Are you ready to make a significant impact in the realm of domestic and family violence (DFV) policy and reform? The Department of Communities and Justice is seeking passionate individuals for the role of Senior Policy and Projects Officer. This is your chance to be at the forefront of transformative change, driving critical projects that enhance the DFV service system across NSW.
The Senior Policy and Projects Officer position offers a competitive salary, hybrid flexible work arrangements, and the opportunity to work on meaningful projects that improve the safety and wellbeing of DFV victim-survivors. This role is perfect for those with a background in policy development, project management, and systems reform.
For more insights into NSW Government recruitment, check out the Unofficial Guide to NSW Government Recruitment and enhance your application with our free NSW cover-letter template.
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Senior Policy and Projects Officer Salary and Overview
| Position Title | Senior Policy and Projects Officer |
| Organisation / Entity | Department of Communities and Justice |
| Location | Sydney Region / Sydney – Greater West |
| Work Type | Full-Time |
| Base Pay | AUD $129,464.00 – $142,665.00 per year |
| Closing Date | 18/09/2025 |
About the Senior Policy and Projects Officer at Department of Communities and Justice
The Senior Policy and Projects Officer plays a pivotal role within the Women, Family and Community Safety Directorate, particularly in the Domestic and Family Violence Systems Reform branch. This branch is at the heart of policy and reform efforts, aimed at enhancing DFV service systems. The focus is on evaluating and optimizing existing programs, developing new response models, and ensuring a cohesive approach across various agencies.
This role involves strategic program management and support for state-wide DFV initiatives, ensuring best practice service delivery. You will be instrumental in testing and refining the Common Approach to Risk and Safety (CARAS), a framework designed to provide consistent and safe responses to victim-survivors across NSW. Additionally, the role requires collaboration with stakeholders to enhance digital services like DV Notify, which aims to improve victim-survivor safety through a trauma-informed and culturally safe approach.
Why This Is a Great Opportunity
This is a rare chance to contribute to meaningful, high-impact projects that shape public outcomes while enjoying the benefits of a career in the public sector. As a Senior Policy and Projects Officer, you’ll be part of the DFV Systems Reform branch within the Women, Family and Community Safety Directorate—a forward-thinking team dedicated to improving how domestic and family violence (DFV) services are delivered across NSW. The team leads policy and system reforms that directly support victim-survivors and enhance collaboration across justice, support services, and inter-agency responses.
With multiple ongoing and temporary roles available, this opportunity offers both variety and long-term job security. You’ll be able to build your career with confidence, knowing you’re in a stable and supportive environment that values impact, inclusion, and continuous improvement.
These are full-time positions with hybrid work options, giving you the freedom to balance your professional responsibilities with personal commitments. It’s an ideal role for experienced professionals who are passionate about social change and want to help design service systems that make a real difference—while maintaining a strong work-life balance.
Application Requirements for Senior Policy and Projects Officer
NSW DCJ Application Process: What You Need to Know
If you’re applying for the Senior Policy and Projects Officer role, getting the application process right is essential. Strong, well-structured applications are what stand out. Missed documents or incorrect formatting can lead to your application being excluded before it’s even reviewed, so attention to detail really matters.
Here’s what you’ll need to submit:
- Résumé — No more than 5 pages.
- Cover Letter — Up to 2 pages, and must address the targeted question.
You’ll find a sample two-page cover letter below. Use it to guide your tone, structure, and the level of detail required. Pro tip: examples matter a lot—make them count.
If you’re feeling stuck or unsure, my Write it for Me service is available for just $89. You’ll get expert help from someone who understands the public sector—and you’ll be done faster, with more confidence in your application.
What to Include in Your Senior Policy and Projects Officer Cover Letter
Your cover letter needs to do two key things:
- Respond to the targeted question, and
- Show how your experience aligns with the key capabilities using STAR method examples.
For this role, the capabilities you need to cover are:
- Systems thinking, policy development, reform, and implementation
- Project management
- Program management
- Design thinking
You only have two pages to make an impression. Here’s how to structure them:
- Page 1: Introduce yourself and include four STAR-based examples—one for each of the above capabilities. Choose examples that clearly relate to the kind of work you’ll be doing in this role.
- Page 2: Use this space to respond to the targeted question (see below). Treat it like a written interview answer—clear, structured, and focused on outcomes.
If this format feels unfamiliar or overwhelming, the Write it for Me service is designed to make it easy. Just send through your dot points—I’ll turn them into a polished, professional application aligned with NSW government expectations.
Target Question for Senior Policy and Projects Officer
Think of the targeted question as a written interview prompt. You’ll need to answer it within your 2-page cover letter, using the STAR method to structure your response.
