• Box Hill, Victoria

About the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission

The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (the Commission) is a new independent agency established on 1 July 2018 to improve the quality and safety of NDIS supports and services. The Commission is the dedicated national regulator of NDIS service providers in Australia and a non-corporate entity under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.

Keys functions of the Commission include:

• Registration and regulation of NDIS providers, including Practice Standards and a Code of Conduct
• Compliance monitoring, investigation and enforcement action
• Responding to complaints and reportable incidents including abuse and neglect of a person with disability
• National policy setting for the screening of workers; national oversight and policy in relation to behaviour support and monitoring restrictive practices within the NDIS and information sharing arrangements with the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), state, territory and other Government bodies.

The Commission is a disability friendly organisation that offers interesting and challenging roles. People with disability are encouraged to apply for jobs in the Commission.

The Commission commenced operations in New South Wales and South Australia on 1 July 2018. The Commission will expand its operations to other jurisdictions, and is due to complete the transition to full scheme by 1 July 2020.

About the reportable incidents function

Registered providers are required to maintain an incident management system and submit reportable incidents to the Commission. Reportable Incidents include death, serious injury, abuse and neglect, sexual/physical assault or misconduct and the unauthorised use of restrictive practices.

The Commission has oversight of reportable incident notifications about serious incidents which have occurred (or are alleged to have occurred) in connection with the provision of NDIS supports and services to a person with a disability.

The Reportable Incidents team monitors the response of registered providers to adequately manage any immediate risk to a participant’s safety and wellbeing, undertake assessment and investigation of the incident and follow up appropriately. The team provides advice, information and training about reportable incidents management to NDIS providers.

The Reportable Incidents team works closely with other teams at the Commission to take appropriate compliance action, including investigation, and identify systemic issues.

The Position

The successful candidate will be a part of a state-based Reportable Incidents team, reporting to the Assistant Director, you will undertake the following:

• Support the implementation, operation and monitoring of the Reportable Incidents function, consistent with the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 and Rules.
• Manage a caseload of incident reports, including engaging with providers on complex incidents and escalating incidents for investigation or other action where necessary.
• Monitor incoming reportable incidents to ensure high risk incidents are escalated to be dealt with expeditiously, and escalate any delays or workflow obstacles with line managers and managers.
• Liaise regularly with managers as to the management of caseload.
• Contribute to educating and training providers about the NDIS Commission’s Reportable Incidents function: identifying incidents, preventing and effectively responding to incidents and educating providers about effective incident management systems.
• Provide expert advice to the Assistant Director and Director and other senior colleagues in the NDIS Commission about trends, issues, individuals of concern and inadequate investigations by providers, through the assessment and analysis of information gathered during the management of reportable incidents.
• Develop productive working relationships with a large and diverse range of internal and external stakeholders, including other NDIS Commission functions, state and territory counterparts, service providers, and regulatory and law enforcement bodies.
• Supervision, coaching, mentoring and guidance to others and contribute to a learning culture where expertise can be appropriately shared.

Behave in accordance with the values promoted by the Commission.

Ideal candidate

The Commission commences operation in Victoria on 1 July 2019. This role offers an exciting opportunity to be part of a new team working to achieve the Commission’s objectives.

Our ideal candidate will have a positive contemporary attitude to people with disability. You will have demonstrated experience in a similar role and including:

• Ability to develop influential working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders both internal and external to the Commission.
• Sound understanding of best practice and management of reportable incidents to achieve positive outcomes.
• Sound analytical skills to evaluate reportable incidents and related issues and contribute to solutions, advice and capacity building.
• Excellent written communications skills to contribute to high quality briefings and correspondence.
• Highly developed organisation skills, with the ability to work in a high volume environment and the capacity to manage competing demands and to meet deadlines.
• Ability to identify and communicate opportunities for continuous improvement to achieve quality outcomes.
• The ability, and the confidence, to make sound judgements and decisions based on thorough research, problem-solving, innovation and evidence-based practice, to achieve the objectives of the reportable incidents function, and the Commission more broadly.
• Resilience and taking personal responsibility for health and welfare

Our ideal candidate will also have:

• An understanding of the NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Framework and theNDIS Act.
• Lived experience of disability or demonstrated understanding of disability services in a state or territory government context.
• Investigation skills in the context of responding to serious incidents and supporting vulnerable groups of people.

A requirement of the job is a Working with Children check.

A full Position Description is attached below.