If you’re looking to embark on a fulfilling career in the NSW Public Sector, the NSW Police Administrative Support Officer role offers a range of responsibilities and growth opportunities. As a member of one of the largest police forces in the western world, you’ll play an integral part in ensuring smooth administrative operations and supporting sworn officers who serve the community 24/7.
If you’re new to public sector recruitment, check out this unofficial guide to NSW Public Sector recruitment for more insider tips and context.
NSW Police Administrative Support Officer: Applications Now Open
Police Administrative Support Officer Pay and Job Overview
| Position Title | NSW Police Administrative Support Officer |
| Organisation/Entity | NSW Police Force |
| Job Location | Various Sydney Metro Locations |
| Work Type | Ongoing Full-Time |
| Base Pay | $82,193 to $90,001 + 11.5% Super + Annual Leave Loading |
| Closing Date | 09/03/2025 – 11:59 PM |
About the Police Administrative Support Officer Role
The NSW Police Administrative Support Officer role is designed for individuals who want to contribute to the daily functions of the NSW Police Force. You’ll be responsible for a variety of administrative tasks, from maintaining accurate records and assisting with frontline inquiries to coordinating meetings and supporting law enforcement teams.
You’ll join an the NSW Police Force, dedicated to providing 24/7 law and order services across diverse communities. While day-to-day duties can be varied, your main focus will be ensuring efficient operation of your command or business unit. This includes managing correspondence, organising essential paperwork, and adhering to the policies and procedures unique to a large agency/department.
By stepping into this position, you’ll gain an invaluable perspective on the inner workings of the NSW Police Force. You’ll have opportunities to develop your administrative expertise, strengthen your teamwork and communication skills, and get hands-on experience that will make you a strong candidate for future roles in the public sector.
Challenges for NSW Police Administrative Support Officer
As an Administrative Support Officer, you’ll face the daily challenge of balancing multiple priorities and meeting strict deadlines.
The demands of supporting sworn officers in diverse units—while managing confidential information—requires consistent attention to detail.
Additionally, you’ll need to remain adaptable and level headed when the pace is high, ensuring customer service standards are met in a community-focused environment.
Some of the key challenges may include:
- Coordinating time-sensitive tasks, such as organising documents for court proceedings
- Handling phone and email inquiries from both internal personnel and the public
- Maintaining accurate logs and records, crucial for ongoing investigations and administrative duties
- Working with confidential or sensitive information, necessitating adherence to privacy regulations
Reasons to Apply for Police Administrative Support Officer
This is a great opportunity for someone looking for their first job in government, or making a career change.
There are multiple opportunities being recruited, and this is a talent pool recruitment. By applying, you’ll be placed in a talent pool valid for 18 months, giving you a chance to be considered for future ongoing or temporary roles.
At the Clerk Grade 3/4 level as a civilian in the police force, you’ll gain solid experience and be positioned to move into higher-level roles as you develop specialised skills in government administration.
Police Administrative Support Officer Application Requirements
To land this entry-level role in government administration, you will need:
- Cover letter (max two pages)
- Updated Resume/CV
Like most NSW Police roles, you are required to address two Target Questions. Each of these must be answered in 300 words or fewer:
- How have you ensured that you meet the customer service standards in your organisation?
- Give an example of a recent time when you had to manage yourself to achieve results.
You can either enter your answers to this in the online form, or attach your responses as a separate document. I always recommend attaching these target question responses as a document, as it allows you to make the formatting clearer for the hiring manager. Often the online HR portal can make it difficult to read responses, which an inadvertently impact your assessment.
You will also need to get a security clearance for this position.
If you want to start your cover letter quickly, use this free public sector cover letter template. And when you’re ready to submit, make sure you get an expert to review your cover letter and make sure you haven’t missed anything essential.
Essential Role Requirements
Before you apply, confirm that you meet the following prerequisites:
- You are an Australian Citizen, permanent resident, or New Zealand citizen (for ongoing roles).
- You can pass a comprehensive National Police Check and obtain the required Security Clearance for working with the NSW Police Force.
Understanding and Addressing Focus Capabilities
Focus capabilities are a cornerstone of public sector recruitment, as they outline the expected skills and behaviours for each role.
The NSW Capability Framework (available here) provides detailed guidance on what the NSW Police Force and other agencies look for in potential hires. Make sure to integrate these capabilities throughout your application, referencing them explicitly in your cover letter, resume, and answers to target questions.
In this government administration position, you’ll be assessed on four main focus capabilities: Manage Self (Intermediate), Commit to Customer Service (Intermediate), Deliver Results (Foundational), and Technology (Intermediate).
Each of these areas provides a framework for how you carry out your responsibilities, interact with colleagues and stakeholders, and manage day-to-day tasks. When writing your cover letter, aim to integrate specific examples that reveal your competency in each of these domains. Here’s a closer look at what these capabilities entail and how you might highlight them:
Manage Self (Intermediate)
Demonstrate personal growth, resilience, and adaptability by applying your existing skills to new situations and staying motivated when tasks become challenging.
