Employment Opportunities

EXPECTED VACANCIES: Multiple

Locally Engaged Staff (LES) level 5

Applications are invited for two full-time LES level 5 positions within the Department of Home Affairs at the Australian High Commission, Nairobi.

The closing date for applications is Friday, 25 October 2024, 4.30pm.

About the Department of Home Affairs

The Department of Home Affairs is an Australian Government agency responsible for central coordination, and strategy and policy leadership in relation to:

• cyber and critical infrastructure resilience and security
• immigration
• border security and management
• counter-terrorism
• the protection of Australia’s sovereignty
• citizenship and social cohesion.

The LES level 5 roles report to an Australian diplomatic officer at the High Commission. The vacant roles sit within the Immigration Group. The Immigration Group is responsible for administering Australia’s Permanent and Temporary Migration Programs, people smuggling policy and implementation, and the Refugee and Humanitarian Program and Settlement Programs. The Group delivers status resolution in detention and the community and manages the Department’s client facing services and information services. It also provides policy advice on national impacts of migration, citizenship, people mobility, and delivers citizenship, social cohesion and multicultural programs. The Group also leads on implementing Government’s proposed policy shifts needed to reform the migration system.

Position Description

About the Office Manager LES level 5 role

Under direction of the Chief Migration Officer, the Office Manager performs a range of administrative, corporate and enabling duties to support the Home Affairs office.

The position is critical to the operations of the Department and works closely with other agencies at post and external stakeholders, to advance the interests of Home Affairs.

The key responsibilities of the role include, but are not limited to:

• Manage Home Affairs’ day-to-day operations at post including payment of accounts, finance management and general administrative duties in accordance with departmental guidelines.
• Lead and manage the Visa Support Unit (3-4 staff) including managing workflows and increasing capability of team members, while providing a provide a crucial link to the management team at post.
• Develop and maintain relationships with a range of stakeholders including service delivery partners, Home Affairs onshore and other posts.
• Co-ordinate quality assurance activities across the office. Determine the training needs across the office and co-ordinate delivery.
• Provide high-level administrative support and assistance to Chief Migration Officer.

About the Team Leader LES level 5 role

Under direction of the Senior Migration Officer, the Team Leader performs a range of managerial and leadership functions including managing a small team of staff responsible for assessing Australian visa applications.

The Team Leader ensures that decisions are made according to legislation, and that a high level of customer service to visa applicants and stakeholders is maintained.

The key responsibilities of the role include, but are not limited to:

• Lead and manage a team (3-8 staff) who assess and decide Australian Visa applications, including managing workflows and increasing capability of team members.
• Develop and maintain knowledge of Australia’s immigration system and deal with complex visa cases; provide advice to team members on visa processing.
• Work effectively as a member of the leadership team at post to contribute to a high quality, results focussed Home Affairs team.
• Develop and maintain relationships with a range of stakeholders including service delivery partners, Home Affairs onshore and other posts.
• Monitor and report on outcomes, review work practices and identify procedural issues in order to contribute to developing policies and improving efficiencies.
• Assess the training and development needs of your team to ensure efficient, effective, and capable staff.

Qualifications/experience for LES level 5 position

• Possess strong English language communication skills – written and verbal.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to develop and maintain productive working relationships with colleagues and stakeholders.
• Sound organisational skills and judgement, with demonstrated ability to work productively as part of a team.
• Willingness to engage with stakeholders to identify opportunities, achieve outcomes and facilitate co-operation.
• Proficiency in computer software applications including Microsoft Word and Excel, and the capacity to learn Departmental systems.

Contract conditions

Employment will be subject to satisfactory medical and police/security checks. The actual start date will be confirmed following the outcome of the police checks from Kenya, and any country where the successful candidate is a citizen or has resided for 6 or more months in the past 5 years.

For prospective expatriate employees, please note that all costs associated with the employee’s relocation to and stay in Kenya is the employee’s responsibility, including visa fees, travel, and residential accommodation during their period of stay.

It is the employees’ responsibility to obtain the relevant documents and ensure that they comply with immigration regulations that relate to their employment with the High Commission. Prospective applicants are advised to check their eligibility for a visa – and investigate living conditions and costs. In considering this position, Australian applicants should make themselves aware of the Australian taxation arrangements for Australian citizens working overseas.

How to Apply

For any application to be ELIGIBLE and therefore considered, it is important that you provide all the following information:

1. Coversheet completed, indicating role preference and experience managing a team (link to Coversheet);    
2. Resume (CV) (maximum of two A4 pages) outlining previous relevant work experience and achievements. Please include the names and contact details (phone number and email addresses) of two referees in the resume;
3. A short statement (no more than one page and minimum 11 font) focusing on your demonstrated knowledge, skills and attributes as outlined in the key responsibilities and qualifications/experience for the LE5 position.

Artificial Intelligence-generated responses will NOT be considered.

Submitting your application

Please save all the documents (cover sheet, resume and short statement) as a single PDF document.  Email the single PDF document to [email protected] 

Name the single PDF document in the format ‘Application for LE5 HA – [insert first name and last name]’.  For example, Application for LE5 HA – John Smith. The email subject line should be the same.

Links to/or files shared by OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox or any other external repository location will not be considered.

Apply

Please note that applications are unable to be acknowledged.  Only ELIGIBLE applications will be considered, and only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interview and provided with feedback on the selection process.  Feedback will only be provided once the selection process has been concluded, and on request.