About us

The Queensland Fire Department (QFD) provides fire prevention, preparedness and response services to fire in the built and landscape environments, as well as scientific and specialist capabilities to Queensland communities. The QFD provides a multi-hazard emergency response, including road crash rescue, bushfire, hazardous material, technical and vertical rescue, severe weather incidents, remote and swiftwater rescue, and provides a number of functions supporting community safety outcomes.

The department encompasses Queensland Fire and Rescue (QFR), Rural Fire Service Queensland (RFSQ), as well as the broader department which work together to pre-empt, prevent, mitigate and manage the consequences of fires and other emergencies on Queensland communities and support our large volunteer membership across the state.

The QFD is an organisation that is focused on reframing the department's relationship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities, and organisations through the Path to Treaty, Closing the Gap and building our cultural capability.

Purpose of the role

The Industrial and Employee Relations I&ER Branch has three specialist areas, Industrial Relations; Employee Relations; and Discipline. The branch covers matters such as advocacy and tribunal representation, enterprise bargaining, policy development; legislation, consultative committees, advice and assistance, mediation, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), tribunal representation, discipline, and suspension.

The Discipline team undertakes complex case management of disciplinary matters, provides expert advice to senior executives on discipline and suspension as they relate to performance and conduct matters, and supports management and employees to enable resolution of matters at the workplace level without the parties having to resort to formal proceedings or litigation, including undertaking research and analysis to develop advice, policy and strategic documents to support managers and employees regarding their respective entitlements, rights and obligations in the context of public sector employment in accordance with legislation and employment frameworks.

Reporting to the Director, Industrial and Employee Relations, you will lead and manage the functions of the team and provide strategic advice to senior leadership to share knowledge and interpretation and application of public sector legislative change, directives, policies and agreements to identify and convey risks and issues, in the development of systems, processes, procedures, product and services to manage highly complex and sensitive matters. You will provide expert advice on all complex employee relations cases for staff and volunteers, and liaise on individual employee matters, including performance management, suspension, and discipline issues to ensure expectations and processes are managed appropriately in a fluid and sometimes emotionally charged environment requiring diplomacy, confidentiality and sensitivity on critical issues to facilitate agreed outcomes and meet organisational objectives.

Key requirements

Highly desirable requirements

• Knowledge and experience in the discipline and industrial frameworks, and providing high level advice on complex public sector employment matters including, but not limited to, dismissal, discipline, suspension, and medical assessment of employees.
• Relevant tertiary qualifications in industrial relations, law, human resources or a related field will be highly regarded.

Your key accountabilities

Your part in the ongoing success of our department, in supporting key frontline services will see you responsible for a variety of work, including, but not limited to:

• Lead, prioritise and manage the case management of multiple concurrent employee and volunteer matters to resolve serious integrity, Blue Card default, conduct and performance matters through effective research, analysis and consideration of information.
• Lead the interpretation, application and effective implementation of legislative requirements relating to performance, conduct and disciplinary matters to ensure the department meets compliance obligations and regulatory provisions.
• Collate and compile reports in relation the activity and performance, including complaints, and provide expert advice on all matters relating to complex case management and public sector legislation to influence decision marking, and achieve business objectives.
• Advocate on behalf of the department on disciplinary matters and appeals brought before tribunals in the state jurisdiction.
• Represent the department on internal and external meetings and forums relating to legislative change, issues, and solutions to support the development and review of policies and practices for managing performance, conduct and various other employment matters.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with key internal and external stakeholders to share information, identify risk and develop an integrated approach to case management and best practice performance management.
• Prepare and review complex briefing material, reports and correspondence in relation to complex employment and case-based employee relations and discipline matters in accordance with departmental guidelines and governance.
• Lead and manage a multi-disciplinary team, fostering teamwork and managing human resource, and financial management practices, including developing of staff through performance, planning and review.

Capabilities

To determine your suitability for the role, you will be assessed on the following Leadership Competencies for Queensland behavioural profiles that link to the "key accountabilities" for this role:

Leadership Competency Stream - Program Leader (leading teams and/or projects)

Vision

• Leads strategically
• Leads change in complex environments

Results

• Builds enduring relationships
• Drives accountability and outcomes

Accountability

• Fosters healthy and inclusive workplaces
• Demonstrates sound governance

Once you join us we will want you to exemplify the QFES shared values:

• Respect
• Integrity
• Trust
• Courage
• Loyalty This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia License.