Senior Policy Officer

As a Senior Policy Officer in Queensland Health's Legislative Policy Unit, you will support legislative reforms on primary and subordinate laws across a wide variety of health-related areas. For example, the team has recently worked on projects relating to tobacco and vaping reform, mental health, assisted reproductive technology, medicines and poisons regulation, cosmetic surgery, radiation safety, pharmacy business ownership and voluntary assisted dying. These projects focused on improving health outcomes, access to health care and public safety.

• Exciting permanent full-time opportunity based in the Brisbane CBD.
• Join a collaborative team leading legislative reforms across one of the largest and most diverse legislative portfolios in the Queensland Government.
• Contribute to meaningful legislative change that improves the health and wellbeing of Queenslanders, in a supportive environment that values teamwork, achievement and work-life balance.
• We are seeking a motivated team player with experience developing legislative reforms, or with transferable legal or policy experience and a sound understanding of the legislative process.
• The team's work includes liaising with subject matter experts, preparing Cabinet submissions, briefings and drafting instructions, instructing Parliamentary Counsel, consulting stakeholders, and supporting Bills and subordinate legislation through the Parliamentary and Governor-in-Council processes.

You will be responsible for:

• Preparing high quality and timely briefing notes, ministerial communications, reports, submissions and correspondence as required.
• Participating as a team member in projects to develop and amend Health and Ambulance legislation.
• Undertaking legislative policy reviews, analysing and reporting on submissions, and developing briefings and issues papers requiring research.
• Providing support and advice to policy areas within Queensland Health on processes and procedures for developing and amending legislation.
• Consulting with policy and subject-matter experts in Queensland Health, and with external stakeholders where appropriate, to analyse legislative issues, develop and refine legislative proposals, and develop proposals and options for decision-makers.

In return:

• You will get to work on interesting, diverse and complex matters and further develop your existing skills, knowing that you are making a difference to the health and wellbeing of Queenslanders.
• You will get to work with a high-performing and collaborative team of about 18 legislative officers, with a genuine commitment to work-life balance. We work hard but have a thriving (completely optional) social agenda. We're a very welcoming team and place high importance on maintaining our supportive culture.

To be successful in this role you will:

• demonstrate experience in supporting primary and subordinate legislation projects or strong policy development or legal skills within a complex service delivery environment;
• have proven skills in researching and analysing policy issues of a complex nature and providing high quality and timely advice to management in relation to those issues;
• be familiar with, or able to quickly gain knowledge of, the parliamentary and Cabinet process;
• demonstrate strong project management ability working on complex time-critical projects;
• demonstrate strong verbal and written communication skills including the ability to build and maintain strong stakeholder relationships across all levels of an organisation; and
• have knowledge, or the ability to rapidly acquire knowledge, of: 
  
  o    legislation under the health portfolio, and other State and Commonwealth legislation impacting on Health legislation and operations; and 
  
  o    the organisation, functions and policies of Queensland Health.

Benefits

• A fast-paced, challenging and supportive environment
• Competitive salary + generous superannuation and leave loading
• Flexible working arrangements
• Diverse work culture
• Career training and development

How to apply

• Please submit your resume (including the details of two referees), and
• A cover letter (maximum 2 pages) outlining your skills and experience relevant for this role.