Investigation Officer in Sydney

This is an Identified position and is open only to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. Contribute to creating safer environments for Aboriginal children, young people and communities across New South Wales. Bring your investigation, risk assessment or regulatory experience to an Aboriginal Identified role where cultural knowledge, community connection and professional capability are highly valued.

Join a newly established Investigations & Enforcement Directorate committed to child safety, accountability and continuous improvement. One full-time, temporary opportunity to 30 June 2027. Located at Strawberry Hills with hybrid / flexible working arrangements. Clerk Grade 7/8 - $116,981 - $129,492 (plus employer's contribution to superannuation and annual leave loading).

About the Office of Children’s Guardian: The Office of the Children’s Guardian (OCG) upholds NSW children, young people and vulnerable people’s right to be safe by overseeing, regulating and monitoring organisations and individuals that provide these services. We are guided by our values of integrity, trust, service, accountability, respect and empathy. Located on Gadigal Country in Redfern, Sydney, we work across metropolitan, regional, rural and remote communities to strengthen child-safe practice, regulate key child-related sectors and support better outcomes for children and young people.

Why Join OCG: At OCG, you’ll contribute to meaningful work that helps create safer environments for children and young people across NSW. We offer:

• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements.
• A culturally safe workplace supported by OCG's First Nations Staff Network, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Steering Committee and access to culturally appropriate external cultural supervision and support.
• Access to leave and flexible working arrangements that support connection to culture, Country, community, family and significant cultural obligations.
• Professional development and career growth opportunities.
• A values-driven workplace committed to child safety and cultural inclusion.

You will also have the opportunity to help shape a newly established investigations function and contribute to strengthening child-safe systems across New South Wales.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment: The Office of the Children's Guardian values Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge and leadership and is committed to creating a culturally safe workplace where employees feel respected, supported and empowered to thrive. We recognise the importance of connection to Country, culture, community and kinship and encourage applicants to draw on cultural knowledge, lived experience, community engagement, leadership and transferable skills throughout their application.

About the role: The Investigation Officer supports the delivery of high-quality, consistent, and timely regulatory investigations across the Child Safe, Working with Children Check, and Reportable Conduct schemes. The Investigation Officer contributes to the centralised investigations and compliance function by gathering information, conducting preliminary assessments, analysing evidence, and preparing documentation that informs decision-making. The Investigations and Enforcement Directorate plays an important role in responding to matters affecting the safety, welfare and wellbeing of children and young people across New South Wales. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives are critical to ensuring our regulatory approaches, investigations and stakeholder engagement are culturally informed, respectful and responsive to the diverse communities we serve.

Essential Requirements: Appropriate tertiary qualifications or demonstrated, relevant, equivalent professional experience. Employment at the Office of the Children’s Guardian is subject to the satisfactory completion of security and related vetting checks. All roles associated with the Office of the Children's Guardian are required to have a current Working with Children Check.

Note: As an Identified role, this role is open only to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander persons, Australia’s First Nations people. Where a position is identified, an applicant’s race is a genuine occupational qualification and authorised by Section 14(d) of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977.

If you require a reasonable adjustment in the recruitment process, including application, assessment or interview stages, please contact the People and Culture team on (02) 8219 3661 or OCG.HR@ocg.nsw.gov.au and advise of your preferred method of communication. Requests will be treated confidentially and considered on an individual basis.

Contact Information: Want to learn more? We understand that applying for government roles can be unfamiliar. Applicants are encouraged to contact the hiring manager for a confidential conversation about the role, the team, the recruitment process, reasonable adjustments, and cultural support requirements. You can contact the hiring manager Lindsay Kerfoot, Manager Investigations & Enforcement, Investigations & Enforcement on phone 0447 601 354 or via email at lindsay.kerfoot@ocg.nsw.gov.au to discuss the role.

Applications closing date: Monday 12 November 2026 at 10:00am. This recruitment may result in the establishment of a Talent Pool and/or Merit Pool for future temporary, ongoing, project-based, secondment or acting opportunities at the same grade. Suitable candidates may also be considered for comparable roles requiring similar capabilities across the Office of the Children's Guardian for up to 18 months without the need to reapply.