Department: People & Culture
Department/Agency: Department of Communities and Justice
Location:
Parramatta, NSW, AU, 2150 Sydney, NSW, AU, 2000
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Req ID: 85455
Director Conduct and Professional Standards
Location: Parramatta
Employment Type: Full-Time, Ongoing Opportunity
Total remuneration payable: $255,878 - $280,824
About Department of Communities and Justice
The Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) is committed to improving lives and strengthening communities across New South Wales. We work to create a safe, just and inclusive society by delivering services that protect children and families, support vulnerable people, reduce reoffending, increase access to justice and contribute to safer communities. Every day, our people make a meaningful difference through work that has a lasting impact on the lives of individuals, families and communities.
About the Role
This is a significant executive leadership opportunity with responsibility for driving a culture of integrity, accountability and ethical behaviour across one of the largest and most complex public sector agencies in New South Wales.
As Director Conduct and Professional Standards, you will provide strategic leadership and expert advice on complex and sensitive conduct, complaint and workforce integrity matters. You will lead specialist teams responsible for misconduct investigations, professional standards, ethics, complaints management and public interest disclosure frameworks, ensuring matters are managed with independence, procedural fairness and sound judgement.
The role plays a critical part in supporting senior executives to navigate high-risk and contentious matters, while strengthening governance, accountability and ethical decision-making across the Department. You will work closely with internal and external stakeholders, including regulators and integrity agencies, to maintain public confidence and support positive workforce outcomes.
What you’ll do
As Director Conduct and Professional Standards, you will:
Lead the Conduct and Professional Standards function within DCJ, overseeing misconduct investigations, complaints management and significant workforce conduct matters.
Provide strategic advice and guidance to senior executives on complex, high-risk and sensitive conduct and integrity matters.
Contribute subject matter knowledge and expertise to the development and implementation of frameworks, policies and initiatives that strengthen ethics, workplace conduct, accountability and public interest disclosure practices across the broader conduct function.
Partner with business areas to resolve complex employee relations and conduct matters while ensuring consistent, timely and high-quality outcomes.
Build and maintain productive relationships with key stakeholders, including unions, regulatory bodies and integrity agencies
Lead and develop a high-performing specialist team, driving capability uplift, workforce planning and continuous improvement.
Oversee governance, risk, financial and operational management to ensure the effective delivery of services and organisational objectives.
What we’re looking for
We are seeking an experienced executive leader with a strong track record leading professional standards, conduct, investigations, integrity, employee relations or related functions within a large and complex organisation.
To be successful in this role, you will bring:
Demonstrated executive leadership experience managing professional standards, workforce conduct, ethics, investigations, employee relations or integrity functions.
Extensive experience providing strategic advice on complex, sensitive and high-risk workforce matters within a government or similarly complex environment.
Strong understanding of governance, accountability, professional standards, public sector ethics and contemporary workforce management practices.
Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders, build trusted relationships and navigate challenging environments with professionalism and sound judgement.
Experience working collaboratively with unions, regulators, integrity bodies and key stakeholders to achieve positive outcomes.
Demonstrated success leading and developing high-performing teams, fostering capability, accountability and continuous improvement.
Strong financial, operational and risk management experience, with a focus on delivering quality outcomes and organisational priorities.
Tertiary qualifications in Human Resources or a related discipline, and/or equivalent professional experience.
Download the role description.
If you are viewing this ad in Seek and wish to apply via their portal, you will be required to either set up a profile or login via your existing Seek account.
To apply directly via the DCJ Careers site click here. Search for the job and click the ‘Apply now’ button.
We focus on hiring people who share our commitment and goals of inclusion, collaboration, adaptability, courage and integrity. If you meet the essential requirements and the role resonates with you, please apply – you do not need to meet every desired requirement for us to want to talk to you.
What We Offer
We offer a variety of benefits, including:
A challenging and rewarding career
Flexible, autonomous work environment
Competitive pay and conditions
Training and development opportunities to build and maintain capabilities
Health & Wellbeing and Employee Assistance Programs.
Want more information? Visit our website to see more information on Working for us.
We do work that really matters
Working for the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) provides lots of opportunities to make a real difference. We collaborate with other agencies and community partners, to improve lives and realise the potential of children, adults, families and communities. We're focused on breaking, rather than managing, disadvantage. It’s work that really matters.
Apply now and join Australia’s top public sector employer where we will support you and provide an exciting and flexible working environment!
Are you ready to join us?
Click apply, attach a cover letter (maximum 2 pages) outlining how you meet the requirements of the role as well as an up-to-date résumé (maximum 5 pages).
Applications close Wednesday 23 September 2026 at 11:59pm AEST.
Got a question?
For more information about the role, the recruitment process, or if you would benefit from an adjustment to participate in the recruitment process (including an alternative method of application submission), please contact Marijana Puric at
[email protected].
Visit Recruitment adjustments on the DCJ website to learn more.
Inclusion and Diversity lies at the heart of how we recruit
We continue to hire great people with a wide variety of skills, experience and backgrounds. This includes people with disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, women, people identifying as LGBTIQ+, culturally and linguistically diverse people, carers and other diversity groups.
To find out what DCJ are doing to build an inclusive and diverse workforce, visit Inclusion and diversity on the DCJ website.
Other Information
A talent pool may be created for future ongoing and temporary roles and is valid for a period of up to 18 months.
For more information visit Your recruitment journey on the DCJ website.
Thank you for your interest in this role. We look forward to receiving your application.
