Australian High Commission
United Kingdom
High Commission address: Australia House, Strand, London WC2B 4LA

Information Officer

Europe Service Centre
Department of Immigration and Citizenship

 

Starting salary: £22,611 per annum (Broadband 1)

Full time: 36.75 hours per week

Candidates must have existing rights to live and work (full-time) in the UK.

To be eligible for this position, you must be professionally proficient (written, spoken and listening) in English and at least one or more of the following languages:

• Croatian
• French
• German
• Greek
• Hungarian
• Italian
• Polish
• Portuguese
• Russian
• Serbian
• Spanish

 Language skills will be tested by a third party.
 

Please note: we currently have an immediate need for some languages more so than others. However, we will be recruiting for various positions throughout the year. If choose to send in an application, we will respectfully keep your details on file for up to 6 months and refer to your application when positions arise.

ORGANISATION:

The Migration Branch of the Australian High Commission in London is an overseas office of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC).

The purpose of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) is to 'enrich Australia through the well managed entry and settlement of people'.

We do this by managing the lawful and orderly entry and stay of people in Australia and by promoting a society which values Australian citizenship, appreciates cultural diversity and enables migrants to participate equitably.
The London office’s main functions are:

The office prides itself in client service excellence and ensuring consistency in complex decision making.

 

NATURE OF THE POSITIONS:

The Europe Service Centre provides visa, migration and citizenship information services to clients across the Europe region primarily via telephone and also through email correspondence. The service is provided in a number of languages.

Information Offices (BB1) in the Europe Service Centre team specialise in assisting clients with a broad range of enquiries, providing a high level of client service by resolving client issues quickly and effectively.A typical day in the Service Centre (Information Officer role) position would involve, but not be limited to, the following tasks:• answering telephone enquiries from clients across the United Kingdom and Europe:

On average, Information Officers are expected to manage approximately 50 – 70 client transactions (calls/emails) each day, and may be required to work on a roster system to manage tasks.

Information Officers have an important representational role in that they are often the first point of contact for external clients with the department and must be able to respond well to and provide quality information, advice and service to clients over the telephone who are culturally and linguistically diverse.

It is expected that Information Officers will be flexible and enthusiastic to learn about the department and perform the full range of tasks, as required, in order to support the team in a fast paced and high-volume client service environment.

Office Services Team

Candidates are advised that they may be initially placed in an Administrative Support Officer position as part of the Office Services Team prior to rotation or placement in the Europe Service Centre. Duties as an Administrative Support Officer may include mail and receipting services, visa evidencing, file management and general office support.


PERSON SPECIFICATION:

BB1 level positions are considered entry-level roles to the department. Candidates will be required to develop a high level of immigration knowledge as well as an ability to interpret and explain legislation in order to deliver effective, accurate information to clients. The learning curve is steep and to be successful in the role, it is essential that candidates are committed to the position and interested in DIACs work.

Information Officers at the BB1 level require excellent oral communication skills and a talent for telephone client interaction as well as well developed written communication skills. Information Officers must demonstrate sound interpersonal skills to effectively manage client and stakeholder relationships in this environment.

There are no specific professional qualifications required for this position; however candidates with previous call/contact centre or client service experience or working in a strong client focused environment are strongly encouraged to apply.

It is essential that Information Officers are fluent to a professional level in English and one or more of the required languages. The required languages include Croatian, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Serbian, Russian and Spanish. It is also essential that candidates are computer literate with at least functional use of MS Word, MS Excel, email/ internet.

Candidates should be comfortable with change in a fast paced office and as such, a flexible approach to work and the ability to cope with pressure is essential. Candidates may be initially placed in an Administrative Support Officer position as part of the Office Services team, therefore flexibility and organisation skills are essential.


 
SELECTION CRITERIA


In the context of this position, please draft a statement addressing how you meet each of the below six Selection Criteria.

Applications that do not include a statement addressing the Selection Criteria will not be considered.

For further advice on how to respond to Selection Criteria, please click here.

RESPONSE IS STRICTLY 350 WORDS - TEXT THAT IS INCLUDED OVER THE 350 WORD LIMIT FOR EACH QUESTION WILL NOT BE ASSESSED.


  1. Give an example of a time when you have had to bring together information from various sources in order to increase your understanding of an issue and give accurate advice to a client or stakeholder.

  2. Describe a situation in which you were able to contribute some new knowledge or skills to help your work team perform more effectively.

  3. Give an example of a time when you have been unable to help a client and you have sought advice and/or guidance from a colleague or supervisor.

  4. Describe a situation in which you have learnt from making a mistake or error at work.

  5. Give an example of a time when you have had to calm another person down or relieve their anxiety before you were able to talk to them in a productive way.

  6. Describe a situation in which you have helped others to respond effectively to a change in work practices, work demands or the work environment.

    HOW TO APPLY

 

To apply, please email your complete application to recruitment.london.immigration@dfat.gov.au - including all of the following documents as attachments:

1. Application Form

2. CV/Resume

3. Statement of Claims addressing each of the selection criteria

please note that applications close on 16 February, no applications will be received after this date

 

Please note, Referee Reports are only requested for candidates who are shortlisted.

 

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