Legislative Research Officer

Department of the Senate; South Canberra; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of the Senate invites applications for a Legislative Research Officer within the Legislative Scrutiny Unit of the Procedure Office. The role supports the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights and the Senate committees, coordinating correspondence, database management, and publication preparation for reports and committee materials.

The successful candidate will liaise with parliamentarians, ministerial offices, and government departments, using Word, Excel, SharePoint,

Qualifications

• Desirable: Experience using Microsoft Office applications and web-based authoring software.
• Familiarity with legislation.

Responsibilities

• Provide high level administrative and coordination support to relevant parliamentary committees.
• Manage and maintain databases of legislation under scrutiny for reporting and statistics.
• Prepare and distribute outgoing correspondence and coordinate responses within set timeframes.
• Prepare committee reports and publications for printing, tabling, and web publishing with attention to layout and accuracy.

Skills

Attention to detail

Coordination

Research

Communication

Writing

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

SharePoint

Outlook

Adobe Acrobat

Job description

The Department of the Senate is seeking applications from those interested in joining the Legislative Scrutiny Unit within the Procedure Office, in the role of Legislative Research Officer.

Legislative Research Officers provide high level administrative and coordination support to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, the Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills or the Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Delegated Legislation. A significant responsibility of a Legislative Research Officer is the organisation, coordination and documentation of the committee’s scrutiny work. Duties include proofing and editing a variety of documents, coordinating a high volume of correspondence to and from the committee, managing the committee's databases, contributing to the preparation, printing and tabling of reports and other committee publications, and preparing other correspondence and documents relevant to the committee’s business.

Legislative Research Officers also use relevant software and web publishing packages to prepare and publish materials for the committee’s webpages, coordinate arrangements for committee meetings and hearings, and maintain registers, manuals and databases relevant to the Legislative Scrutiny Unit. Legislative Research Officers are required to liaise directly with parliamentarians and their staff, ministerial offices, and officials in executive departments and agencies in the performance of these duties.

The key duties of the position include:

• Provide high level administrative and coordination support to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, the Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills or the Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Delegated Legislation.
• Manage and maintain accurate databases of legislation under scrutiny and extract data as required for reporting and statistical purposes.
• Prepare and distribute outgoing correspondence to departments, agencies and ministers and liaise with relevant staff to coordinate and distribute responses within the timeframes set by the committee.
• Prepare committee reports and other publications for printing and tabling and publish relevant information and material on the Senate’s website using web-based authoring software paying close attention to accuracy, layout and design.
• Assist in the preparation, organisation and conduct of committee meetings and hearings, with particular responsibility for compiling briefing material and other relevant papers and taking minutes during meetings.
• Liaise with parliamentarians and their staff, ministerial offices, the committee’s legal advisers, employees, and external departments and agencies.
• Respond to general inquiries from various stakeholders, including members of the public.
• Undertake preliminary analysis of legislation and advice received from ministerial officers or departments, and other research tasks to support the secretariat.
• Use computer software packages such as Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, Share Point, Outlook and knowledge of Adobe Acrobat.

Eligibility

Desirable

• Experience in using Microsoft Office applications and web-based authoring software.
• Familiarity with legislation.

The Department of the Senate is committed to being an inclusive employer. We aim to provide a supportive, flexible, and fair workplace that recognises the diversity within the Australian community, where all employees feel respected, valued and supported to best contribute to our work. We encourage applications from First Nations’ people, people with disabilities, neurodivergent people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, those who identify as LGBTIQA+, mature aged employees and people with caring responsibilities.

Getting to know the Department of the Senate

The Department of the Senate provides the secretariat to the Senate – enabling its legislative and accountability activities – and to dozens of parliamentary committees, whose work encompasses the Senate’s scrutiny functions and its exercise of Parliament’s broad inquiry powers. In doing so, departmental officers provide the Senate, its committees, the President and other senators expert, impartial advice about Senate and committee operations. We publish the Senate’s records, and produce an array of information resources so that people may understand and engage in its work. With our colleagues across the Parliamentary Service we also provide specialised advice and logistical support to senators so they may undertake their duties.