Targeted Question:
Briefly outline your experience in developing and/or implementing a complex policy and/or program reform, including how you determined the issues, developed solutions and managed the stakeholders.
Take your time with this—draw on real examples, show your impact, and highlight your ability to lead through complexity.
Senior Policy and Projects Officer Application Checklist
| ✅ | Read the full job ad — Open the listing on I Work for NSW and ensure it’s a role you’re genuinely interested in. |
| ✅ | Want to apply? — Just copy the job ad URL and submit it via the Write It For Me form to get started right away. |
| ✅ | Let me do the hard part — I’ll prepare your complete application pack, tailored specifically to the role. |
| ✅ | Fill in your story — You’ll receive pre-filled, easy-to-use documents with prompts to help you add your personal experience and examples. |
| ✅ | Get expert review — Send it back for a final polish from someone who’s worked on real government hiring panels. |
| ✅ | Apply with confidence — Submit a professional application that meets all the criteria—and positions you as a standout candidate. |
Candidate Profile — Senior Policy and Projects Officer
Pauline is a motivated professional with over seven years of experience in the private sector, working across project coordination, business operations, and stakeholder engagement roles. Most recently, she worked as a Project Officer at a national logistics company, where she supported a range of improvement projects focused on process efficiency and customer experience. In this role, Pauline regularly worked with cross-functional teams, helped coordinate timelines and resources, and contributed to internal policy updates and implementation.
She is known for her strong communication skills, practical problem-solving, and ability to stay organised under pressure. Pauline has a natural interest in how systems and policies affect people’s day-to-day experiences, and she’s excited to bring her private sector experience into a public sector role where she can contribute to more community-focused outcomes. With a strong foundation in project delivery and stakeholder support, she’s ready to take the next step in her career by working on meaningful policy and reform initiatives.
Senior Policy and Projects Officer Example Cover Letter
Dear Hiring Manager,
I am excited to apply for the Senior Policy and Projects Officer position. With over seven years of private sector experience across logistics and fleet management, I have developed a strong foundation in delivering projects, implementing reforms, and supporting complex operational changes. I am now ready to bring this experience into the public sector and contribute to initiatives that deliver real outcomes for communities.
Below, I’ve provided several examples of how my background aligns with the key capabilities required for this role. On the following page, you’ll find my detailed response to the targeted question as part of this application.
I will bring to this role my ability to apply systems thinking in fast-paced environments. While working as a Project Officer at SwiftLogix, I was asked to review recurring delays across our eastern regional operations. I began by mapping the full delivery cycle, from dispatch to customer confirmation, identifying key pain points across six functions. I led consultations with regional managers, reviewed delivery data, and identified several underlying systemic issues—including outdated routing protocols and inconsistent data-sharing between warehouse and driver teams. I developed a report highlighting cross-team dependencies and proposed a coordinated response, including shared KPIs and a new escalation protocol. My recommendations were adopted, resulting in improved communication and a 15% reduction in delivery disruptions. This experience showed me how to step back and view operational challenges through a broader, interconnected lens.
I also offer practical experience in policy development and implementation. At Mercury Fleet Solutions, I was assigned to support the rollout of a new fleet usage policy aimed at reducing unplanned maintenance. I worked with maintenance supervisors and team leaders to draft procedures that would work at ground level while still meeting national standards. My role involved facilitating workshops, capturing local concerns, and adjusting policy drafts to reflect real-world needs. I coordinated the trial rollout in two locations and collected data on vehicle downtime and compliance behaviours. Based on these insights, I co-authored a finalised policy that included easy-to-follow checklists and a digital log system. Thanks to strong stakeholder engagement, the policy was adopted across the organisation with minimal resistance and helped reduce downtime by 18% within the first six months.
I have also demonstrated strong project management capabilities. While at SwiftLogix, I managed the coordination of a three-month transition project to centralise our customer service operations from multiple states into a single national team. I began by developing a detailed project timeline, assigning responsibilities to each stream lead, and establishing regular reporting mechanisms. I facilitated weekly stakeholder meetings, tracked milestones using shared dashboards, and adjusted timelines as needed based on feedback. I also oversaw risk planning, including continuity protocols to prevent service gaps during the handover. My attention to communication and coordination meant the project ran ahead of schedule and was delivered under budget. The new structure led to a 10% improvement in response times and greater consistency in customer interactions—benefits that were sustained long after project completion.
Finally, I bring a practical understanding of design thinking and its value in driving service improvement. At Mercury Fleet, I was part of a small cross-functional team tasked with redesigning our client onboarding process, which had become outdated and time-consuming. I facilitated user research by conducting interviews with sales staff, account managers, and new clients to understand pain points. From there, I developed journey maps and helped ideate solutions in design sprints. One key outcome was a streamlined onboarding toolkit that included digital welcome packs, automated task checklists, and tailored client briefings. I coordinated the pilot launch, gathered user feedback, and made further adjustments before national rollout. The new process reduced onboarding time by 40% and significantly improved client satisfaction ratings. This experience confirmed for me the value of co-design and continuous iteration when delivering change.
