* Lead statutory investigations and compliance operations, directing high-stakes enforcement and event-specific field activities to ensure elections remain safe, fair, and transparent.
* Set the regulatory agenda by designing strategy, establishing annual priorities, and embedding robust policies, risk frameworks, and stakeholder engagement to strengthen accountability.
* Act as NSWEC?s principal authority on regulatory practice, advising senior leaders, guiding legislative compliance, and exercising delegated powers to uphold democratic integrity.
About the NSW Electoral Commission
The New South Wales Electoral Commission delivers trusted and independent systems, processes, oversight and engagement that support democracy in New South Wales. The Commission?s vision is to maintain confidence in the integrity of the democratic process and make it easy for people to understand and participate.
The Commission?s work includes:
* Running and regulating elections
* Communicating and engaging with current and future voters, key NSW community stakeholders and NSW election participants; and
* Investigating possible offences and enforcing electoral and lobbying laws such as the Electoral Act 2017 and the Electoral Funding Act 2018.
About the Role
You will lead investigations strategy and planning, direct compliance operations for election events and complex matters, determine appropriate enforcement action, and ensure professional conduct and independence across compliance activities. You?ll also coordinate accurate, accountable reporting to Parliament and drive collaboration and continuous improvement across the organisation.
This role is also responsible for developing annual regulatory priorities, ensuring that robust strategies and policies are embedded across the organisation, protecting electoral processes through an emphasis on enhanced transparency and regulated stakeholder consultation across all operational areas. The role is also responsible for providing advice to the three-member Electoral Commission, including authoring and coordinating its annual and other reports to the NSW Parliament as required or authorised by legislation.
The NSW Electoral Commission must maintain public confidence in the electoral system of NSW and requires, therefore all employees meet strict political neutrality standards. These include requirements relating to political party memberships and affiliations with election candidates, third-party campaigners and elected members. Applicants are asked to disclose any information that may be relevant to making an assessment about their political neutrality as part of their application. Full details about the political neutrality requirements for employment with the Commission are in its Political Neutrality Policy
The role is an Ongoing full-time position.
For further information regarding the role please download the Role Description
Key knowledge, experience and essential requirements
As the successful candidate, you will have:
* A track record of aligning people, systems and, processes to deliver robust compliance outcomes and decisive enforcement actions. Experience leading multi-disciplinary teams in complex regulatory or law enforcement environments and managed investigations in politically sensitive contexts.
* Understanding of the NSW electoral system and the role of independent electoral commissions.
* Relevant tertiary qualifications or equivalent experience in politically sensitive regulatory contexts.
* Political neutrality with no affiliation to political parties, candidates, third party campaigners or other election participants that are inconsistent with our Political Neutrality Policy.
* A satisfactory criminal record check result.
The NSW Electoral Commission is committed to maintaining public confidence in the integrity of the electoral system. The NSW Electoral Commission expects that employees refrain from membership of any political party and from engaging in political activity which could be seen as reflecting adversely on the strict political neutrality of the NSW Electoral Commission. Applicants who are seen to be or are active in political activities should disclose such information as part of their application.
How to apply
You should include a covering letter and an up-to-date resume which clearly detail your skills and experience as relevant to this role. Please submit your application to DirectorRPandI@KornFerry.com
For further queries, contact William Lukabyo from Korn Ferry at DirectorRPandI@KornFerry.com
Applying for a role in the NSW Public Service
For more information on how to apply for a role in the NSW Public Service, please refer here
The NSW Electoral Commission embraces diversity and inclusion and is committed to creating a workplace that reflects the population of New South Wales. We welcome applications from people from diverse backgrounds and encourage women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, LGBTQIA+, people with disability, mature-age people, and people from culturally diverse backgrounds to apply for this role.
If you have any questions about applying or would benefit from an adjustment to the recruitment process to help you perform your best please contact talent@elections.nsw.gov.au. For more information on recruitment adjustments visit I Work for NSW Adjustments for individual needs.
Applications received and completed after closing time will not be considered for selection.
The selection process will include a range of assessment techniques to assist in determining your suitability for the role.
We also offer
* Employee Assistance Program
* Access to Fitness Passport
Other information
Your employment will be subject to National Criminal Records Check to determine your suitability for employment.
A talent pool may be created from this recruitment action for ongoing and temporary roles of the same work classification that may become available for filling over the next 18 months.
This role is based mainly in our Elizabeth Street, Sydney office with some flexible arrangements agreed with the Executive Director, Safeguards and Integrity Group.
Applications Close: Sunday 18th January 2026 at 11.59pm.