Josh's Water Jobs – Assistant Inspector-General of Water Compliance

Who are we

The Inspector-General of Water Compliance (Inspector-General) is an independent statutory role and an identified integrity agency, supported by staff provided by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment & Water (the Department).

The job

The Assistant Inspector-General Oversight (AIG Oversight) will lead the establishment and delivery of the Inspector-General’s oversight function, including:

Monitoring and overseeing the performance of functions and exercise of powers by agencies of the Commonwealth.
Monitoring and overseeing relevant Commonwealth, and Basin state and territory government agencies’ performance in the management of Basin water resources.
Engaging with the Australian community on the management of Basin water resources.

The AIG Oversight is responsible for providing advice on the use of, and discharging, the Inspector-Generals’ statutory inquiry tool in accordance with the Inspector Generals’ Regulatory Policy.

The AIG Oversight is the branch head of the oversight functions for the Office of Water Compliance. In this role, you will be responsible for the design and implementation of the inquiry, performance assurance and engagement functions of the Inspector-General. Your branch will be responsible for determining the area of focus for oversight activities based on evidence and risk, as well as the maintenance of relationships in the regulated community.

The Basin Plan is a constitutionally contested operating environment between the Commonwealth and the Basin States. The Inspector-General plays a critical role in this area, empowered with a diverse and complex range of functions, roles and responsibilities including but not limited to:

Designation as an independent integrity agency under the NACC Act.
Legislated responsibility as an oversight agency for the Water Act and Basin Plan.
Responsibility as the highest level regulatory agency in the Murray-Darling Basin, including compliance monitoring, audits, investigations, enforcement actions, and education.
Responsibility for Water Act and Basin Plan compliance and enforcement activities.
Duty to engage with the Australian community on the management of Basin water resources.
Relationships with three tiers of government, six governments and Minister(s), water management agency heads, water users, First Nations and peak bodies.

Water management, particularly in the Murray-Darling Basin, is a highly complex technical task with high levels of political interest across three levels of government and six jurisdictions.

Travel will be required at both intra and interstate level.

Key responsibilities and accountabilities

As Assistant Inspector-General of Water Compliance, you will be required to:

Design and implement a best-practice oversight program in a new area of operation.
Undertake evidence and risk-based assessments to provide advice to the Inspector-General on the use of the inquiry power under Part 10AB of the Water Act 2007 (Cth).
Lead the Inspector-General’s use of the statutory inquiry power in accordance with the Inspector-General’s Regulatory Policy, including the resolution of complex problems.
Lead delivery against the Inspector-General’s long-term strategic program related to continuous improvement of water management performance under the Basin Plan.
Responsible for engagement strategy, including a best practice approach to engagement where the Inspector-General is an integrity, regulatory and oversight agency.
Deliver annual work planning for the oversight program to inform the Inspector-Generals annual work plan.
Provide strategic advice to the Inspector-General in relation to performance assurance, including state water regulators, intergovernmental agreements, Basin Plan implementation and outcomes.
Operate as part of the IGWC executive team as well as leading the Oversight Branch team, including:
- Provide expert strategic and operational advice to the Inspector-General and as a member of the Executive, Risk, and Triage Committees.
- implementing a culture based on the Inspector-General’s values of integrity, transparency and accountability, in addition the values of the commonwealth public service
- Promote a sense of purpose and enable others to understand the links between government policy, organisational goals and public value
- Build a shared sense of direction, clarify priorities and goals, and inspire others to achieve these.

What we are looking for
The successful applicant must be willing to travel in the Murray-Darling Basin according to the requirements of the role.

Knowledge and experience

Experience in providing authoritative advice on oversight activities, preferably within Government.
Knowledge of the Water Act, Basin Plan, and water resource plans, or the proven ability to obtain this type of knowledge.
Demonstrated experience in the design, management and/or conduct of inquiries.
Strong understanding of the principles of good governance, and government processes.

Skills and capabilities:

Strong analytical, critical thinking and problem-solving skills that can be applied to complex policy and regulatory issues, and the capacity to provide strategic advice on this work and deliver results.
Proven ability to apply relevant government legislation, regulations, reporting directives and procedures, to achieve optimal organisational outcomes.

Desirable qualifications

Qualifications or experience leading an inquiry, oversight or assurance program.

Eligibility and other requirements
Mandatory qualifications

Relevant tertiary qualifications in areas related to environment, public administration, law, policy, leadership, business, government administration or natural resource management (or equivalent demonstratable experience).

Citizenship – To be eligible for employment with the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water you must be an Australian citizen.

Security Clearance – This position requires a Baseline security clearance. You will be required to obtain and maintain a clearance at this level.

Pre-employment checks – your suitability for employment will be assessed through a pre-employment screening process. This process includes a requirement to undergo and satisfy a National Police Check, referee checks, character clearance and where required a pre-employment medical assessment, specified mandatory qualification(s) validation and a probation period.

For additional information, please read the Job Description below.

Canidate Information Pack

Job Description