Director Conduct & Professional Standards

NSW Department of Communities and Justice; Sydney; On-site; AUD 256,000 - 281,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible, autonomous work environment

Training and development opportunities

Health & Wellbeing programs

Employee assistance programs

Job summary

NSW Department of Communities and Justice is seeking a Director Conduct and Professional Standards to lead a large, cross‑agency function responsible for misconduct investigations, ethics and public interest disclosures. The role drives a culture of integrity, accountability and sound judgement across the department.

You will provide strategic advice to senior executives, manage specialist teams, and work with unions, regulators and integrity bodies to deliver high‑quality outcomes and

Qualifications

• Experience leading professional standards and ethics in large organisations.
• Proven ability to handle high-risk, sensitive conduct matters.
• Strong governance and accountability background.
• Experience working with unions, regulators and integrity bodies.
• Qualifications in HR or related discipline preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversee misconduct investigations and complaints management.
• Provide strategic advice to senior executives on conduct matters.
• Develop ethics and public interest disclosure frameworks.
• Lead workforce integrity and governance across the department.
• Partner with unions and regulators to achieve outcomes.
• Lead and develop a high-performing specialist team.
• Manage governance, risk and financial operations.

Skills

Executive leadership

Stakeholder management

Governance

Strategic advisory

People leadership

Education

Tertiary qualifications in HR

Job description

Director Conduct and Professional Standards

Location: Parramatta

Employment Type: Full-Time, Ongoing Opportunity

Total remuneration payable: $255,878 - $280,824

About Department Of Communities And Justice

The Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) is committed to improving lives and strengthening communities across New South Wales. We work to create a safe, just and inclusive society by delivering services that protect children and families, support vulnerable people, reduce reoffending, increase access to justice and contribute to safer communities. Every day, our people make a meaningful difference through work that has a lasting impact on the lives of individuals, families and communities.

About The Role

This is a significant executive leadership opportunity with responsibility for driving a culture of integrity, accountability and ethical behaviour across one of the largest and most complex public sector agencies in New South Wales.

As Director Conduct and Professional Standards, you will provide strategic leadership and expert advice on complex and sensitive conduct, complaint and workforce integrity matters. You will lead specialist teams responsible for misconduct investigations, professional standards, ethics, complaints management and public interest disclosure frameworks, ensuring matters are managed with independence, procedural fairness and sound judgement.

The role plays a critical part in supporting senior executives to navigate high-risk and contentious matters, while strengthening governance, accountability and ethical decision-making across the Department. You will work closely with internal and external stakeholders, including regulators and integrity agencies, to maintain public confidence and support positive workforce outcomes.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the Conduct and Professional Standards function within DCJ, overseeing misconduct investigations, complaints management and significant workforce conduct matters.
• Provide strategic advice and guidance to senior executives on complex, high-risk and sensitive conduct and integrity matters.
• Contribute subject matter knowledge and expertise to the development and implementation of frameworks, policies and initiatives that strengthen ethics, workplace conduct, accountability and public interest disclosure practices across the broader conduct function.
• Partner with business areas to resolve complex employee relations and conduct matters while ensuring consistent, timely and high-quality outcomes.
• Build and maintain productive relationships with key stakeholders, including unions, regulatory bodies and integrity agencies
• Lead and develop a high-performing specialist team, driving capability uplift, workforce planning and continuous improvement.
• Oversee governance, risk, financial and operational management to ensure the effective delivery of services and organisational objectives.

What We’re Looking For

We are seeking an experienced executive leader with a strong track record leading professional standards, conduct, investigations, integrity, employee relations or related functions within a large and complex organisation.

To Be Successful In This Role, You Will Bring

• Demonstrated executive leadership experience managing professional standards, workforce conduct, ethics, investigations, employee relations or integrity functions.
• Extensive experience providing strategic advice on complex, sensitive and high-risk workforce matters within a government or similarly complex environment.
• Strong understanding of governance, accountability, professional standards, public sector ethics and contemporary workforce management practices.
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders, build trusted relationships and navigate challenging environments with professionalism and sound judgement.
• Experience working collaboratively with unions, regulators, integrity bodies and key stakeholders to achieve positive outcomes.
• Demonstrated success leading and developing high-performing teams, fostering capability, accountability and continuous improvement.
• Strong financial, operational and risk management experience, with a focus on delivering quality outcomes and organisational priorities.
• Tertiary qualifications in Human Resources or a related discipline, and/or equivalent professional experience.

What We Offer

• A challenging and rewarding career
• Flexible, autonomous work environment
• Competitive pay and conditions
• Training and development opportunities to build and maintain capabilities
• Health & Wellbeing and Employee Assistance Programs.

Want more information? Visit our website to see more information on Working for us.

We do work that really matters

Working for the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) provides lots of opportunities to make a real difference. We collaborate with other agencies and community partners, to improve lives and realise the potential of children, adults, families and communities. We're focused on breaking, rather than managing, disadvantage. It’s work that really matters.

Applications close Wednesday 23 September 2026 at 11:59pm AEST.

Got a question?

For more information about the role, the recruitment process, or if you would benefit from an adjustment to participate in the recruitment process (including an alternative method of application submission), please contact Marijana Puric at [e-mail].

Visit Recruitment adjustments on the DCJ website to learn more.

Inclusion and Diversity lies at the heart of how we recruit

We continue to hire great people with a wide variety of skills, experience and backgrounds. This includes people with disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, women, people identifying as LGBTIQ+, culturally and linguistically diverse people, carers and other diversity groups.

To find out what DCJ are doing to build an inclusive and diverse workforce, visit Inclusion and diversity on the DCJ website.

Other Information

A talent pool may be created for future ongoing and temporary roles and is valid for a period of up to 18 months.

For more information visit Your recruitment journey on the DCJ website.

Thank you for your interest in this role. We look forward to receiving your application.