Senior Investigator Application Checklist: Résumé, Cover Letter and Evidence

The Senior Investigator at the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development joins a newly formed Professional Standards and Investigation Unit. The role handles complex workplace investigations involving misconduct, serious wrongdoing, fraud, bullying, sexual harassment and public interest disclosures across a large regional organisation.

This guide explains how to apply for Senior Investigator and how to use the two-page cover letter to show professional judgement. The panel needs detailed evidence of investigation planning, procedural fairness, evidence assessment and clear recommendations in sensitive matters.

View the official job ad before drafting. Two ongoing full-time roles are available, with candidates considered across DPIRD locations in NSW.

The role calls for an experienced investigator who can work independently while maintaining trusted relationships with internal stakeholders and external oversight bodies. Choose a matter that shows the full investigation cycle and enough complexity to demonstrate senior-level judgement.

Your application checklist

• Senior Investigator role snapshot
• Application requirements for Senior Investigator
• Evidence to include in your Senior Investigator application
• How to structure the cover letter and résumé
• Help with your Senior Investigator application

Senior Investigator role snapshot

Application requirements for Senior Investigator

The application asks for a current resume and a concise cover letter. The cover letter should demonstrate your investigation practice through evidence, with the resume providing the fuller casework history and professional development.

• Current resume or CV
• Cover letter outlining your relevant skills, experience and suitability, maximum 2 pages

No resume page limit is stated. Keep it focused on investigation scope, matter types, legislation, stakeholders and outcomes, then use the two-page cover letter to explain your method and judgement.

Essential role requirements

Applicants need a Certificate IV in Government Investigations, Diploma of Government Investigations or equivalent, or must be willing to obtain the qualification shortly after starting. A current NSW Class C driver’s licence and willingness to travel across regional NSW are required. The successful applicant may also undergo police, health and other relevant appointment checks.

Evidence to include in your Senior Investigator application

The About You section focuses on workplace investigations and professional standards. Strong evidence will show that you can manage sensitive allegations fairly, assess evidence objectively and produce recommendations that withstand scrutiny.

What the role needs	How to show it
Complex workplace investigations	Use an example that covers assessment, planning, evidence gathering, interviews, findings and recommendations.
Procedural fairness and defensible decisions	Explain how you notified parties, tested adverse information, considered responses and documented the reasoning behind your findings.
Legislation and investigation frameworks	Show how relevant NSW legislation, policy or professional standards shaped your approach to a sensitive matter.
Risk, confidentiality and trauma-informed practice	Describe the controls and judgement used to protect people, information and organisational integrity during a high-risk investigation.
Evidence-based reports and recommendations	Explain how you organised the evidence, distinguished findings from allegations and wrote practical recommendations for the decision-maker.
Stakeholders and systemic improvement	Show how you worked with oversight bodies or internal leaders and identified a policy, control or practice that needed improvement.

How to structure the cover letter and résumé

The application requires a current resume and a cover letter. The cover letter has a maximum of two pages. The outline below gives most of the space to one complete investigation example and uses the remaining paragraphs to establish your wider practice.

Cover letter section	What to include
Opening paragraph	Introduce your workplace-investigation background, current professional setting and interest in the new PSIU.
Investigation example	Set out the allegation type and risk, then explain your plan, evidence process, procedural-fairness steps and final recommendation.
Judgement and stakeholder management	Describe how you handled confidentiality, competing interests, trauma-related concerns or oversight expectations.
Systemic improvement	Show how your investigation work led to a stronger control, policy, reporting arrangement or workplace practice.
Essential requirements	Confirm the investigation qualification or willingness to obtain it, your driver’s licence and regional travel availability.
Closing paragraph	Connect your professional standards experience with integrity and accountability across a dispersed department.

What strong investigation evidence looks like

• A clear investigation plan proportionate to the allegation and organisational risk
• Procedural fairness demonstrated through specific decisions and records
• Objective treatment of conflicting or sensitive evidence
• Recommendations linked directly to substantiated findings
• A contribution to stronger professional standards or workplace practice

Help with your Senior Investigator application

Check that your main example shows the investigation as a sequence of professional decisions. The panel should understand how you protected fairness and confidentiality while still progressing the matter efficiently.

For help turning complex casework into a clear two-page response, request a Complete Government Job Application. Return to the official Senior Investigator job ad before submitting.