Example: While working in a busy retail store, you were asked to step in as the temporary shift lead during the holiday rush. You quickly adjusted to the new role by seeking feedback from experienced colleagues, learning essential supervisory tasks, and maintaining high morale among team members—ensuring smooth operations in a hectic environment.
Commit to Customer Service (Intermediate)
Uphold a positive, customer-focused culture by anticipating needs, responding promptly to requests, and offering solutions that enhance the customer or client experience.
Example: In a hospitality setting, customers often complained about long wait times during peak dinner hours. You gathered feedback from guests, coordinated with kitchen staff, and introduced a more efficient seating schedule. As a result, average wait times dropped significantly, leading to better reviews and repeat customers.
Deliver Results (Foundational)
Complete assigned tasks within set deadlines and standards, clarify instructions when needed, and take initiative to progress your work independently.
Example: In your customer support admin job, you were responsible for processing incoming inquiries. After clarifying response guidelines with your manager, you proactively set up a simple workflow to categorise inquiries by urgency. This helped you keep track of each ticket’s status and ensure nothing fell through the cracks—raising overall customer satisfaction.
Technology (Intermediate)
Use relevant technology to improve productivity, maintain accurate records, and support new system rollouts or updates.
Example: Working as a hospitality front-desk associate, you noticed the outdated reservation software frequently caused overbooking. To solve this, you researched and advocated for a more intuitive booking platform. After helping train colleagues on its use, you significantly reduced reservation errors and improved the guest check-in experience.
By weaving these four capabilities into your cover letter, you’ll give a clear and compelling picture of how well you’d fit into this role. Make your explanations concrete by sharing anecdotes or metrics (e.g., “reduced data entry errors by 50%” or “helped respond to client queries 30% faster”), so the hiring panel can see exactly how you put these skills into action.
Police Administrative Support Officer Application Checklist
| Item | Check |
| Review the NSW Police Force role description in detail | |
| Address the two Target Questions (300 words each) | |
| Update your cover letter, using the government cover letter template | |
| Get your government cover letter reviewed |
Candidate Profile for Police Administrative Support Officer
Meet John, an experienced administrative assistant with a background in recruitment and accounting. He has managed front desk reception, handled inquiries, updated databases, maintained spreadsheets, and performed clerical and administrative tasks. Proficient in Outlook, Word, Excel, and in-house CRM systems, he brings strong organisational and customer service skills to his role.
John currently works part time, three days per week, and has always had an interest in working for the state government. He is hoping that this role will be a great way to transition from the private sector to the public sector and build a lasting career in government administration.
Police Administrative Support Officer Example Cover Letter
Click here to download a free public sector cover letter template.
Dear Hiring Manager,
I am writing to express my strong interest in the NSW Police Administrative Support Officer role with the NSW Police Force.
With experience in administrative support across recruitment and accounting industries, I am eager to transition into the public sector and build a long-term career in government administration. My background in customer service, office administration, and technology makes me well-suited for this role.
In my current role as an administrative assistant, I have developed strong organisational skills and the ability to adapt to new situations. Recently, when my organisation transitioned to a new customer relationship management (CRM) system, I took the initiative to learn its functions ahead of formal training. I quickly adapted my skills, supporting my colleagues by troubleshooting issues and creating a simple guide to streamline daily tasks. This experience demonstrated my ability to adapt existing skills to new situations and seek opportunities for improvement, aligning with the Manage Self capability.
Providing excellent customer service has been central to my work. While working in recruitment, I handled front desk reception, responding to a high volume of inquiries from candidates and clients. In one instance, a candidate was anxious about an upcoming interview and required additional guidance. I took the time to explain the recruitment process in detail, provided relevant documentation, and connected them with a consultant. The candidate later expressed appreciation for the support, and the recruiter noted an improvement in the candidate’s confidence. This experience reflects my commitment to identifying and responding to customer needs, in line with the Commit to Customer Service capability.
Delivering results efficiently has also been a key part of my role. In my previous position, I was responsible for maintaining client records in multiple databases. When I noticed inconsistencies in data entry, I sought clarification from my manager and proposed a structured template to standardise data entry fields. Implementing this process improved accuracy and saved time for the team. This proactive approach demonstrates my ability to seek clarification, take initiative, and complete tasks within set timeframes, supporting the Deliver Results capability.
Technology is an integral part of my daily work, and I have consistently used it to enhance efficiency. In my current role, I manage electronic filing systems, update spreadsheets, and process documents using DocuSign. When our office introduced a new digital filing system, I identified ways to optimise folder structures and trained colleagues on best practices, reducing document retrieval time. My ability to select and implement appropriate technology solutions aligns with the Technology capability.
I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to bring my skills to the public sector, contributing to the important work of [Department/Agency Name]. I would welcome the chance to discuss how my experience and capabilities align with the needs of your team. Thank you for your time and consideration, and I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
John Applicant
Example Answers to Target Questions
How have you ensured that you meet the customer service standards in your organisation?
Providing excellent customer service has always been a key priority in my roles. To ensure I meet customer service standards, I take a proactive approach by familiarising myself with organisational policies, understanding customer needs, and maintaining a professional and helpful attitude in all interactions.
