Role Description

Senior Technical Specialist

Role Description Fields Details

Cluster Education
Department/Agency NSW Department of Education
Division/Branch/Unit Operations Group/ITD/CISO/IDM
Role number 206000
Classification/Grade/Band CL7/8
Senior executive work level standards Not Applicable
ANZSCO Code 261311
PCAT Code 3116492
Date of Approval April 2023
Agency Website education.nsw.gov.au

Agency overview
The NSW Department of Education serves the community by leading the provision of world-class
education. The department protects young children by regulating preschool and long day care providers.
Once children move into school, we provide them with a world-class primary and secondary education. We
also work to advance the wellbeing of Aboriginal people

Primary purpose of the role

The Senior Technical Specialist is part of a team that provides high level support to the Department's
Identity practice, services and data maintenance.

Key accountabilities
• Perform a wide range of high-level technical specialist activities to support complex and scalable
technology solutions to meet business needs
• Ensure all support activities are undertaken in compliance with the units’ processes and procedures to
align with industry best practice and meet Departmental requirements
• Prepare accurate and timely performance reports to inform the Manager, IDM Support and meet, the
Director, Identity and Access Management and other senior management’s requirements
• Ensure all reporting documentation complies with the units’ regulatory requirements and is recorded and
maintained in accordance with Departmental protocols
• Work collaboratively with key stakeholders, vendor representatives and other IT teams and experts to
identify, define and ensure technology solutions meet the business’s requirements
• Provide technical guidance and expertise to the team in the investigation, diagnosis and resolution of
service problems

Role Description Technical Specialist 1

Key challenges
• Maintaining effective relationships with stakeholders with competing priorities and expectations, whilst
ensuring consistent, high quality and timely project delivery.
• Implementing new strategic initiatives, in a complex, and diverse environment
• Sustaining stakeholders focus on enforcing and maintaining cyber security as a core principle their
business operations

Key relationships

Internal
Who Why
Manager IDM Support • Develop and receive assignments
• Receive priorities, and receive ongoing feedback
Service managers and staff • Maintain collaborative working relationships to resolve technical
and/or service delivery issues
• Share technical advice and subject matter expertise
Departmental managers and staff • Liaise effectively to ensure effective service / project delivery
• Provide technical advice and subject matter expertise
Cyber Operations Team • Liaise effectively to ensure quality cyber security controls are in
place
• Collaborate in providing rapid responses to cyber security
incidents

Role dimensions
Decision making
Exercises independent judgement and initiative in prioritising activities within the broad framework set with
the manager and in accordance with Departmental priorities, goals and policies
Consults with the Manager, IDM Support on sensitive, high-risk or business critical matters to agree on a
suitable course of action

Reporting line
Manager, IDM Support

Key knowledge and experience

• Demonstrated experience in identity and access practices and services.
• Knowledge of and commitment to implementing the Department’s Aboriginal Education Policy and
upholding the Department’s Partnership Agreement with the NSW AECG and ensuring quality
outcomes for Aboriginal people

Essential requirements
• Industry certification in relevant technologies or equivalent industry experience.
• Valid Working with Children Check for paid employment

Capabilities for the role

The NSW public sector capability framework describes the capabilities (knowledge, skills and abilities) needed
to perform a role. There are four main groups of capabilities: personal attributes, relationships, results and
business enablers, with a fifth people management group of capabilities for roles with managerial

Role Description Technical Specialist 2

responsibilities. These groups, combined with capabilities drawn from occupation-specific capability sets
where relevant, work together to provide an understanding of the capabilities needed for the role.
The capabilities are separated into focus capabilities and complementary capabilities

Focus capabilities
Focus capabilities are the capabilities considered the most important for effective performance of the role. These
capabilities will be assessed at recruitment.
The focus capabilities for this role are shown below with a brief explanation of what each capability covers and
the indicators describing the types of behaviours expected at each level.

