Department/Agency: NESA

Sydney, NSW, AU, 2000

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86602

Guiding the future of NSW education

Position details

Clerk Grade 9/10

Full-time, Salary: $133,348 to $146,945 p.a. plus employer’s contribution to superannuation and leave loading

Temporary role of up to 6 months

Close to Wynyard station & hybrid work arrangements available

Contact for enquiries: Chelsea Lendon via [email protected]

About us

At the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA), we are dedicated to carrying out meaningful work that drives improvements and elevates student achievement across NSW, now and into the future.

We accomplish this by supporting all school sectors with high-quality syllabuses, assessment (including managing the HSC and NAPLAN), teaching standards (e.g., accrediting teachers) and school environments (including setting and monitoring school standards).

NESA is a unique organisation in NSW (of around 740FTE staff) with significant state-wide impact, visit our website to learn more about the important work we do.

About the role

You will play a key role in shaping and driving workforce policy initiatives that support organisational priorities and contribute to a high-performing People & Culture function. Working in a dynamic environment, you will lead the development, review and implementation of people-related policies that deliver practical, contemporary and compliant workforce outcomes.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced policy professional to influence organisational outcomes, collaborate with stakeholders across the business, and contribute to meaningful workforce initiatives that support employees and leaders. We're seeking someone who can quickly establish themselves in the role, build strong relationships, and apply their policy expertise to deliver practical outcomes. You'll have the opportunity to provide expert advice, drive continuous improvement, and lead policy projects that make a tangible impact across the organisation.

On a day-to-day basis you will be responsible for:

Researching, analysing and reviewing complex workforce policy issues, identifying emerging risks and opportunities, and developing evidence-based recommendations.

Leading the development, implementation and review of People & Culture policies and related initiatives to support organisational and government objectives.

Providing expert policy advice and guidance to stakeholders to support the consistent interpretation and application of policies.

Building strong partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to inform policy development and drive effective implementation outcomes.

Monitoring,



evaluating and reporting on policy effectiveness, identifying opportunities for improvement and ensuring review schedules are maintained.

Preparing high-quality briefs, reports, correspondence and other written materials to support decision-making and business needs.

Managing multiple policy initiatives and projects simultaneously, ensuring delivery to agreed standards, timeframes and objectives.

Maintaining awareness of relevant legislation, workforce trends, policy obligations and best practice to ensure contemporary and compliant policy solutions.

Our ideal candidate will have:

Demonstrated experience developing, implementing and reviewing complex workforce, HR or organisational policies in a large and complex environment.

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex information, identify emerging issues and develop evidence-based policy solutions.

Experience managing multiple competing priorities and delivering policy initiatives and projects within tight timeframes while maintaining high-quality outcomes.

Proven ability to build collaborative relationships and engage effectively with diverse stakeholders to achieve shared outcomes and influence decision-making.

Excellent written communication skills, including experience preparing briefs, reports, policy documents and executive correspondence.

Sound knowledge of workforce policy frameworks, relevant legislation, governance requirements and contemporary People & Culture practices.

A customer-focused approach, with a commitment to delivering practical, high-quality outcomes and continuously improving services.

Essential Requirements

Formal qualifications in human resources / project management/ policy development and/or relevant industry experience.

Demonstrated experience in successfully developing and maintaining strong relationships and effective ways of working with colleagues and stakeholders.

We invite you to download the role description for additional information on the position.

At NESA you will benefit from:

An organisation where your contribution has a big impact.

An enviable CBD location (all modes of transport nearby, and excellent coffee and eateries) with refurbished offices.

Versatile working arrangements and generous leave entitlements.





Access to discounted health and fitness memberships via Fitness Passport, an employee assistance program and annual flu vaccinations.

Salary packaging options.

Working in a purpose driven and ethical organisation with committed colleagues.

Ready to join us?

Key information: If you are a current NESA employee or from another NSW government agency who use SuccessFactors for recruitment, it’s important to apply through SuccessFactors to ensure your application reaches our system in the right place. If you need advice on that process follow this guide.

For all other candidates:

Select “Apply now” and attach an up-to-date résumé (maximum 5 pages) and a cover letter (maximum 2 pages). Also address the 2 targeted questions below in your online application (maximum of 500 words per response - approximately):

Provide an example of when you managed multiple high-priority projects or pieces of work simultaneously? How did you prioritise competing demands, engage stakeholders, and ensure outcomes were delivered on time?

Tell us about a time when you were required to quickly understand a complex issue and develop a practical policy, strategy, or business solution. What approach did you take, and how did you ensure the outcome met organisational needs while working within challenging timeframes?

Advice on applying for NSW Public Sector roles

If you need reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process and workplace, please reach out to [email protected]

Close date: Sunday 27 September 2026 at 11.59pm AEST

Thank you for your interest, we look forward to receiving your application.

Important information

NESA’s Statement of Commitment to Child Safety

All children and young people have the right to be respected, feel safe, be safe, and protected from harm. NESA is committed to child safety and child safe practices underpinning our purpose of helping children and young people leave school, ready to take advantage of life’s opportunities and rise to its inevitable challenges.

We particularly welcome applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, people of all ages, genders, cultural and linguistic backgrounds and the LGBTQIA community.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. For ongoing roles, you must be an Australian or New Zealand citizen or an Australian Permanent Resident.

Australian Temporary

Residents may be considered for a fixed term contract for the length of their visa, depending on the requirements of the hiring area and the position.

A Talent Pool (valid for 18 months) may be created for future ongoing and temporary roles

📌 Senior Policy Officer, People & Culture (Sydney)
🏢 Nsw Department Of Communities And Justice
📍 Sydney