Senior Policy Officer, Board Governance

NSW Department of Communities and Justice; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 133,000 - 147,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working arrangements

Salary packaging options

Generous leave entitlements

Job summary

NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) is seeking a Senior Policy Officer, Board Governance, to provide strategic governance guidance and coordination. You will enable effective oversight, informed decision-making and strong accountability by working with Board members, executives and diverse stakeholders.

The role offers exposure to executive and Board-level decision making, requires high judgement, and supports continuous improvement across governance processes.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience delivering governance initiatives and projects in complex environments.
• Ability to engage, influence and negotiate with diverse senior stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication for Board papers and executive briefings.
• Strong judgement, professionalism and discretion in handling sensitive matters.
• Experience providing governance advice to executives and board members.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate Board, Committee and Forum governance processes (agendas, papers, minutes, action registers).
• Prepare materials for Board, executive and Ministerial consideration (briefings, reports, Cabinet docs).
• Manage Board/committee meeting cycles and forward work programs.
• Provide expert governance advice to executives and stakeholders.
• Monitor decisions to ensure governance requirements are implemented and reported.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of governance systems and QA practices.
• Build relationships to support communication and governance outcomes.
• Mentor internal stakeholders on governance compliance and priorities.

Skills

Governance experience

Stakeholder management

Communication

Judgement & discretion

Governance advice

Governance frameworks

Confidentiality

Risk management

Job description

• Full-time, Salary: $133,348 to $146,945 p.a. plus employer’s contribution to superannuation and leave loading
• Ongoing role
• Close to Wynyard station & hybrid work arrangements available

At the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA), we are dedicated to carrying out meaningful work that drives improvements and elevates student achievement across NSW, now and into the future.

We accomplish this by supporting all school sectors with high-quality syllabuses, assessment (including managing the HSC and NAPLAN), teaching standards (e.g., accrediting teachers) and school environments (including setting and monitoring school standards).

NESA is aunique organisation in NSW (of around740FTE staff) with significant state-wide impact, visit our website to learn more about the important work we do.

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in supporting the governance framework of the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA), working at the centre of Board and committee operations. As the Senior Policy Officer, Board Governance, you will provide strategic governance advice and coordination that enables effective oversight, informed decision-making and strong organisational accountability.

Working closely with Board members, senior executives and a wide range of stakeholders, you will support the delivery of governance processes, manage sensitive and complex matters, and drive continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen governance effectiveness across the organisation. This role offers exposure to executive and Board-level decision making and is ideal for a governance professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment, exercises sound judgement and enjoys influencing outcomes through collaboration and expertise.

On a day-to-day basis you will be responsible for:

• Coordinating Board, Committee and Forum governance processes, including agendas, papers, minutes, action registers and governance reporting.
• Preparing and coordinating routine, complex, sensitive and high-profile materials for Board, executive and Ministerial consideration, including briefings, correspondence, reports and Cabinet documentation.
• Managing Board and committee meeting cycles, forward work programs and schedules to support effective governance and decision-making.
• Providing expert governance advice to Board members, executives and stakeholders on governance processes, risks and compliance obligations.
• Monitoring Board, Committee and Forum decisions and actions to ensure governance requirements are implemented, tracked and reported.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives that enhance governance systems, processes and quality assurance practices.
• Building productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders to support communication, engagement and successful governance outcomes.
• Mentoring and guiding internal stakeholders to ensure compliance with governance, policy and quality requirements and support the delivery of strategic priorities.

Our ideal candidate will bring:

• Demonstrated experience delivering governance initiatives and projects within complex and fast-paced environments, with the ability to analyse and synthesise large volumes of information, manage competing priorities and adapt to changing circumstances.
• Proven ability to engage, influence and negotiate with diverse senior stakeholders, balancing competing interests while maintaining positive working relationships and achieving outcomes.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with experience preparing high-quality Board papers, executive briefings, reports and other governance documentation.
• Strong judgement, professionalism and discretion, with the ability to manage sensitive, confidential and potentially controversial matters.
• Experience providing governance advice and support to executives, Board members and senior stakeholders, enabling effective decision-making and organisational outcomes.
• Strong understanding of governance frameworks, accountability requirements, and public sector compliance obligations, with the ability to interpret and apply these in practice.
• Proven capacity to manage sensitive and confidential information in accordance with legislative and policy requirements.
• Experience providing advice to executives and/or board members on governance risks, processes, and best practice.

We invite you to download the role description for additional information on the position.

At NESA you will benefit from:

• An organisation where your contribution has a big impact.
• An enviable CBD location (all modes of transport nearby, and excellent coffee and eateries) with refurbished offices.
• Flexible working arrangements and generous leave entitlements.
• Access to discounted health and fitness memberships via Fitness Passport, an employee assistance program and annual flu vaccinations.
• Salary packaging options.
• Working in a purpose driven and ethical organisation with committed colleagues.

Ready to join us?

Key information:

If you are a current NESA employee or from another NSW government agency who use SuccessFactors for Recruitment and myWorkZone for Payroll, it’s important to apply through SuccessFactors to ensure your application reaches our system in the right place. If you need advice on that process, follow this guide .

For all other candidates:

Select “Apply now” and attach an up-to-date résumé (maximum 5 pages) and a cover letter (maximum 2 pages). Also address the 2 targeted questions below in your online application (maximum of 500 words per response - approximately):

• Describe your experience supporting a Board, Committee or executive forum, including your role in preparing papers, coordinating meetings and providing governance advice.
• Provide an example of a governance process, system or practice that you improved or implemented. What issue were you seeking to address, how did you engage stakeholders, and what was the impact on governance effectiveness, compliance or decision-making?

Thank you for your interest, we look forward to receiving your application.

All children and young people have the right to be respected, feel safe, be safe, and protected from harm. NESA is committed to child safety and child safe practices underpinning our purpose of helping children and young people leave school, ready to take advantage of life’s opportunities and rise to its inevitable challenges.

We particularly welcome applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, people of all ages, genders, cultural and linguistic backgrounds and the LGBTQIA+ community .

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position . For ongoing roles, you must be an Australian or New Zealand citizen or an Australian Permanent Resident. Australian Temporary Residents may be considered for a fixed term contract for the length of their visa, depending on the requirements of the hiring area and the position.

A Talent Pool (valid for 18 months) may be created for future ongoing and temporary roles.