Freedom of Information Officer

EMPLOYMENT TYPE - Ongoing Full time; Temporary Full time for a period for up to 24 months

LOCATION - ACT

AFP BAND & SALARY - Band 04, $80,821.00 - $95,010.00 and Band 05 $95,010.00 - $102,927.00

JOB REFERENCE NUMBER - 12033

This advertisement is to fill current vacancies and create a merit pool for future ongoing or non-ongoing vacancies arising over the next 12 months.

Did you know?

The mission of the Australian Federal Police is to provide dynamic and effective law enforcement to the people of Australia. It provides policing throughout Australia in relation to the prevention and detection of crimes against the Commonwealth, its laws and integrity, and community police services to the Community of the ACT.

Working for the AFP provides you with a diverse and rewarding career. Whether you immerse yourself in a position on the frontline, or provide critical operational or professional support, the work you do makes a big impact on the people of Australia.

We recognise your contribution to our workforce and offer generous remuneration and conditions including:
Six weeks (30 days) of paid annual leave per year + additional paid Christmas stand down
4 extra mandatory leave rest days per year
18 days of paid personal leave per year
Generous superannuation of 15.4%
16 weeks of paid maternity leave (after 12 months of service) + an additional 36 weeks of maternity leave without pay
Generous salaries and incremental salary progression governed by the AFP Enterprise Agreement
Flexible and hybrid working arrangement that provides work/life balance
Access to ongoing training and professional development opportunities
What is the role?

Applications are sought from suitably qualified applicants wishing to be considered for the role of Freedom of Information Officer (Band 4-5), in the Freedom of Information (FOI) Team within AFP Legal.

The FOI Team (as part of the Commercial, Governance and Information Law Team) is responsible for managing all FOI requests received by the AFP and providing assistance in relation to merits review processes and other matters relating to freedom of information, privacy and archives legislation to support the operational activities of the AFP.

**As a valued member of the Team, this includes**:
assessing and processing requests made in accordance with the provisions of the FOI Act, Privacy Act and Archives Act
providing assistance to decision-makers in relation to internal review decisions
responding to external merits review by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
ensuring the AFP’s compliance with the Information Publication Scheme
internal and external reporting, including responsibility for the AFP’s compliance with statutory reporting requirements to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
developing and delivering training to the AFP on the provisions of and obligations under the FOI Act, Privacy Act and Archives Act.

You will also be required to contribute to the achievement of outcomes in accordance with the regulatory framework, the AFP Code of Conduct and the AFP Governance Instruments. It is expected that the successful applicant will deliver on the core responsibilities and meet any requirements of the position as outlined below.

What will you do?

The FOI Officer in the FOI Team provides timely and accurate processing of requests (and other matters) made in accordance with the FOI Act, Privacy Act and Archives Act. This includes:
with the appropriate support and guidance of Senior Lawyers and Senior FOI Officers, processing routine and significant requests made under the FOI, Privacy and Archives Acts, including:

- liaising with applicants to clarify and/or revise the scope of their request(s)
- undertaking internal and external consultation as required
- drafting routine decisions and
- consulting with, and seeking guidance from, senior colleagues as required

assisting senior colleagues with internal and external reporting as required
assisting senior colleagues with administrative tasks related to external agency oversight and/or review processes e.g. filing and collation of information for Information Commissioner reviews, AAT matters etc.
undertaking general FOI administrative tasks, including electronic file management.

**The FOI Officer is expected to demonstrate**:
excellent time management skills and the ability to prioritise tasks and meet statutory deadlines
the ability to focus and work in a busy team environment
attention to detail and a high level of accuracy
strong communication skills
a professional approach and the ability to work collaboratively as part of a high performing team.
Essential Requirements

A Negative Vetting 1 (Secret) security clearance or the ability to obtain one.
Desirable Requirements

The following skills and/or experience would be highly regarded:
Selection Criteria

Bands 4-5

Organising your work, making sound decisions and achieving outcomes
Communicating and working effectively with other