Dispute Resolution Officer

WorkSafe Victoria; Geelong; Hybrid; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

WorkSafe Victoria in Melbourne CBD is seeking a Dispute Resolution Officer to support timely resolution of disputes within CaRS, blending in-office collaboration with regional travel to Geelong. The role engages workers, unions and advocates to achieve fair, practical outcomes while upholding regulatory obligations.

You will apply strong relationship-building, analytical reasoning and negotiation skills in a fast-paced environment, contributing to an equitable workers' compensation system.

Qualifications

• Experience in Victorian workers compensation disputation and ADR.
• Proven ability to build relationships with workers, reps, unions.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Excellent communication and organisational skills with time management.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain relationships with workers, representatives, unions and stakeholders.
• Assess disputes, identify resolution pathways and support early resolution.
• Obtain and analyse claim information to support informed decisions.
• Coordinate dispute activities and maintain records and timelines.
• Liaise with Claims Support Services and Legal to support outcomes.
• Engage directly with workers to understand concerns.
• Participate in conciliation conferences and other resolution processes.
• Apply legislative and policy frameworks in dispute management.
• Monitor trends and contribute to continuous improvement.
• Undertake occasional regional travel as required.

Skills

Dispute resolution

Stakeholder engagement

Negotiation

Analytical thinking

Communication

Education

Law degree or related discipline

Job description

• Melbourne CBD based (hybrid – 3 days in office) Geelong office visit (once a month approximately).

Join WorkSafe and play a key role in delivering fair and practical outcomes that support injured workers and the Victorian workers compensation scheme.

About the opportunity

The Claims and Recovery Support Division (CaRS) supports the recovery and return to work of injured workers through a contemporary, person-centred approach to claims management.

As a member of the Claims Support team, the Dispute Resolution Officer supports the management and early resolution of disputes, helping achieve positive outcomes for injured workers, employers and the Scheme.

Operating in a complex environment, this role requires excellent relationship-building skills, sound judgement and resilience. You will engage with workers, worker representatives, unions, advocacy groups, internal claims teams and legal stakeholders to facilitate fair, practical and cost-effective outcomes.

Key accountabilities

• Build and maintain effective relationships with workers, worker representatives, unions, advocacy groups and other key stakeholder groups.
• Assess disputes, identify resolution pathways and support opportunities for early resolution.
• Obtain and analyse claim information to support informed decision-making and effective case management.
• Coordinate dispute activities, maintain accurate records and manage critical actions and timeframes.
• Liaise with internal stakeholders, including Claims Support Services and Legal and Governance, to support case outcomes.
• Engage directly with workers and their representatives to understand concerns and facilitate positive outcomes.
• Participate in conciliation conferences and other resolution processes.
• Apply relevant legislative, policy and administrative frameworks when managing disputes.
• Monitor trends and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with legislative, regulatory and governance requirements.
• Undertake occasional regional travel as required.

About you

You are a credible and resilient professional with experience in dispute resolution and stakeholder engagement. You excel at building productive relationships, navigating complex issues and balancing competing perspectives to achieve fair and practical outcomes.You thrive in a high-performing environment and bring a collaborative, solutions-focused approach to your work.

Ideally, you will also have:

• Experience in Victorian workers compensation disputation, litigation processes and/or alternative dispute resolution, including conciliation, mediation, review or complaints management.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain productive relationships with a broad range of stakeholders, including workers, representatives, unions and advocacy groups, supported by strong negotiation, conflict resolution and relationship management skills.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making capability, with the ability to provide clear, practical and strategic advice on complex matters.
• Highly developed communication and organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and legislative timeframes in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong understanding of the Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013 (WIRC Act), Accident Compensation legislation, administrative law principles, relevant case law and legal decision-making frameworks.
• Understanding of the Victorian workers compensation environment and key stakeholder groups, gained through experience in workers compensation, personal injury, insurance, legal, regulatory or government settings.

Qualifications (desirable, but not mandatory)

• Tertiary qualification in Law, Dispute Resolution, Business, Public Policy or a related discipline and/or relevant experience considered.
• Eligibility for ongoing employment with WorkSafe Victoria requires Australian or New Zealand citizenship or permanent residency.
• Preferred candidates must also satisfactorily complete a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check and any other pre-employment checks required for the position.

What's next?

For support with a reasonable adjustment request or enquiries about the recruitment process, please contact Bree Jackson, Talent Acquisition Specialist at ***************@worksafe.vic.gov.au

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to participate in a phone screening and a panel interview stage providing further opportunities to learn more about the role and team throughout the recruitment process.

Due to the volume of applications, individual feedback will only be provided to candidates who progress to interview.

Working with us

At WorkSafe, our goal is for every employee to feel connected, safe and valued within their team, for teams to feel appreciated in the workplace and for WorkSafe to be respected in the community.

We believe that a diverse workforce is essential for delivering the best outcomes for the Victorian community. We strongly encourage applications from all individuals, including First Nations people, people with disabilities, those from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, and individuals of all sexualities and genders.