Lead Governance & Access to Information

Norwest Recruitment; Sydney; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Norwest Recruitment is supporting a senior governance opportunity for a lead role focused on shaping and strengthening governance and access to information across a progressive local government organisation in Sydney's south.

You will guide the Governance & Information functions, advise executives on probity and compliance, and drive robust decision-making across the Council while managing a multidisciplinary team.

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualifications in law, corporate governance, public policy or related discipline.
• Extensive governance experience with strong knowledge of governance frameworks and statutory requirements.
• Experience advising senior management and working with executives across an organisation.
• Familiarity with local government governance matters (Code of Conduct, Code of Meeting Practice).
• Experience applying LG Act, GIPA Act and Privacy legislation.

Responsibilities

• Lead and continuously improve the Council’s governance framework, policies, systems and processes.
• Provide expert governance advice on legislation, delegations, probity and statutory requirements.
• Oversee Governance & Information functions and lead a multidisciplinary team.
• Manage governance papers, agendas, minutes and action tracking.
• Coordinate access to information matters (GIPA) and delegations.
• Ensure compliance with legislation and statutory reporting obligations.
• Support election responsibilities and ward boundary reviews.
• Provide training on ethical standards and governance responsibilities.
• Identify opportunities to improve governance systems and processes.

Skills

Governance expertise

Stakeholder management

Policy interpretation

Probity

Strategic thinking

Leadership

Ethical judgment

Education

Law degree

Public policy

Governance qualification

Tools

InfoCouncil

EDRMS

Job description

Lead Governance & Access to Information
Full Time Permanent

Sydney’s South | Local Government

Lead governance. Strengthen decision-making. Make a difference.

An exciting opportunity is available for an experienced governance professional to take a lead role in shaping and strengthening governance and access to information across a progressive local government organisation.

This is a senior position for someone who brings strong technical governance expertise, sound judgement and the ability to work confidently with executives, managers and stakeholders across an organisation.
You will lead the Governance & Information teams and play a key role in ensuring robust, transparent and compliant decision-making across Council.

About the organisation;
Located in Sydney’s south, the Council serves a diverse and growing community of more than 160,000 people across approximately 50 square kilometres.
With major infrastructure, key transport corridors and significant activity across the area, this is a dynamic environment where governance plays an important role in supporting effective decision-making and community confidence.
The organisation is committed to:

• Visionary Leadership - being decisive, outward focused and forward thinking
• Empowered People - being courageous, innovative and committed to making a difference
• Meaningful Relationships - working collaboratively and investing in each other
• Exceptional Service - delivering an outstanding customer experience

About the role;
Reporting to the Manager Governance & Risk, you will be responsible for developing and implementing Council’s governance framework and ensuring strong governance, probity and legislative compliance across the organisation.
You will provide trusted advice to the Executive and staff on governance matters and lead the delivery of coordinated governance and access to information activities.
Key areas of responsibility include:

• Leading and continuously improving Council’s governance framework, policies, systems and processes
• Providing expert advice on governance, legislation, delegations, probity and statutory requirements
• Leading the Governance & Information functions and supporting a high-performing, multidisciplinary team
• Overseeing business papers, including agendas, minutes and action tracking
• Coordinating formal, informal and internal reviews relating to access to information and GIPA applications
• Overseeing delegations, legislative compliance and changes to legislation
• Managing governance registers including GIPA, delegations, donations and sponsorship, and conflicts of interest
• Leading the development, implementation and review of Council’s Policy Framework
• Providing advice on Code of Conduct, Code of Meeting Practice and Public Interest Disclosures
• Supporting the processing of GIPA applications, subpoenas and other access to information matters
• Monitoring statutory and regulatory reporting requirements, including the OLG compliance calendar
• Supporting Council’s election responsibilities and ward boundary reviews
• Providing training and advice to Council officials on ethical standards and governance responsibilities
• Identifying opportunities to improve governance systems, processes and organisational effectiveness

The role operates with a significant level of autonomy and requires the ability to balance legislative requirements, community expectations, organisational priorities and stakeholder needs in a politically sensitive environment.

About you;
You will be an experienced governance professional with the technical capability, leadership maturity and judgement to operate effectively at a senior level.

You will ideally bring:

• Tertiary qualifications in law, corporate governance, public policy, business or a related discipline
• Extensive experience in a governance-related role
• Strong knowledge of governance frameworks, legislation, policies and procedures
• Demonstrated experience across at least three of the following:
  • Government Information (Public Access) Act
  • Policy development and implementation
  • Statutory compliance
  • Business papers
  • Delegations
  • Probity
  • Investigations
• Experience providing governance advice to senior management, including General Managers, Directors and Managers
• Strong knowledge of local government governance matters, including the Code of Conduct and Code of Meeting Practice
• Experience interpreting and applying the Local Government Act 1993, Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 and Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998
• Experience in compliance management, probity advice and coordinating investigations
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to prepare high-quality reports, policies, correspondence and presentations
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing a multidisciplinary team
• A proactive approach to identifying opportunities for process, system and governance improvement

Local Government experience will be highly regarded.
Experience with InfoCouncil and HPE electronic document and records management systems would also be advantageous.

The leadership qualities we are looking for. You will be someone who;

Acts with integrity
You set high ethical standards, understand the legislative and policy environment and build a culture of professionalism and accountability.

Communicates with influence
You can translate complex governance and legislative matters into clear, practical advice for a range of audiences.

Builds strong relationships
You are confident working with senior stakeholders and can influence, negotiate and manage challenging conversations with fairness and sound judgement.

Thinks strategically and solves problems
You use evidence and sound analysis to identify issues, develop practical solutions and drive continuous improvement.

Leads and develops people
You provide clear direction, build capability and create an environment where people can perform and contribute effectively.

Why this opportunity?
This is an opportunity to take a genuinely influential role in strengthening governance across a modern local government organisation.
You will have the autonomy to shape governance practices, provide trusted advice to senior leaders, lead a specialist team and contribute directly to transparent, ethical and effective decision-making.
If you are a governance professional looking for your next opportunity to make a meaningful organisational impact, we would like to hear from you.