Governance Officer

Governance Officer

Join us at the Australian Museum and help us achieve our Mission to ignite wonder, inspire debate and drive change

About the Role

Every great institution needs a strong foundation. As our Governance Officer, you'll be the strategic navigator ensuring our groundbreaking work in science, culture, and conservation operates within a framework of excellence, integrity, and accountability.

Working behind the scenes to enable world-class exhibitions, cutting-edge research, and transformative community programs you'll bring together great policy, audit and legislative compliance to safeguard the Museum's reputation and enable its bold ambitions.

What you'll do

This isn't your typical compliance role. You'll be working with the Chief Audit Executive and Executive Leadership Team to:

• Enable Excellence: Coordinate internal audit activities that help improve our operations and protect our collections, research, and public programs.
• Strategic Support: Provide secretariat services to our Audit and Risk Committee, preparing high-quality papers and ensuring seamless governance processes.
• Policy Innovation: Lead the development and review of organizational policies, working with diverse teams from paleontology to public programs to ensure our frameworks support both compliance and creativity.
• Legislative Navigation: Monitor regulatory changes affecting museums, cultural institutions, and public sector organizations, translating complex requirements into practical strategies.
• Risk Intelligence: Identify emerging governance challenges and opportunities, providing strategic advice to senior leadership.

Employment Status:

• Clerk Grade 7/8
• Ongoing full time 35 hours per week
• A competitive annual salary $113,574 - $125,720, plus employer's contribution to superannuation (currently 12%) and annual leave loading.

Click on the following links to begin the journey to find your new career at the AM

• Role Description
• AM Candidate Pack

About you

Your Experience

• Minimum 5 years experience in governance, risk management, compliance, or audit functions,
• Proven track record in the public sector or similar regulated environment.
• Understanding of governance frameworks and legislative compliance
• Excellence in written communication and stakeholder engagement
• Strong project coordination and priority management skills.

Essential requirement

• Relevant tertiary qualification in Law, Business, Public Administration, Risk Management, Accounting or related discipline, or equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Your approach

• You thrive in dynamic environments where no two days are the same
• You can translate complex regulatory requirements into practical, workable solutions
• You're energised by supporting teams doing meaningful, impactful work
• You work collaboratively with diverse teams to enable excellence
• You understand that good governance enables rather than restricts innovation

About The Australian Museum

The Australian Museum is truly a great place to work. We aim to be a leading voice for the richness of life, the Earth and culture in Australia and the Pacific. We commit to transform the conversation around climate change, the environment and wildlife conservation; be a strong advocate for First Nations' culture; and continue to develop world-leading science, collections, exhibitions and education programs.

Recent staff survey results confirm that our staff feel valued, accepted and supported and that they believe the AM is an inclusive workplace. AM staff also report a high level of job satisfaction.

The AM is located on the homelands of the Gadigal people and acknowledges and pays respect to the Gadigal people as the custodians of the land, sky and waterways, paying respect to Elders past and present.

Check out our current exhibitions and events here.

Benefits

Besides working together with other like-minded people, you will have access to professional development and dedicated Wellbeing programs.

How to apply

Applicants must submit (if submitted as attachment, please upload as PDF):

1. A one page covering letter which addresses the role description's essential requirements, key knowledge and experience.

2. Resume

As part of the online application process, you will be prompted to answer two targeted questions.

1. Based on your research of the Australian Museum's public programs, collections, and visitor services: Choose one governance area that would be relevant to any major museum and explain:

2. Why this policy area would be important for the Australian Museum specifically

3. What information sources you would use to develop an evidence-based policy

4. How you would ensure the policy reflects both best practice and the Museum's unique context (300 words maximum)

5. Scenario: You discover that upcoming changes to privacy legislation will impact how the Australian Museum collects and manages visitor information. Based on your understanding of the Museum's operations:

6. Explain why this legislative change is relevant to the Museum

7. Identify two specific Museum activities that might be affected
8. Describe how you would communicate this issue to senior management and recommend next steps (300 words maximum)

For more details, Frequently Asked Questions and how to apply for the role go to I Work for NSW.

The successful applicant will be subject to national criminal records check. As recommended by Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), the Australian Museum encourages all applicants who can be safely vaccinated for COVID-19, to be so.

Contact person:Poppy Tidswell, Divisional Coordinator – Office of the Chief of Staff,

Inclusive and welcoming

The Australian Museum is an NSW Public Service organisation and aims to attract and retain the right people for the right jobs. The AM is a diverse and inclusive workplace where genuine participation and contribution is enabled, and everyone, regardless of their background, identity or circumstances is valued, accepted and supported to thrive at work.

This means that we are embedding diversity and inclusion in everything we do on a daily basis, whether it be our recruitment processes, workplace culture, career development programs, customer service or policies and procedures. If we can make some adjustments to our recruitment process to better enable you to shine, please reach out to the contact person or note this in your application.