we work, along with competitive benefits.

On offer is flexible work practices and a total remuneration package (including superannuation) ranging from $160,939 to $218,369 per annum depending on experience, skills and capabilities.

The Audit Office is a rewarding, challenging and impactful place to work where we value diversity and take a collaborative approach to ‘getting things done’. Here you can have a rewarding career with purpose, and real work-life balance as well as unique opportunities for professional development and personal growth. You will work with friendly, talented colleagues to solve complex problems and work with high-profile clients.

The Audit Office is committed to supporting flexible working arrangements to create a diverse, skilled and motivated workforce capable of delivering quality products and efficient services. This role is Sydney based and requires regular in-person attendance, with staff expected to work at least 50% of their contracted hours each week at our head office, an auditee location or another related worksite. Some roles may require more frequent office attendance to meet business needs.

Get started.

Our diverse backgrounds, perspectives and experiences help us deliver high standards of work that reflects the communities we operate in. The Audit Office of New South Wales values diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all genders, ages, backgrounds, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with a disability, and those from culturally and linguistically diverse groups. If you are excited about this opportunity but do not think you meet every requirement, or feel your experience does not align perfectly, we still want to hear from you.

For questions relating to this role please contact Alexandra Ellinson, Director, Governance & Risk on ***************@audit.nsw.gov.au or 02 9275 7***.

For further information please contact ***************@audit.nsw.gov.au or visit www.audit.nsw.gov.au for more information about the Audit Office and the important work we do.

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