Policy Officer

At the NSW Department of Education, we educate and inspire lifelong learners – from early childhood, through schooling to vocational education and training.

• 1x Ongoing Full-Time position
• Located in Parramatta with hybrid working from home arrangements available.
• Clerk Grade 7/8 with salary ranging from $110,266 p.a. to $122,058 p.a. + super and annual leave loading
• Access to fitness passport, flex leave entitlements and other salary packaging benefits!

• We encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from diverse cultural backgrounds, people living with disability and people living in regional areas to apply  

About the role

This policy officer role sits in the Early Childhood Development team within Early Childhood Outcomes. This team leads Brighter Beginnings. Brighter Beginnings is a cross-government collaboration focused on lifting child health and development outcomes (from pregnancy to age 5) – working to give all children in NSW the best start in life.

This role supports the governance functions of Brighter Beginnings, including secretariat support and strategic forward planning for the Brighter Beginnings Executive Director Steering Committee and other Brighter Beginnings governance bodies. This role also undertakes policy and project development, analysis and advice for whole of Brighter Beginnings projects.

This role and the team are unique, it works to support multiple initiatives across different government agencies. This role requires strong relationship management with agency partners and stakeholders to support delivery.

For further information please click here to view the role description.

About you

The ideal candidate will bring:

• Strong organisational skills to enable provision of secretariat support for committees, including preparing agendas, minutes, and action logs.
• Be proactive, and solutions oriented, and be able to work with a high level of independence in supporting working groups to deliver on their objectives.
• Strong written communication skills, including the ability to draft briefs, Cabinet documents or discussion papers.
• Ability to source, interpret and apply research and data to inform policy decisions.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver under pressure.
• A collaborative approach and the ability to build effective relationships across a range of internal and external stakeholders (this includes other government departments, as well as NGOs and sector stakeholders).

Essential requirements of the role

• Tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline, or demonstrated equivalent knowledge and/or experience.
• A valid Working with Children Check for paid employment.
• Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to the value of public education.

Key knowledge and experience

• Knowledge of and commitment to implementing the Department’s Aboriginal Education Policy and upholding the Department’s Partnership Agreement with the NSW AECG and to ensure quality outcomes for Aboriginal people.

How to apply

Attach a resume (maximum 5 pages) and a cover letter (maximum 2 pages) outlining how you meet the requirements and capabilities of this role.

Please refer to the Applicant’s Guide to Applying to assist you with your application.

If you are an existing Education Support Staff (corporate staff) with the NSW Department of Education, click here for instructions on how to submit your application.

All other applicants please submit your application by clicking ‘Apply Now’.

Note: the selection process will include a range of assessment techniques to assist in determining your suitability for the role. Successful candidates will be required to undertake pre-employment screening for this role which includes a National Criminal History Check.

This is a child-related role. As a condition of employment you will be required to provide a valid Working with Children Check (WWCC) Clearance number (for paid employment). Visit the website for more information.

Note: the selection process will include a range of assessment techniques to assist in determining your suitability for the role. Successful candidates will be required to undertake pre-employment screening for this role which includes a National Criminal History Check.

Closing date: Sunday 22 June 2025 at 11:59pm

For role enquiries please contact Georgia Matterson at georgia.matterson1@det.nsw.edu.au

We welcome applications from all ages and genders, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, culturally and linguistically diverse groups, the LGBTQIA+ community, veterans, refugees and people with disability. If we can make some adjustments to our recruitment/interview process to better enable you to shine, please contact the Diversity and Inclusion Team (dandi@det.nsw.edu.au) or visit NSW Department of Education Diversity and Inclusion.

A recruitment pool may be created through this recruitment process. A recruitment pool is a group of applicants who have been assessed and identified as suitable for this role, and who may be considered for a range of similar roles, including temporary, term or ongoing roles, over the next 18 months.