The Natural Resources Access Regulator is recruiting three Senior Investigators to lead complex investigations into alleged breaches of NSW water law. The work covers evidence gathering, briefs, enforcement recommendations, stakeholder advice and the development of other regulatory staff. View the official job ad.
Your resume and cover letter should show how an investigation moved from allegation to a defensible recommendation. The panel needs enough detail to follow the evidence, the legal test and the decisions you made as the matter developed.
Choose a case where the facts required careful testing. Explain how you planned enquiries, handled conflicting accounts, recorded your reasoning and gave the affected party a fair opportunity to respond. Include the enforcement outcome when disclosure permits.
In This Guide
- Role snapshot
- Application requirements
- Candidate evidence areas
- Example application structure
- Application help
Senior Investigator Role Snapshot
| Role title | Senior Investigator |
|---|---|
| Organisation | Natural Resources Access Regulator |
| Location | Tamworth or Armidale, and Albury or Wagga Wagga preferred; other locations may be negotiable |
| Job reference | 551857 |
| Work type | 3 ongoing full-time roles |
| Salary | $133,348 to $146,945 plus superannuation |
| Closing date | 11 August 2026 at 11:55pm |
| Official job ad | View the official job ad |
Application Requirements For Senior Investigator
- Resume
- Cover letter expressing your interest and suitability
Essential role requirements
- Relevant tertiary qualifications or equivalent experience
- Current NSW driver licence
- Willingness to travel, including remote locations and overnight stays
- Satisfactory criminal records check
Candidate Evidence Areas
| Evidence area | Details to include |
|---|---|
| Investigation planning | Set out the allegation, possible breaches, evidence sources and key risks. Explain how the plan changed when new material emerged. |
| Evidence and briefs | Describe interviews, records, site material or expert input and how you tested reliability. Connect the assembled brief with the decision it supported. |
| Regulatory judgement | Name the legislation or instrument you applied. Show how seriousness, harm, history and available responses shaped your recommendation. |
| Stakeholder handling | Include communication with regulated parties, communities, lawyers or partner agencies where the matter required clarity and control. |
| Investigator development | Give an example of reviewing a brief, coaching a colleague or improving case practice, along with the change in work quality. |
Example Application Structure
Open the cover letter with the legislation you have worked under, the kinds of matters you have led and the level of responsibility you held. This gives the reader a quick way to place your experience.
Use most of the letter for one investigation example. Move through the allegation, plan and evidence in a clear sequence, then explain how you applied the legal test. Give your recommendation enough space because seniority sits in the quality of the judgement and the reasoning behind it.
Add a shorter example about investigator development or case quality. A reviewed brief, a revised investigation plan or coaching through a difficult interview can show how you raise standards around you.
Choosing An Investigation Example
A complex regulatory matter usually offers the clearest fit. Look for a case with disputed facts, several evidence sources and a decision that required written reasons. Water regulation experience gives the panel immediate context, while work under another statutory scheme can transfer when the investigation method and enforcement responsibility are comparable.
Keep the chronology compact. Give more room to the moments where you evaluated reliability, changed the plan or decided that the legal threshold had been met. If another officer performed part of the enquiry, identify how you directed, reviewed or authorised that work.
How To Strengthen Your Resume
List the regulatory schemes, investigation methods and case systems you have used. Under recent roles, lead with complex matters and include the stage you owned, such as planning, compulsory information gathering, interviewing, brief preparation or enforcement advice.
Quantify scope through case volume, geographic reach, team responsibility or the seriousness of matters. Protect confidential details while keeping the work concrete enough for the panel to assess.
Before You Submit
- Separate the evidence, legal analysis and recommendation in your main example.
- Describe how procedural fairness shaped your enquiries and communication.
- State the outcome or accepted recommendation where disclosure allows.
- Show how you improved another investigator’s work or a team process.
- Confirm the qualification, licence, travel and screening requirements.
Help With Your NRAR Senior Investigator Application
The free NSW Government cover letter template can help you organise a complex example. For role-specific support, request application help.
Return to the official job ad to confirm locations, requirements and closing time before submission.