ROLE DESCRIPTION
1.
ROLE DETAILS
Role Title
Departmental Liaison Officer
Role No
Classification Level
ASO6
Discipline
Project and Policy
Division
Financial Services
Date Created
Branch/Unit
Business Affairs - Strategy and Governance
Date Approved
Reports To
Manager, Strategy and Governance
Review Date
2.
ROLE CONTEXT
Role Summary
Reporting/Working
Relationships
Special Conditions
3.
August 2011
The Departmental Liaison Officer is a role within Financial Services and is accountable to the
Manager, Strategy and Governance for:

corporate Freedom of Information (FOI) determinations and processes.

central coordination and quality assurance of briefings and Ministerials across the
department.

management of the general email inquiries from the Department for Families and
Communities (DFC) website.

Manager, Strategy and Governance.

Director, Business Affairs.

Chief Executive.

Executive Directors, Directors and senior officers within DFC.

Director, Legal Services.

Staff of the Minister (s) Office.

Relevant staff within DFC.

Relevant government agencies and non-government organisations.

Successful applicant will be required to satisfactorily complete a Background Screening and
National Criminal History Record Check (NCHRC) prior to being employed and every three
years.

Flexible approach to work.

Intrastate travel to regional and remote locations (interstate travel may be required).

Required to enter into an annual performance agreement for the achievement of specific
service or program outcomes.
QUALIFICATIONS
Essential
Not applicable.
4.
PRIMARY OUTCOMES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Freedom of Information
Management of Ministerials
Operational Management
Organisational Contribution
RELATED TASKS

Provide determinations as a designated accredited officer on corporate and Ministerial
Freedom of Information applications within statutory time limits.

Consult with clients, legal officers and departmental officers to facilitate determinations and
internal reviews.

Assist with external and internal reviews of determinations by the applicant and the
Ombudsman.

Liaise with senior departmental executives to assist informed decisions on determinations.

Maintain accurate records of Freedom of Information applications.

Update the Freedom of Information Management System for monitoring applications status,
outcomes and reporting.

Prepare accurate and reliable briefing notes, policy documents, agenda papers,
correspondence and speech notes on policy matters for a range of clients including the
Minister and Chief Executive.

Provide that all Chief Executive and Ministerial briefings, correspondence and supporting
information is of high quality, accurate and provided in a timely manner.

Allocate Ministerials across the Department and put in practices to maintain that they are
completed by designated timeframes.

Manage the general email inquiries from the Department for Families and Communities
(DFC) website in conjunction with the relevant departmental contact.

Maintain liaison and productive links with government agencies (state, commonwealth and
local government), non-government organisations and other bodies.

Maintain up to date understanding of relevant government activities and processes.

Represent DFC on appropriate departmental and across government working groups.

Develop and maintain productive working relationships with relevant stakeholders.

Operate autonomously under minimal direction at crucial times of tight deadlines.

Understand and follow workplace safety initiatives, identify hazards and contribute to a safe
working environment, as well as follow procedures to manage and minimise risks within the
DFC.

Follow the principles of a sustainable working environment by following departmental
greening initiatives.

Model ethical behaviour and practices consistent with SA Government Code of Ethics for
Public Sector Employees and DFC stated values.
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5.
DFC CAPABILITIES (C)
Relating & Communicating
Client Focus
Achieving Objectives
Personal Drive &
Professionalism
Continuous Improvement
Respect Cultural Diversity
6.

Adapt communication style and identify strategies to improve communication effectiveness.

Consider others’ perspectives when communicating, negotiating or presenting arguments to
build rapport.

Identify networking opportunities to facilitate knowledge transfer.

Utilise a variety of information sources to gain insight to understand client enquiries and
devise practical solutions.

Identify areas where client support is required and discuss situation or concerns with key
stakeholders.

Understand the range of connected services provided by the department and their relevance
to clients.

Recognise and utilise resources to achieve organisational goals.

Take responsibility for delivering business unit outcomes and performance.

Assess progress toward team goals and identify the actions required to achieve objectives.

Follow safe work practices and contribute to the well-being and safety of team/unit.

Motivate team members and encourage them to achieve organisational targets.

Investigate own personal and professional development opportunities.

Analyse trends internally and externally to identify opportunities to enhance departmental
operations.

Work with ambiguous information and draw on previous experience to develop innovative
solutions to problems.

Seek opportunities to improve departmental processes by contributing to improvement
initiatives.

Take action and provide services that are inclusive of Aboriginal people and people from
culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds as well as engaging in learning about other
cultures to better establish relationships and improve services.
ROLE SPECIFIC CAPABILITIES
1
Freedom of Information Knowledge Base: Demonstrate knowledge of the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) and related
procedures.
2
Time Management and Goal Setting: Demonstrate ability to set and achieve goals by managing time, tasks and risk. Meet
deadlines and manage heavy workloads.
3
Political System Knowledge Base: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the machinery of government at the
Departmental, Ministerial and Parliamentary levels; monitor the trends with the political environment.
4
Networking: Develop and maintain constructive and effective working relationships, which foster the trust and cooperation of a
wide cross section of key stakeholders, staff and communities.
5
Written Skills: Utilise experience in presenting complex issues and findings in writing, such as reports, recommendations and
briefing notes.
7.
DELEGATES APPROVAL
ASSESSED BY:
Date:
Signature:
APPROVED BY:
Date:
Signature:
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