Organisation: Department of Housing and Public Works
Job Title: Senior Residential Services Officer
Re: SENIOR RESIDENTIAL SERVICES OFFICER (Job No. QLD/203837/16)
Dear Sir/Madam,
Please accept my application for the position of Senior Residential Services Officer as advertised on the SmartJobs careers board. Leveraging off a successful career in the electrical industry spanning 18 years, I have demonstrated experience delivering advice to key stakeholders on issues encompassing risk management and regulatory compliance to ensure the safety, quality and sustainability of residential services within the community. With a strong background leading and conducting investigations in accordance with relevant legislation and operational procedures, I understand the supreme importance of the DHPW goal to “increase housing choices for Queenslanders and create a housing system that meets the needs of people and communities over the longer term.”
Appointed under the Electrical Safety Act 2002 (ESA 2002), I am currently employed as a Senior Electrical Safety Inspector and Regional Management Team Leader (RMT) with the Electrical Safety Office (ESO). Travelling and working across a range of geographies under limited supervision, I have managed, developed and implemented strategies to minimise risk, ensure a fair investigation and audit process, and educate industry stakeholders in regulatory matters. Contributing in this capacity for the last seven years, I have been recognised for my high closure rate and ability to lead investigations into both Type 1 incidents (fatalities and grievous bodily harm) and Type 2 incidents (serious bodily injuries). This includes triaging the incoming investigations to define suitability within current legislation and delegating cases to inspectors according to skill set and workload. In this capacity, when an investigation is referred for closure, I apply my knowledge of the Electrical Safety Act 2002 and Electrical Safety Regulation 2013 to ascertain whether all information is included to support the decision-making process. In the instance of a breach, I ensure these findings are supported with the presentation of evidence and accurate interpretation of relevant legislation.
Exercising my judgement, intelligence and common sense, I consider the extent of the risk, the seriousness of the alleged breach and the history of the workplace of the individual, to determine the appropriate enforcement action. My decisions are reviewed at the highest level and are subject to scrutiny by the public, Ministerial body, Ombudsman, Coroner and internal and external departments. Therefore, it is critical that I maintain the highest standard of work and accurately prepare documentation and recommendations in the form of reports, submissions, briefs, memoranda and correspondence to resolve complex registration, accreditation and compliance issues. By ensuring consistency and adherence these procedures and the principles embodied within the relevant Acts, I am able to protect the integrity of the ESO as well as the community’s interests. Through this experience, I have demonstrated my ability to accurately interpret and apply legislation, regulations and guidelines and am similarly confident that I can rapidly acquire a strong working knowledge of the Residential Services (Accreditation) Act 2002 and Regulation, Manufactured Homes (Residential Parks) Act 2003, Retirement Villages Act 1999 and the Fair Trading Inspectors Act 2014.
In my current position, I am responsible for managing up to 40 investigations and audits at a time which can range in nature from relatively straightforward to complex and I pride myself on the ability to remain flexible and adapt to uncertain, critical or changing circumstances. Given the nature of my role, first response priorities can change rapidly and, as a Senior Inspector, I am responsible for establishing the circumstances of each incident and ensuring they are managed effectively. To achieve this, I apply advanced resource coordination, personnel and time management skills to prioritise and delegate tasks, dependent on current objectives as well as the needs of clients and the wider community. Through this approach, I have demonstrated my ability to contribute to the achievement of plans, programs and business goals as they relate to Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) and the ESO. With a proven track record of success in leadership roles within both the private and public sector, I have achieved consistent results across a range of key areas, taking full command, responsibility and ownership for outcomes that reflect the values and objectives of the organisation. A good example of this was demonstrated recently where I mentored a Senior Electrical Safety Inspector through a Type 2 investigation in which a worker was electrocuted whilst working at heights.
Working closely with the inspector, I provided support and direction from the initial first response through to formal recorded interviews with an authorised person (s.28 of the ESA 2002) and a formal recorded interview with the Executive Officer of the company (s.167). This involved securing the scene, seizing evidence and electrical tools, liaising with company officials, taking witness statements and identifying the obligation holders in this matter, including the employer (s.30), the electrical worker (s.39), and the manufacturer (s.35). The staff member continued with this investigation through to the complaint process and attendance during court proceedings where the obligation holder pleaded guilty to the charge. Working collaboratively with my team in this way, I am able to promote a culture of shared enthusiasm and accountability in order to encourage individuals to be confident working across a wide range of tasks. This style of leadership is one that is strong in influencing, persuading and motivating teams to produce best practice by individual adoption, not just management instruction. Supported by a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, I used this same technique with great success during my tenure as an Electrical Teacher with the Bremer TAFE, where I provided a technical‑based education to vocation students.
Throughout my career, I am pleased to say I have achieved a great deal of success building and maintaining meaningful relationships with a diverse group of colleagues, clients, supervisors, solicitors, emergency service personnel and the wider community to facilitate cooperation and support the provision of quality community services. Using effective questioning and active listening techniques, I acknowledge the other person’s views, define the issue, act assertively without aggression and demonstrate my understanding of the situation. With the ability to remain calm and intervene during crises, my internal and external customers know they can rely on me to work in partnership with them to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes. Accustomed to providing authoritative guidance and advice to individual clients or during public forums, I tailor my approach to my audience in order to deliver information in a way that is easy to understand and apply to their situation while avoiding unnecessary technical jargon. These skills are particularly valuable when communicating with electrical contractors and owners through my involvement with the audit program. Due to the ability to convey my genuine interest in the safety and compliance of their business, I have built strong relationships and rapport with clients and am able to encourage them to continually improve the way they conduct and operate their services.
For example, I was recently contacted by a client I had audited over five years ago who asked for my opinion on a regulatory matter. He expressed that he was both surprised and impressed that I remembered him and felt at ease right away, allowing me to quickly establish his needs and provide him with a solution. I have encouraged this same commitment to the audit process within my team, resulting in outstanding audit figures for our region. Leading by example, I take great pride in the quality of work I produce and consistently operate within the boundaries of organisational guidelines, exercising tact, discretion and initiative in roles involving all aspects of stakeholder management with a strong community focus. I actively promote a culture of sustainability through my participation in training and initiatives designed to improve my performance and the performance of the business. For example, I am currently studying a Diploma of Occupational Health and Safety to enhance my knowledge in this area and reinforce my strong commitment to the prevention and management of illness or injury in the workplace. I always strive to find the safest, most effective approach to any task or project and have often reported instances of non-compliance.
During one particular instance, I became concerned with the safety of the public as well as the labourers who were undertaking road works with no road signs, no high visibility clothing or traffic control. Reporting this accordingly, when the inspector returned to the office, he advised that there was a near-miss incident with a vehicle whilst he was conducting the inspection and undertaking appropriate safety measures. I would bring these same skills, values, strengths and experience to any future role and am confident in my ability to make a valuable contribution to the DHPW. My application can only tell you a little about my passion and enthusiasm and I welcome the opportunity to speak with you further at your earliest convenience.