In my role as a front desk administrator at a recruitment firm, I was often the first point of contact for clients and candidates. To maintain high customer service standards, I ensured that all inquiries—whether by phone, email, or in person—were handled promptly and professionally. I made a habit of asking clarifying questions to fully understand the needs of customers before providing solutions or directing them to the appropriate department.
A specific example occurred when a candidate arrived for an interview feeling anxious and unprepared. Noticing their concern, I took the time to explain the interview process, provide them with a printed copy of their application, and ensure they had access to the necessary forms before meeting with the recruiter. I also offered a quiet space where they could review their notes. The candidate later expressed their appreciation, and my manager commended me for creating a positive customer experience.
Beyond direct interactions, I continuously seek ways to improve service delivery. For instance, I helped streamline appointment scheduling by introducing a shared calendar system, reducing booking errors and improving response times. By being attentive to customer needs, staying organised, and looking for ways to improve processes, I ensure that I consistently uphold high customer service standards.
Give an example of a recent time when you had to manage yourself to achieve results.
In my current role, I was recently tasked with managing an internal database update as part of a broader system transition. This required learning a new data management system that was significantly different from the one I had previously used.
Initially, I found the system challenging, as it had unfamiliar features and processes. However, rather than relying solely on formal training sessions, I took the initiative to explore the platform independently. By leveraging my existing knowledge of spreadsheets and CRM systems, I identified similarities and applied familiar functions to streamline data entry and reporting.
To ensure accuracy, I sought feedback from colleagues who had prior experience with the system. Their insights helped me refine my approach, and I took notes to document best practices for future reference. While adapting to the new system required additional time and effort, I remained committed to achieving my work goals. I set personal milestones to track my progress and developed a structured approach to mastering different features of the platform.
At times, the transition felt overwhelming, but I stayed motivated by focusing on problem-solving and continuous learning. I recognised that this was an opportunity to develop new technical skills and enhance my adaptability. By the end of the transition period, I had not only successfully completed the database update but also assisted colleagues who were struggling with the new system. I created a short guide with step-by-step instructions, which was later shared across the team.
This experience reinforced my ability to adapt existing skills to new situations, seek feedback to improve my performance, and stay committed to achieving work goals even when faced with challenges. It also highlighted my awareness of my own strengths and areas for growth, allowing me to develop and apply new skills effectively.
Explain the STAR Technique
The STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) technique is a structured approach to showcasing your experiences and accomplishments, especially relevant to public sector recruitment. By breaking your examples into a clear sequence, you help the hiring manager quickly understand the context of your story:
- Situation: Set the scene for the challenge or problem you faced.
- Task: Outline your responsibility or the objective you needed to achieve.
- Action: Describe the specific steps you took to address the situation.
- Result: Share the outcome, focusing on what was improved, fixed, or accomplished.
The cover letter and target questions above includes STAR-based examples, illustrating how you can weave this method into a narrative format. Whether you’re answering target questions, writing your cover letter, or responding in an interview, STAR helps to structure your response effectively.
How to Prepare for a Public Sector Interview
Securing an interview for a NSW Police Administrative Support Officer role means demonstrating not only your fit for the position but also your readiness to uphold focus capabilities. Public sector interviews often revolve around behavioural questions where strong, capability-oriented examples can set you apart.
Here’s how to stand out:
- Review the Focus Capabilities: Examine the NSW Capability Framework and the role description to fully understand what the panel wants.
- Brainstorm Examples: Think of real situations from your past roles that align with each required capability, whether it’s delivering results, effective communication, or customer service excellence.
- Match to Indicators: Identify how your achievements tie back to each capability’s behavioural indicators, such as keeping stakeholders informed or meeting tight deadlines.
- Use the STAR Method: Organise your responses with Situation, Task, Action, and Result, ensuring clarity and focus.
- Practise & Use Notes: If the interview format allows you to refer to notes, outline key points for quick reference. Otherwise, rehearse thoroughly so you can speak confidently.
Typical questions you might encounter for a NSW Police Administrative Support Officer include:
- Describe a time when you had to prioritize conflicting tasks on a strict deadline.
- How do you handle maintaining confidentiality, especially when dealing with sensitive information?
- Give an example of a time you worked with a diverse team to achieve a specific outcome.
Example STAR Talking Points: For a confidentiality-related question, you could explain the Situation where you had multiple database systems containing sensitive data, your Task to unify and secure them, the Action of implementing an encrypted repository, and the Result of reducing data leaks to zero. Such a response connects directly to a core capability of the role.
For more guidance on NSW Public Sector interview preparation, consider downloading a public sector interview question and answer workbook at this link.
Time To Apply For Your New Job
If you feel ready to move forward with your application, click here to apply.
Remember that a strong, polished cover letter can make all the difference in public sector recruitment—so don’t forget you can get your cover letter reviewed for to significantly improve your success rate.
Also, make sure to explore the NSW Public Sector Interview Questions and Answers Workbook if you want a head start on acing those crucial interview rounds. This resource can help you showcase your capabilities effectively and confidently.
