The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission have several exciting opportunities for Senior Complaints Officers.

Senior Complaints Officers work with complainants, people receiving care, their supporters and service providers to identify concerns and develop options to achieve resolution with a focus of making positive improvements for people receiving aged care. The role applies a range of techniques to resolve complaints in a timely, impartial and effective manner including desk-based investigations, facilitated discussions, meetings, and site visits.

Senior Complaints Officers will manage large complex caseloads balancing competing priorities and risks including meeting legislated and section key performance indicators. The role demands strong knowledge application of the aged care sector and aged care legislation to ensure comprehensive evidence-based recommendations and reasons for decisions are tailored to audiences.

The successful candidate will have strong verbal communication skills to build rapport and manage interpersonal relationships including difficult conversations with stakeholders such as aged care recipients, their supporters and service providers. The candidate will also possess a high-level written communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills to prepare high-quality correspondence as well as risk assessments, referrals and escalation briefs to ensure communication is person centred and meet the principles and requirements of administrative decision making.

About the group and section

The Intake and Complaints Resolution Group (ICRG) works with people receiving aged care services, their supporters and service providers to resolve concerns and make positive improvements for people receiving aged care. The Complaints section is part of ICRG which supports managing risk, complaint resolution, sharing intelligence and where required, an integrated regulatory response.

For more information about the role and the benefits for working at the Commission, please refer to the Position Description and Candidate Pack.

WHAT THE COMMISSION CAN OFFER

Competitive salary and superannuation

• $96,503 - $108,869 plus 15.4% superannuation

Generous working conditions and leave

• Flexible working arrangements available
• 4 weeks annual leave
• 18 days personal/carers per annum
• Flextime leave available

Focus on employee health and wellbeing

• Access to discounted health and fitness program (fitness passport)
• Subsidised eyewear
• Free annual flu vaccinations
• Wellbeing check-ins

Commitment to learning and development

• Support for relevant external training and study assistance for staff career development

More information about the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission can be found on our website.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Work with complainants, people receiving care, their supporters and service providers to identify concerns and develop options to achieve resolution
• Analyse and interpret information presented to you including identifying, prioritising, escalating and managing risks within your caseload
• Contribute to the overall objectives and outcomes of your team, including meeting legislated and other key performance indicators
• Positively contribute to the work of your team by sharing ideas, offering support and collaborating on key tasks
• Manage high caseloads involving complex and sensitive subject matter and competing priorities
• Have difficult conversations with stakeholders including aged care recipients, their supporters and service providers
• Accurately record information including, detailed file notes, risk assessments, referrals, recommendations and escalation briefs
• Produce high quality correspondence for complainants, people receiving care, their supporters and service providers. Correspondence needs to be person centred, as well as meeting the principles and requirements of administrative decision making
• Be allocated duties that may not be specifically mentioned in the position description, that are within the capacity, qualifications and experience normally expected from persons occupying positions at the APS6 classification.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Key capabilities

• High level analytical and problem-solving skills, the ability to assess and manage risk, work within legislative requirements, make impartial recommendations.
• A strong understanding of the principles of administrative decision making.
• A strong understanding of the aged care sector and the ability to interpret, understand and apply, or to quickly acquire knowledge of relevant legislation, including the Aged Care Act 1997 and Aged Care Quality Standards.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills including the ability to write comprehensive evidence-based recommendations and reasons for decisions tailored to your audience.
• Manage interpersonal relationships with respect and work within your team to accomplish organisational goals.
• Well-developed time management skills to thrive in a busy environment ensuring your case load and competing priorities are actioned appropriately.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills and the ability to maintain productive working relationships.
• Identifying broader factors, trends and influences that may impact on the team’s objectives.
• Publicly represent the commission, acting professionally (including adhering to APS Values & Code of Conduct) and operating within the boundaries of organisational processes and legal and public policy directions.

Desirable skills, experience and qualifications

Experience in complaints management, dispute resolution, legal, aged care, clinical experience, or financial experience (including with financial fee structures of aged care providers) is highly desirable but not mandatory.

Position eligibility

In addition to the above key capabilities, to be eligible for this position you must:

• be an Australian citizen.
• satisfy a National Coordinated Criminal History Check.
• satisfy pre-existing medical condition declaration.
• required to provide evidence of seasonal influenza and COVID 19 vaccinations.
• attend a two-week onsite induction for the role.

HOW TO APPLY

Submit an online application through our Careers at the Commission webpage by 11:30 pm (AEDT) 30 March 2025.

As part of your application, you will need to provide your resume (three pages maximum) and in no more than 500 words total:

1. Could you please tell us why you applied for this role with the Commission and what skills or attributes will you bring to the team?
2. As a Senior Complaints Officer, you will communicate with a variety of different stakeholders, including interviewing service providers, aged care consumers and their representatives. Please tell us how you would tailor your communication to suit your audience?

Candidates who are Registered Nurses, please outline this in your application if this is applicable to you.

Please contact our Recruitment Team on (02) 9633 3262 or [email protected] for assistance with accessing our website or with lodging your application.

CONTACT OFFICER

Specific questions about the role can be directed to Katie Plimpton on (03) 9100 7036 or by emailing [email protected] with the position title in the subject line.

PREPARING YOUR APPLICATION

You are encouraged to refer to the STAR model when preparing your response to the two questions in your application. For further information, please refer to the Candidate Pack and the APSC Cracking the Code. Where relevant, please also consider the APS6 Integrated Leadership System with your response.

Please note, applications that do not provide a resume and a response to the two questions may not be assessed and may not progress to the next recruitment stage.

SELECTION PROCESS NEXT STAGE

Shortlisted candidates will be contacted from 3 April 2025 to confirm availability for interviews.

Following interviews, candidates will also be required to complete a written assessment with a duration of 30 minutes including reading time.

SELECTION PROCESS TIMEFRAMES

The timeframes for this selection process are:

• Shortlisting outcomes: 4 April 2025
• Interviews/written assessments: 7 – 11 April 2025
• Selection outcomes: 9 May 2025

Where there are delays in the selection timeframes, candidates will be notified.

MERIT POOL

A merit pool of suitable candidates may be created from this selection process. Suitable candidates placed on the merit pool may be contacted in relation to identical or similar vacancies on a non-ongoing and ongoing basis at the Commission, or the broader APS, within 18 months from the start date of this advertisement. Non-ongoing opportunities may be offered up to a total maximum contract period of 2 years.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

The Commission is committed to fostering a workplace with flexible work arrangements to support a diverse, respectful and inclusive culture for all staff.

The Commission recognises the richness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and is committed to the implementation of our Reconciliation Action Plan. The Commission values the unique knowledge and experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees which strengthens and supports our focus on protecting and enhancing the safety, health, wellbeing and quality of life of aged care consumers.