Request for Information, Freedom of Information and Committees Officer

The Role

The APS 6 Request for information (RFI), Freedom of Information (FOI) and Committees Officer is an exciting and high-tempo role that will see the successful candidate become a key member of the Military Personnel Division (MPD) Executive team.

The APS 6 RFI, FOI and Committees Officer will work in support of the Director Operations and Head Military Personnel (HMP), acting as the central point for the timely receipt, prioritisation, tracking and management of FOI and other RFI’s.

The role requires strong stakeholder engagement skills and the ability to build and maintain effective working relationships across MPD Branches, Defence People Group and Defence Service representatives to ensure information requests are actioned efficiently and within required timeframes.

The successful candidate will provide coordination, governance and business continuity support across a broad range of executive functions, including the management of Parliamentary Document Management System (PDMS) workflows, HMP correspondence, committee actions, generating and coordination responses to RFIs and FOI compliance activities.

You will be responsible for monitoring and prioritising requests in accordance with organisational and legislative requirements, including Ministerial, Royal Commission, Government, Coronial, Inspector-General ADF and Parliamentary Committee matters. The position also plays an important role in enabling collaboration across the Division, coordinating FOI Approved Decision Makers (ADM) for supporting personnel, administrative and task management activities and acting as the understudy to the Executive Officer, MPD.

Key requirements of the position:

• Coordinate and manage RFI’s across MPD, ensuring timely receipt, allocation, tracking and response.
• Monitor and administer PDMS actions, HMP correspondence and committee tasking requirements.
• Prioritise RFIs and executive tasking’s in support of Ministerial, Royal Commission, Government, Coronial, Inspector-General ADF and Parliamentary Committee deadlines.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders to facilitate effective information exchange and outcomes.
• Coordinate FOI requests on behalf of the MPD Executive, ensuring compliance with legislative and policy requirements.
• Provide advice and support to stakeholders regarding RFI, FOI and executive correspondence processes and requirements.
• Maintain accurate records, reporting and governance arrangements associated with RFIs, FOI requests, correspondence and executive actions.

About our Team

The MPD Executive team is a close knit team consisting of five immediate staff working collaboratively to deliver HMP priorities. The team is an integrated workforce team comprising of Military and Australian Public Service personnel.

The APS 6 RFI, FOI and Committees Officer liaises with and work alongside counterparts in MPD Branches, as well as stakeholders in the Defence People Group Headquarters. The team is Canberra based, and the position is an onsite office based position with limited to no travel requirements. The HMP Executive team works in a high tempo environment at the Defence enterprise level to support Defence personnel.

Our Ideal Candidate

The successful candidate will demonstrate strong organisational and stakeholder engagement skills and will be comfortable working in a dynamic environment where priorities can change quickly. Additionally, you will be confident and comfortable building productive working relationships across a diverse range of stakeholders, while providing high-quality support to executive-level decision making and information management activities.

Our successful candidate will ideally have:

• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to develop and maintain positive working relationships across MPD, Defence People Group and external stakeholders. The ability to communicate with professionalism, empathy and influence to achieve shared outcomes is highly regarded.
• Sound judgement, initiative and prioritisation skills with the ability to investigate issues, identify solutions and progress work independently while managing competing priorities in often compressed timeframes.
• Resilience and adaptable approach to achieve outcomes while operating in an environment which often requires interpretation and lacks complete information, while maintaining focus on achieving outcomes.
• Well-developed records and information management skills including the ability to utilise information systems and prepare written communication for the Executive, including RFI’s, ministerial and executive correspondence, committee actions, FOI requests, briefs and task responses.
• Strong attention to detail and governance awareness ensuring information is managed, recorded and actioned within legislative, policy and procedures.
• The ability to work collaboratively within a team environment, providing mutual support to the Executive team to achieve outcomes.

Experience in secretariat support functions or information management roles is highly regarded. This may include experience operating web-enabled workflow application systems and programs as well as experience working within policy frameworks to deliver solutions in high tempo and dynamic people-centric environments.

Security Clearance:

Applicants must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance at “Negative Vetting Level 1”.

The Department of Defence employs around 18,000 Australian Public Service (APS) employees. Defence APS employees work in a wide variety of critical roles, Australia wide, enabling our three services Navy, Army and Air Force, to do their job. Defence has a range of Australian Public Service (APS) career opportunities that offer interesting, challenging, and unique work. Our workforce includes administrative support, accountants, intelligence analysts, engineers, policy advisors, graphic designers, lawyers, social workers, IT specialists and contract managers to name a few. We offer a rewarding career that includes professional development, work-life balance, recognition, a flexible and supportive work environment and a diverse workforce. To find out more about a career with Defence please visit https://www.defence.gov.au/jobs-careers