Position description

The Witness Assistance Officer (WAO) performs an important role within the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (CDPP), supporting the aims of the Office in accordance with all relevant policy and legislation. The Witness Assistance Service (WAS) aims to minimise the stress and risk of potential re-traumatisation for victims of crime and vulnerable witnesses involved in matters prosecuted by the CDPP. The team supports victims of crime and vulnerable witnesses who may be required to give evidence; and helps to ensure that the Office meets its policy obligations towards victims of crime.

The WAO is primarily a high-volume casework role that requires strong casework skills and a trauma-informed approach to practice. The WAO provides prosecution-related information and support to victims of crime and vulnerable witnesses located around Australia and in some cases overseas. The WAO does not perform a counselling role but does provide victims of crime and vulnerable witnesses with referrals and information to various support services, including counselling services.

The WAS operates within a prosecution setting and multi-disciplinary environment. The WAO must have the ability to establish and maintain professional, collaborative and productive working relationships with prosecutors, CDPP staff and a range of external stakeholders including the police.

The WAO will utilise a range of legal and practice management systems and other digital technologies and be responsible for creating and maintaining electronic files and other electronic records.

The WAO will have strong written and oral communication skills and the ability to develop strong internal and external stakeholder relationships both remotely and in person.

As a team member, you will contribute to the achievement of the WAS team’s objectives and assist in the learning and development of junior team members by actively coaching and mentoring staff where appropriate as well as modelling appropriate behaviours.

Some intra and interstate travel involving overnight stays may be required.

Due to COVID-19, the nature of our work involves a significant amount of communication via telephone, in writing and via virtual platforms such as Microsoft Teams.

Position Duties

In addition to meeting the APS 5 work level standards and Integrated Leadership System profile of the APS Level 5, under limited direction you will:

• Manage various administrative processes for the team, this includes:
• Creation of CaseHQ files and/or other records for cases
• Ensuring all relevant documentation is created and stored correctly and in line with policy, practice and legislative requirements
• Perform data entry and record keeping role relevant to case work and other WAS work.
• Provide victims and witnesses with information and support in relation to the role of the CDPP, the prosecution process, court procedures and their entitlements including the development of victim impact statements.
• Create and maintain high quality case notes and ensure that all other record keeping requirements are performed in a timely manner.
• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders, including investigative agencies, court officials, prosecution lawyers and other parties, establishing key contacts and communication channels on less complex cases.
• Liaise between victims and legal teams, providing general and case specific information, updates and debriefing where required on less complex cases.
• Respond to enquiries from internal and external stakeholders, by telephone, in writing or face-to-face.

In addition to meeting the APS 6 work level standards and Integrated Leadership System profile of the APS Level 6, autonomously and with limited direction, in addition to the above, you will:

• Develop, support and guide new and/or more junior staff.
• Provide victims and witnesses with information and support in relation to the role of the CDPP, the prosecution process, court procedures and their entitlements including the development of victim impact statements in complex cases.
• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders, including investigative agencies, court officials, prosecution lawyers and other parties, establishing key contacts and communication channels on complex cases.
• Liaise between victims and legal teams, providing general and case specific information, updates and debriefing where required on complex cases.
• Analyse data and evaluate information sources to assist with the creation of recommendations, reports and training.
• Contribute to the development of guidelines, policies, procedures, resources and training to assist legal teams and other colleagues with the handling of victim/ witness issues.

Attributes

As a Witness Assistance Officer, you will have/be:

• A high level of technical, professional or specialist skills and knowledge.
• The ability to provide sound advice in your area of professional/technical expertise.
• Strong casework skills including the ability to effectively prioritise and manage the competing demands of a high caseload.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and management skills, with the ability to build effective working relationships.
• Outstanding communication skills, with the ability to present information clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing, including good case note writing skills.
• Experience working with witnesses and victims of crime in difficult situations, with the ability to establish and maintain clear role boundaries.
• The ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary environment and team in a legal setting.
• A highly motivated, enthusiastic professional who is able to perform all required work in a timely manner meeting deadlines where appropriate, and achieve quality outcomes.

Transferrable Skills

The transferrable skills you can bring to this position include:

1. Capacity to understand and work with victims of crime in accord with relevant policy and legislation, including the CDPP’s Prosecution Policy, Victims of Crime Policy and the Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy.
2. Experience working with witnesses, victims and other vulnerable client groups, particularly in stressful and challenging circumstances and the ability to apply a trauma informed approach.
3. Ability to translate technical and complex information to a non-technical audience.
4. Build strong relationships and networks.
5. Capability to manage your time and escalate issues where appropriate.
6. Knowledge and understanding of the impact of trauma, including vicarious trauma and trauma informed practice.
7. Ability to comfortably navigate IT systems and platforms, this role has a high level of involvement with IT systems and virtual communication links with victims, witnesses and court proceedings.