Senior Policy and Projects Officer Example Target Question Response
Briefly outline your experience in developing and/or implementing a complex policy and/or program reform, including how you determined the issues, developed solutions and managed the stakeholders.
At SwiftLogix, I was closely involved in delivering a major scheduling reform designed to improve delivery reliability across our east coast operations. Our existing system was heavily reliant on manual planning and phone-based coordination between drivers, warehouse staff, and customer service teams. This created frequent scheduling conflicts, miscommunication, and delays—particularly in high-demand regions.
I began by working with regional leads to analyse delivery and incident data across six months. I also led interviews and observation sessions with front-line staff to understand how the existing process functioned in real time. These efforts helped uncover several key issues: lack of visibility across shifts, delayed updates when routes changed, and no shared performance metrics between departments.
With this information, I collaborated with our operations and IT teams to develop a new digital scheduling platform. My role included mapping key requirements, supporting vendor selection, and coordinating a phased rollout. I managed the pilot implementation in two major hubs, facilitated training sessions, and created user guides tailored to both admin and operational staff.
Managing stakeholders was essential. I conducted weekly feedback sessions with each pilot team and escalated feedback quickly to ensure we could adjust the system in real time. I also engaged regional managers early and often, giving them input into the reform process and helping build trust. The result was a reform that not only improved performance—missed deliveries dropped by 25%—but also increased staff confidence in the tools they used every day. This experience sharpened my ability to lead reform by balancing technical delivery with strong engagement and practical problem-solving.
Thank you for considering my application. I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to contribute to policy and program work that has a positive and lasting impact. I welcome the chance to bring my private sector experience into a public context and would value the opportunity to discuss how I can support your team’s goals.
Kind regards,
Pauline
How to Use the STAR Method for Senior Policy and Projects Officer Applications
The STAR method is a simple but powerful way to structure your examples in job applications and interviews. It helps you clearly explain what you did, how you did it, and what impact it had—making your experience easy for assessors to understand and evaluate.
STAR stands for:
- Situation – What was the context?
- Task – What was your responsibility?
- Action – What steps did you take?
- Result – What was the outcome?
Let’s look at how this works using one of Pauline’s examples from her Senior Policy and Projects Officer cover letter:
Capability: Systems Thinking
While working as a Project Officer at SwiftLogix, I was asked to review recurring delays across our eastern regional operations. I began by mapping the full delivery cycle, from dispatch to customer confirmation, identifying key pain points across six functions. I led consultations with regional managers, reviewed delivery data, and identified several underlying systemic issues—including outdated routing protocols and inconsistent data-sharing between warehouse and driver teams. I developed a report highlighting cross-team dependencies and proposed a coordinated response, including shared KPIs and a new escalation protocol. My recommendations were adopted, resulting in improved communication and a 15% reduction in delivery disruptions.
Here’s how the STAR structure applies:
- Situation: SwiftLogix was experiencing frequent delivery delays across eastern regions.
- Task: Pauline was tasked with identifying the cause and finding a solution.
- Action: She mapped the delivery cycle, consulted stakeholders, analysed data, and proposed system-level changes.
- Result: Her recommendations led to a 15% reduction in delivery disruptions and improved cross-team coordination.
By using the STAR method, Pauline’s example is clear, specific, and focused on the value she delivered—exactly what assessors look for.
Get Your Senior Policy and Projects Officer Application Ready Now
The Senior Policy and Projects Officer role is a rare opportunity to contribute to meaningful, high-impact reforms that support safer, more inclusive communities. Based within the DFV Systems Reform branch of the Women, Family and Community Safety Directorate, this role places you at the heart of work that matters—developing and improving how our systems respond to domestic and family violence, and helping shape service models that better support diverse victim-survivors.
If you’re passionate about social justice, equity, and creating safer pathways for people experiencing DFV, this role is a powerful way to turn that passion into action—backed by job security, hybrid working options, and a genuinely collaborative team environment.
And if you’re ready to apply but not sure where to begin, my Write it for Me service makes the whole process easy. Just send me the URL of the job ad—I’ll break down exactly what’s required, show you what to include, and then turn your dot-point examples into a polished, compelling application that gets results.
You don’t need to second-guess the process or wonder if you’re doing it right—I’ll help you showcase your strengths with confidence.
Let me take the stress out of applying, so you can focus on what matters: landing a role where you can make a real difference.
