Principal Advisor

**Principal Advisor - Strategy**

**NSW Small Business Commission**

This key strategic role within the NSW Small Business Commission is an opportunity to build engagement across industry and advocate for the needs of small businesses across NSW to help shape policy that leads to positive outcomes for the sector. As a representative of the Commission, this role will work to bridge the connection between industry and government to drive strategy and ensure the issues impacting small business are front of mind for NSW Government decisions, support and assistance.

The NSW Small Business Commission is an independent statutory organisation that advocates for small businesses across NSW and helps resolve issues affecting them by providing strategic advice and support through alternate dispute resolution services. The Commission’s role includes encouraging government agencies and larger businesses to enter productive working relationships with small businesses, facilitating and encouraging the fair treatment of small businesses, and promoting a fair operating environment in which small businesses can flourish.

Reporting to the Director Advocacy, this role will lead and manage the development, delivery and implementation of a portfolio of policy and strategic initiatives, projects and/or reforms, and provide strategic advice to inform decisions that support the Commission’s advocacy for small business. This is a key strategic position within the organisation and an opportunity for growth and exposure to all levels of government and the industry. Importantly, this role will be key in building and maintaining relationships and engagement with stakeholders.

The key responsibilities of this role include:

- Lead and undertake research, analysis and review of complex policy and/or legislative reform issues, identifying emerging issues, and developing evidence-based options and strategies, to ensure problems are resolved and risks are mitigated
- Provide oversight and strategic advice across the branch to ensure strategic and effective responses to emerging issues affecting small businesses and lead activities to align resources to deliver priorities and a positive customer experience
- Provide expert and timely advice and information to inform relevant stakeholders including Ministers and/or senior leaders and support policy directions and/or legislative reforms to meet organisational, government and/or industry priorities
- Develop and implement strategies for the monitoring and evaluation of all policy initiatives to identify risks and issues and ensure the achievement of desired outcomes
- Oversee the preparation of reports, briefs and correspondence to inform or respond to Agency and/or Government requests
- Maintain awareness of relevant issues, policy obligations, insights, challenges, industry trends and practice sand opportunities to in order to identify, pursue, evaluate, recommend and deliver innovative solutions that optimise outcomes and contribute to a best practice function in line with organisational and government priorities

To be successful in this role you will have you will have previous experience in strategic or policy related roles, and have strong industry knowledge as well as familiarity with government policy making processes. You will have a solid understanding of the policy environment and how policy is shaped, including through engagement with stakeholders and/or civil society, and a strong presence or ability to build credibility within industry. You will be a strategic thinker who is able to prioritise and identify effective approaches to solving problems, and a leader who is able to mentor, inspire and work collaboratively with others. You will have a focus on delivery and the ability to manage projects with high attention to detail, and have a foundational understanding of the contribution of small business to the community and some of the challenges they face.

and a cover letter of no more than 2 pages indicating how you satisfy the key capabilities for the role.

**Closing date: 9 June 2023