Principal Advisor

About us

The Queensland Fire Department (QFD) provides fire prevention, preparedness and response services to fire in the built and landscape environments, as well as scientific and specialist capabilities to Queensland communities. The QFD provides a multi-hazard emergency response, including road crash rescue, bushfire, hazardous material, technical and vertical rescue, severe weather incidents, remote and swiftwater rescue, and provides a number of functions supporting community safety outcomes.

The department encompasses Queensland Fire and Rescue (QFR), Rural Fire Service Queensland (RFSQ), as well as the broader department which work together to pre-empt, prevent, mitigate and manage the consequences of fires and other emergencies on Queensland communities and support our large volunteer membership across the state.

The QFD is an organisation that is committed to reframing the department's relationship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities, and organisations through activities identified in the QFD Reframing the Relationship Plan, contributing to Closing the Gap outcomes and building our cultural capability.

Purpose of the role

The Relations and Standards branch strives to ensure QFD's workforce upholds the highest levels of professional and ethical standards as is expected of the Queensland Government and the community. It achieves this through several mechanisms, including managing workplace complaints, conducting high-level and complex disciplinary investigations, and proactively identifying and providing advice on conduct related matters. Workforce Support includes the Workforce Liaison; Honours, Reward and Recognition; and Workplace Standards teams. The unit works closely with the regional network of Senior Advisors, Workplace Standards (SAWS) to help achieve its aim of increasing people management capability, reducing instances of poor workplace conduct and increasing positive workplace experience.

Reporting to the Executive Manager, Workforce Support you will contribute to the functions of the team and support the development and implementation of workplace strategies to prevent unacceptable workplace conduct and ensure the timely resolution of complaints. You will provide high quality advice regarding the efficient and effective management of complaints assessments including the development of complaint triaging frameworks and best practice management processes for public interest disclosure to support key objectives that build capability for driving high performance and support improvement in systems and processes that enable the safe and sustainable delivery of services.

Key requirements

Highly desirable requirements
- Knowledge and experience and/or qualifications in complaints handling, public interest disclosure management and human resources or industrial relations.

Your key accountabilities

Your part in the ongoing success of our department, in supporting key frontline services will see you responsible for a variety of work, including, but not limited to:

- Lead and manage the development, review and implementation of complaints management frameworks, policies and procedures, and perform functional administration tasks and coordination to ensure best practice management processes are achieved.
- Provide high-level advice on complaint assessments and public interest disclosure management and oversee governance to ensure compliance with departmental requirements.
- Manage the work program and administration of the team through the development of complaint assessment frameworks and processes, whilst ensuring priorities are achieved and deadlines met.
- Prepare, contribute to and quality check correspondence, reports and submissions ensuring actions and priorities are addressed, accurate and appropriate replies formulated in accordance with departmental requirements and governance.
- Lead and monitor significant projects as they related to complaint assessments and management; undertake research and identify issues impacting the departments responsibilities, ensuring timeframes and deliverables are achieved.
- Build and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders to ensure consideration of issues and delivery of positive outcomes.
- Represent the department and promote the interests of the team at meetings and internal and external forums, and negotiate agreed outcomes to support service delivery enhancement and successful program delivery.
- Monitor and review systems and procedures to identify business enhancements and develop and implement strategies to maximise business improvement initiatives.

Capabilities

To determine your suitability for the role, you will be assessed on the following Leadership Competencies for Queensland behavioural profiles that link to the "key accountabilities" for this role:
Leadership Competency Stream - Team Leader (leading others)

Vision
- Leads change in complex environments
- Make