Senior Compliance Officer

Australian Electoral Commission; Canberra; On-site; AUD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) is expanding its Regulatory Division to administer the new Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Reform) Act 2025. The APS6 Senior Compliance Officer will independently review financial disclosures, oversee election funding processing, and lead risk-based investigations.

You will provide education to entities, mentor junior staff, and ensure impartial, politically neutral operations in a fast-paced environment in Canberra.

Qualifications

• Experience supporting or leading financial audits or similar assurance activities.
• Strong analytical ability to interpret moderately complex information and identify issues.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for stakeholder engagement.

Responsibilities

• Independently review financial disclosure returns for accuracy and compliance with legislation.
• Assess and review procedures for election funding claims across the electoral cycle.
• Oversee processing and payment of election funding to eligible parties and candidates.
• Lead data collection and analysis to support risk-based non-compliance investigations, including foreign influence risks.
• Provide education and advice to entities with disclosure obligations to promote voluntary compliance.
• Provide leadership and guidance to junior staff and adapt to legislative changes.

Skills

Financial audits

Analytical skills

Stakeholder communication

Time management

Impartiality/neutrality

Education

Accounting/Finance degree

Job description

Job Title - APS6 Senior Compliance Officer

• Security Clearance: Baseline Clearance (plus National Police Check)
• Length of Contract: 12 months from 2 November 2026 (until 2 November 2027), with the option to extend to a total of 18 months
• The role closes on: 15/10/2026

About the Role:

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) is expanding its Regulatory Division as it prepares to administer the new Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Reform) Act 2025. Major reforms to political funding and disclosure take effect from 1 July 2026.

Key responsibilities:

• Independently review financial disclosure returns from political participants for accuracy, completeness and compliance with legislative requirements.
• Assess and review procedures for election funding claims across the electoral cycle, including complex compliance assessments under the Electoral Act.
• Oversee and coordinate the accurate processing and payment of election funding to eligible political parties and candidates, in line with legislative and procedural obligations.
• Lead the collection and analysis of information from diverse sources to support a risk-based approach to identifying and investigating potential non-compliance, including the risk of foreign influence through financial contributions.
• Provide education and advice to entities with disclosure obligations to support voluntary compliance.
• Provide leadership, guidance and support to junior staff, building capability and quality outcomes.
• Stay flexible and adaptable as the section responds to the legislative changes.

What we're looking for:

• Demonstrated experience supporting or leading financial audits (or similar assurance activities), with strong organisational skills and a methodical, accurate approach.
• Well-developed analytical skills to interpret moderately complex information, identify issues and risks, and give timely, well-informed advice.
• Highly developed communication and interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to build productive relationships with stakeholders at all levels.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver quality outcomes under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
• Formal qualifications or relevant work experience in accounting, commerce, finance or a related field are highly desirable.

Other requirements:

• Australian citizenship is required.
• The role is politically sensitive. You must be, and be seen to be, impartial and politically neutral, so anyone active in political affairs or referendum issues will not be eligible.
• Pre-employment screening includes a police check, an identity check and agency-specific political neutrality checks.

SFIA Skills Sought:

The independent assessment of the conformity of any activity, process, deliverable, product or service to the criteria of specified standards, best practice, or other documented requirements. May relate to, for example, asset management, network security tools, firewalls and internet security, sustainability, real-time systems, application design and specific certifications.

Conducts formal reviews of activities, processes, products or services. Collects, collates and examines records as part of specified testing strategies for evidence of compliance with management directives, or the identification of abnormal occurrences. Analyses evidence collated and drafts part or all of formal reports commenting on the conformance found to exist in the reviewed part of an information systems environment.

We warmly welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including First Nations Australians, Australian Defence Force and First Responder veterans, women in STEM, and people of all abilities, including those registered with the NDIS.