Aps 5

The Role

Headquarters 9th Brigade is seeking an APS 5 Formation Safety Officer to provide specialist administrative support and advice as part of Army's Work, Health and Safety (WHS) Management System. The position is responsible for providing WHS support and advice to the Brigade Command Group and Direct Command Units in their day-to-day management of health and safety performance and outcomes.

Your knowledge and experience of WHS will assist the generation of reports and time sensitive data analysis that will inform decision making for 9 Brigade and assist Army in a wider sense to meeting its due diligence obligations under the WHS Act 2011. The role is ideally a WHS qualified person who reports to a MAJ / O5 level Executive Officer at the Headquarters.

You will use your knowledge and experience of WHS and safety management to develop and sustain WHS policy and compliance frameworks that directly support Army's force preservation and assurance that strive to keep personnel safe. You will also contribute to the maintenance of internal WHS governance arrangements for 9 Brigade and occasionally work closely with other staff functions within the Headquarters to facilitate a 'compliance culture'. Given the continual requirement for collaboration on sensitive issues and WHS incident management, this means that the work pattern is office based at Headquarters 9th Brigade at Keswick Barracks, South Australia.

Working remotely from time to time can be facilitated but must be negotiated based on applicable tasking and work deadlines that require collaborative products to be delivered. Working remotely is not to be considered the 'norm' for this role.

The successful applicant requires a sound knowledge of the WHS Act 2011 and the associated Regulations. Experience working with relevant WHS Codes of Practice is desirable. A working knowledge of incident reporting, safety investigations and notification requirements to Regulators such as COMCARE is also desirable. A knowledge of or qualification in Hazardous Chemicals and Substances is also desirable (but not essential).

About our Team

Located at Keswick Barracks, Headquarters 9th Brigade is a multi-disciplinary, integrated team that provides command and control, operations and planning, training and recruitment functions over a number of Defence capabilities in South Australia. Headquarters 9th Brigade has a high performing culture and an evolving role in Army and Defence. The successful candidate can expect to be increasingly challenged in the role whilst being supported by an inclusive team and leadership group. You are a key member of the Command Advisory Group. You will be mentored and guided by an experienced team of WHS specialists as part of the technical WHS chain that reaches into Headquarters 2nd Australian Division in Sydney and Safety Incident Management-Army in Canberra. You also have peer support from other APS fulfilling a similar role across Army.

Our Ideal Candidate

Our ideal candidate is someone who has a keen professional interest in WHS, who has achieved professional qualifications in WHS and who works collaboratively to pursue best practice. They must exhibit a desire to be innovative and adaptive. They must demonstrate a desire to uphold the Army ethos of 'Serving the Nation' and fulfilling their unique part in this WHS focused role as a member of the APS.

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate :

• Knowledge and understanding of the Commonwealth WHS Act and regulations together with a sound knowledge of how interactions with regulators such as COMCARE are progressed.
• The ability to provide basic WHS advice and subject matter expertise including occupational health and hygiene, critical risk management, WHS auditing, and a sound knowledge of WHS management systems.
• An enthusiasm for pursuing 'best practice' WHS management to assist Army's capability requirements.
• Demonstrated analytical skills and an ability to problem solve and develop practical solutions based on extant WHS policy and procedures.
• Excellent stakeholder management and engagement skills and a sound ability to communicate effectively in writing and verbally.
• Broad experience with IT based WHS reporting and management systems and a willingness to undertake further development and skills acquisition in emerging WHS data analysis and reporting methodologies / tools.
• Experience in providing compliance oversight (safety audits) within the organisation.
• Completion of (or ability to complete) a Certificate IV in Work, Health and Safety.

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