Focus capabilities
Capability Capability name Behavioural indicators Level
group/sets

Manage Self • Adapt existing skills to new situations Intermediate

Show drive and motivation, • Show commitment to achieving work goals
an ability to self-reflect and a • Show awareness of own strengths and areas
commitment to learning
for growth, and develop and apply new skills
• Seek feedback from colleagues and
stakeholders
• Stay motivated when tasks become difficult
Commit to Customer • Take responsibility for delivering high-quality Adept
Service
customer-focused services
Provide customer-focused • Design processes and policies based on the
services in line with public
customer’s point of view and needs
sector and organisational
objectives • Understand and measure what is important to
customers
• Use data and information to monitor and
improve customer service delivery
• Find opportunities to cooperate with internal
and external stakeholders to improve outcomes
for customers
• Maintain relationships with key customers in
area of expertise
• Connect and collaborate with relevant
customers within the community
Work Collaboratively • Encourage a culture that recognises the value Adept
Collaborate with others and of collaboration
value their contribution • Build cooperation and overcome barriers to
information sharing and communication across
teams and units
• Share lessons learned across teams and units
• Identify opportunities to leverage the strengths
of others to solve issues and develop better
processes and approaches to work
• Actively use collaboration tools, including digital
technologies, to engage diverse audiences in
solving problems and improving services

Role Description Technical Specialist 3

 Deliver Results • Use own and others’ expertise to achieve Adept
Achieve results through the outcomes, and take responsibility for delivering
efficient use of resources
and a commitment to quality intended outcomes
outcomes • Make sure staff understand expected goals and
acknowledge staff success in achieving these
• Identify resource needs and ensure goals are
achieved within set budgets and deadlines
• Use business data to evaluate outcomes and
inform continuous improvement
• Identify priorities that need to change and
ensure the allocation of resources meets new
business needs
• Ensure that the financial implications of
changed priorities are explicit and budgeted for
Think and Solve Problems • Research and apply critical-thinking techniques Adept
Think, analyse and consider in analysing information, identify
the broader context to interrelationships and make recommendations
develop practical solutions
based on relevant evidence
• Anticipate, identify and address issues and
potential problems that may have an impact on
organisational objectives and the user
experience
• Apply creative-thinking techniques to generate
new ideas and options to address issues and
improve the user experience
• Seek contributions and ideas from people with
diverse backgrounds and experience
• Participate in and contribute to team or unit
initiatives to resolve common issues or barriers
to effectiveness
• Identify and share business process
improvements to enhance effectiveness
Technology • Identify opportunities to use a broad range of Adept
Understand and use technologies to collaborate
available technologies to • Monitor compliance with cyber security and the
maximise efficiencies and
use of technology policies
effectiveness
• Identify ways to maximise the value of available
technology to achieve business strategies and
outcomes
• Monitor compliance with the organisation’s
records, information and knowledge
management requirements

Complementary capabilities
Complementary capabilities are also identified from the Capability Framework and relevant occupation-specific
capability sets. They are important to identifying performance required for the role and development
opportunities.
Note: capabilities listed as ‘not essential’ for this role are not relevant for recruitment purposes however may be
relevant for future career development.

Role Description Technical Specialist 4

Capability Capability name Description Level
group/sets

Display Resilience and Be open and honest, prepared to express your Intermediate
Courage views, and willing to accept and commit to
change

Act with Integrity Be ethical and professional, and uphold and Adept
promote the public sector values

Value Diversity and Demonstrate inclusive behaviour and show Intermediate

Inclusion respect for diverse backgrounds, experiences
and perspectives

Communicate Effectively Communicate clearly, actively listen to others, Intermediate

and respond with understanding and respect

Influence and Negotiate Gain consensus and commitment from others, Intermediate
and resolve issues and conflicts

Plan and Prioritise Plan to achieve priority outcomes and respond Intermediate
flexibly to changing circumstances

Demonstrate Be proactive and responsible for own actions, Intermediate

Accountability and adhere to legislation, policy and guidelines

Finance Understand and apply financial processes to Foundational

achieve value for money and minimise financial
risk

Procurement and Contract Understand and apply procurement processes Foundational

Management to ensure effective purchasing and contract
performance

Project Management Understand and apply effective planning, Intermediate

coordination and control methods

Role Description Technical Specialist 5