Work Health Safety Advisor, Employee Safety, Inclusion and Engagement

The Team

The People Branch delivers strategic and operational human resources services across the AEC, supporting employees, managers and business areas through expert advice, proactive support and workforce solutions. The branch is responsible for a broad range of functions, including workforce planning and analysis, recruitment and onboarding, employee relations, and work health and safety (WHS).

The WHS team is responsible for promoting a safe, healthy and supportive work environment across the AEC. The team provides expert advice and support on workplace health and safety matters, drives compliance with legislative requirements, assists in the management of wellbeing initiatives, and works collaboratively with stakeholders to identify and manage workplace risks. Through a focus on continuous improvement, employee wellbeing and operational readiness, the team plays a key role in fostering a positive safety culture and supporting the AEC's workforce to deliver its important national responsibilities.

The Opportunity

The Work Health and Safety (WHS) Advisor supports the delivery of the AEC's health, safety and wellbeing functions by providing professional advice, guidance and operational support to managers and employees across a broad range of WHS matters.

Working under the direction of the Senior WHS Advisor (APS6), the role contributes to the implementation, maintenance and continuous improvement of the AEC's Work Health and Safety Management System (WHSMS), ensuring compliance with legislative requirements and supporting a safe, healthy and productive workplace.

The position contributes to the AEC's election readiness by supporting health and safety arrangements for a geographically dispersed workforce, including ongoing employees, temporary election workers and APS secondees engaged during electoral events. The role assists in delivering WHS policies and procedures, risk management activities, incident management processes, assurance activities and wellbeing initiatives that support organisational objectives and promote a positive safety culture.

The WHS Advisor exercises sound judgement in applying legislation, policies and procedures, builds productive stakeholder relationships, and contributes to continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen organisational safety performance and operational readiness.

The WHS Advisor is part of the Work Health and Safety Team within the People Branch and reports to the Senior WHS Advisor (APS6).

To excel you’ll have:

• Demonstrated experience providing practical work health and safety advice and support within legislative, policy and procedural frameworks.
• Experience applying WHS legislation, regulations, codes of practice and risk management principles to support safe workplace outcomes.
• Ability to analyse information, exercise sound judgement and contribute to effective incident management, problem-solving and continuous improvement activities.
• Demonstrated communication and stakeholder engagement skills, including the ability to build productive working relationships and deliver clear, client-focused advice to a diverse workforce.
• Experience managing competing priorities, organising work effectively and delivering high-quality outcomes within agreed timeframes.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively as part of a team while taking responsibility for achieving individual work outcomes.

Desirable

• Knowledge of, and experience applying, the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and associated legislation, regulations and codes of practice.
• Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety, tertiary qualifications in Human Resources, WHS or a related discipline, or the ability to obtain relevant qualifications.
• Experience working within a WHS, wellbeing, rehabilitation or employee relations environment.
• Experience working with Comcare, including knowledge of Commonwealth WHS and workers' compensation arrangements.
• Knowledge of, or the ability to quickly acquire knowledge of, Australian electoral law and practice.

Additional responsibilities during an Electoral Event

• Support the implementation of WHS arrangements for electoral events, ensuring compliance with legislative obligations across a diverse and geographically dispersed workforce.
• Assist in ensuring polling places, counting centres, divisional offices and temporary election workplaces meet WHS requirements and are appropriately assessed for potential hazards and risks.
• Assist with the management and reporting of workplace incidents, injuries and hazards arising during electoral operations.
• Contribute to the agency's Election Readiness Framework by supporting activities that promote workforce safety, wellbeing and operational resilience.

Eligibility

• AEC employees must be Australian citizens.
• Any person who is, and seen to be active in political affairs, and intends to publicly carry on this activity, may compromise the strict neutrality of the AEC and cannot be considered.
• Applicants are required to consent to, undergo, obtain and maintain a character clearance.
• Applicants are required to consent to, undergo, obtain and maintain the security clearance required for this role.

Contact: Claire Wilks, Sign in to view email

Due Date: Sunday 9 August 2026, 11:59pm AEST