The Department of Customer Service, Open Data and Small and Family Business

is now recruiting for

Queensland Small Business Commissioner

Applications close midnight, Friday the 17th of October 2025

Apply Now

Overview

The Department of Customer Services, Open Data and Small and Family Business

We are improving customer services to Queenslanders, supporting small and family business owners, and providing better government services and support.

We ensure customer-focused, effective and accessible engagement with government for Queenslanders, small and family business owners and other government agencies. We are responsible for driving the Queensland Government's priorities in customer service delivery, digital technology, and data that enables a transparent and efficient government.

The Queensland Small Business Commissioner is an independent statutory position reporting to the Minister for Customer Services and Open Data and Minister for Small and Family Business.

About the Commission

The Queensland Small Business Commissioner (QSBC) is established under the Small Business Commissioner Act 2022 to lead advocacy, mediation, and engagement across Queensland’s small business community. The QSBC seeks to enhance the operating environment for small businesses, reduce the time and costs associated with resolving disputes, delivering improvements to support small business growth.

Queensland is home to more than 495,000 small businesses, which collectively employ more than 98% of the workforce. Given the importance of this sector to Queenslanders and the Queensland economy, the Commissioner will be required to demonstrate and fully utilise exemplary analytical skills to advance measures, policy and advocacy to support and enhance this dynamic and vital sector.

The Commissioner reports directly to the Minister and is supported by CDSB, which provides a small team and the requisite budget to deliver the QSBC functions.

These functions include:

Providing a central point of contact for matters affecting small businesses. In accordance with the Retail Shop Leases Act 1994, act on dispute notices.
Managing available resources to drive better outcomes for small businesses.
Facilitating government agencies and larger businesses to enter into productive working relationships with small businesses.

As an advocate for the interests of small businesses, the QSBC operates a subsidised mediation service to help businesses resolve disputes quickly and efficiently.

Collaborating with government, industry groups and other stakeholders to reduce red tape, the Commissioner is focussed on making the operating environment easier for small and family businesses to thrive.

Our vision

Creating a supportive environment where Queensland small businesses can thrive.

Our goals

We understand the unique needs of Queensland small and family businesses and know that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work. To support their success, we will:

Be dedicated to our vision

Empower self-reliance and deliver options promptly
Offer accurate insights and act fairly within our responsibilities
Work transparently and communicate in a straightforward, clear manner.

Deliver empathetic services

Deliver empathetic services and support for everyone.
Address individual needs, set clear timeframes, and meet deadlines
Keep everyone informed and follow through on our commitments.

Provide practical solutions

Create straightforward, integrated, and practical solutions
Adapt our work practices as technology advances
Listen actively to continually improve our services.

Queensland Small Business Commissioner

Your opportunity

Working in collaboration with CDSB, the Commissioner will:

Provide contemporary and professional leadership of the Office of the Small Business Commissioner, ensuring decisions and advocacy are informed by robust evidence, insights, and analytics.
Advocate for small and family businesses by identifying and addressing systemic issues, such as unnecessary regulatory burdens, by collaborating with policy areas to reduce red tape contributing to a more efficient operating environment.
Deliver evidence-based policy recommendations to the Minister, leveraging data insights to inform strategies that enhance small business resilience and growth.
Provide cost-effective, timely and professional dispute management services, ensuring small businesses have access to effective resolution processes.
Strengthen stakeholder confidence by demonstrating leadership that fosters ethical decision-making, transparency, and fairness, always acting in the public interest.

Key responsibilities

As Commissioner, your responsibilities include:

- Develop and maintain a comprehensive data framework to monitor trends, challenges, and opportunities for small businesses.
- Use data analytics to identify key barriers to small and family business success and advocate for targeted reforms, and/or targeted support to improve the financial resilience of small and family businesses.
- Publish regular reports and insights to inform stakeholders and the broader community about the state of small and family business in Queensland.
- Collaborate with government agencies to review and streamline regulatory processes, reducing administrative burdens on small and family businesses.
- Identify opportunities to simplify compliance requirements and improve the ease of doing business in Queensland.
- Engage with small and family business owners to gather feedback on regulatory challenges and use this input to drive meaningful change.
- Collaborate with government agencies to review and streamline regulatory processes, reducing administrative burdens on small and family businesses.
- Identify opportunities to simplify compliance requirements and improve the ease of doing business in Queensland.
- Engage with small and family business owners to gather feedback on regulatory challenges and use this input to drive meaningful change.
- Build enduring relationships with small and family business owners, industry groups, and government agencies to foster collaboration and deliver customer-focused outcomes.
- Work collaboratively with equivalent small business commissioners in other jurisdictions to share insights and best practices.
- Act as a single point of contact for small and family business retail leasing disputes, providing advisory services, pre-mediation support, and mediation services.
- Maintain high standards of governance and risk management, ensuring compliance with relevant legislation, including the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, Public Sector Act 2022, and Public Sector Ethics Act 1994.
- Provide regular updates to the Minister for Customer Services and Open Data and Minister for Small and Family Business, including evidence-based progress reports on key initiatives.

Qualification and Experience

As a proven and accomplished professional, you will demonstrate your suitability for this role through:

Experience in business – A demonstrated understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by small and family businesses, supported by practical experience in a business environment.
Relevant qualifications – A degree or equivalent qualification in one or more of the following fields: economics, business and/or law.
Leadership skills – Strong leadership capabilities with a proven track record of delivering results in complex and dynamic environments.
Data-driven decision-making and stakeholder engagement – Experience in leveraging data to inform decisions, advocating effectively, and engaging with stakeholders.

As a Commissioner in the Queensland Public Sector, the following key behaviours and values are essential for success in the role:

Lead Strategically – Think critically and act on the broader purpose of the system, leveraging data and evidence to inform decisions.
Stimulate Ideas and Innovation – Embrace new ideas and insights to drive innovation in small and family business advocacy and support.
Drive Accountability and Outcomes – Demonstrate professionalism, persistence, and transparency in achieving measurable results.
Make Insightful Decisions – Use data-driven insights to make ethical and courageous decisions that benefit the small and family business community.
Build Enduring Relationships – Foster collaboration and trust with stakeholders to deliver impactful outcomes.

Position Description

To learn of the requirements and attributes of our ideal candidate for this position, we invite you
to please download the position description below.

Download

How to Apply

Requirements

We are committed to inclusive and diverse practices, including recruitment and selection which ensures people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people with disability, women, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have equal opportunity to apply and participate.

Candidates who represent diverse backgrounds are encouraged to submit an application.

To be considered, please provide the following information in your online application, for the assessment of your suitability:

A short (no more than two pages) statement focusing on how you align with the core accountabilities outlined in the role statement below.
Your current CV highlighting your relevant experience, qualifications, and achievements.

If you need assistance with your application please reach out to us.

Download Candidate Pack