Biosecurity Compliance Officer

Osborne Richardson are delighted to be offering several A04 Compliance Officer opportunities to join this key State Government Biosecurity Agency based in Southern Brisbane. Your initial role will be for 6 months, however, there is very high potential for the role to extend onwards for a considerable time after this initial contract.

Your role, as a Biosecurity Compliance Officer, will be to support ongoing improvement of voluntary compliance through communication, education, the conduct of audits and follow-up checks. Undertakes surveillance, information gathering (up to and including conducting interviews and taking witness statements), analysis and reporting about ongoing and emerging compliance issues.

The main responsibilities and duties of the position include, but are not limited to:

- Appropriately exercise powers of an authorised officer under the Biosecurity Act 2014 and other applicable governance requirements and support other team members in doing the same
- As appropriate, exercise powers of an authorised officer under the Biosecurity Act 2014
- Comply with governance requirements as detailed under the Code of Conduct, by guidelines from the Queensland Ombudsman and the Attorney-General, for example, regarding natural justice, appropriate exercise of powers, proper purpose, conflict of interest
- Provide accurate information and advice to stakeholders on biosecurity matters and applicable legislation within the role’s level of competence to foster understanding of requirements and to support voluntary compliance
- Undertake risk assessments and in accordance with policy and procedures and with basic awareness of underlying legislative provisions
- Undertake compliance activities according to relevant strategies, plans and procedures
- Respond to and investigate alleged breaches of legislation including assisting with planning, gathering evidence and information, conducting interviews, collecting witness statements and assisting with preparation of court briefs
- Keep accurate records of facts and findings in relevant paper and information technology systems

In order to excel in these roles, you will strongly align with the following key requirements:
These roles require a very organised self starter with excellent communication, mediation and conflict resolution skills. Your communication skills will need to be of the finest calibre across all levels of society, from farmers producing hay and truck drivers to developers and heads of multinational companies. Ideally, you will have extensive experience taking enforcement action on identified non-compliance by issuing regulatory notices and/or penalty infringement notices.

Unlike standard Government compliance roles, this role will require you to provocatively generate your own work in the field as it is rare for specific jobs to be allocated to Officers. Instead, areas will be allocated and industries designated for your proactive patrol and auditing. The Compliance Officer then must identify risk in these areas/industries and ensure that the operators undertaking high risk activities are meeting the regulated movement controls related to the activity.

**Qualifications**:
The following qualifications are highly desirable:

- Certificate IV in Government (Statutory Compliance)
- Certificate IV in Compliance and Risk Management.

Skills and experience
- Knowledge required to conduct your duties and exercise the powers of an authorised officer in ways that comply with organisational and Queensland public sector governance requirements and expectations (e.g. reasonable exercise of powers, avoiding conflict of interest etc.)
- Strong knowledge of program specific compliance strategies, plans and procedures
- Sound knowledge of legal requirements, including the exercise of powers of an authorised officer under the Biosecurity Act 2014, the Biosecurity Regulation 2016 and the authorisations and delegations of your position
- Strong skill in explaining compliance requirements in plain English to members of the community and in ways that encourage improved understanding of and levels of conscious voluntary compliance with biosecurity requirements
- Strong information, evidence gathering and analysis skills
- Sound interviewing techniques and skills
- Sound case management and organisational skills e.g. can effectively manage cases from initiation, to planning, through execution to closure and, where applicable, undertake relevant and appropriate follow up to assure continued compliance.