Careers with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

General Recruitment - Career information

Overview

The Department has an established career structure and offers comprehensive training and career development programs for its staff. It offers its employees interesting, diverse and challenging work with a range of opportunities to:

live and work overseas as a representative of Australia

promote Australia's international interests

develop and use language skills

experience new cultures

use the skills and knowledge acquired through formal education.

The range of work carried out by staff at the Department's headquarters in Canberra, interstate and overseas varies enormously and includes:

the development of policy advice and the preparation of briefings for relevant Ministers on issues which impinge on Australia's national interests eg. trade, environmental and human rights issues

management and administrative responsibilities including the management of the Department's financial, property and human resources

assisting consular clients

arranging visits by foreign government officials and business people.

While working for the Department presents its own unique challenges and opportunities, it is important to remember that it is an integral part of the Australian Public Service and is therefore subject to the changes and reforms taking place within the broader public service framework, particularly in the areas of resource management and public accountability.

Generalists

Generalist positions with the Department are filled through our bulk recruitment rounds. These are usually held annually at each broadband level. Bulk rounds recruit to level rather than to specific vacancies and can fill up to 20 or 30 positions at a time. Generalist staff can, during their career with the Department, perform a number if not all of the following types of duties:

provision of corporate enabling services such as financial management, human resource management and property management

administrative support to Divisions and/or the Senior Executive

passports and consular services

provision of security for the Department's information, staff and property

researching and writing public affairs items and articles and liaising with Australian and foreign correspondents and media agencies

provision of media liaison and public affairs support for international conferences, official visits and events of international significance

contribution to the enhancement of Australia's image overseas

development or implementation of policy

liaising and negotiating on behalf of the department and representing the department or the Government at meetings, conferences or seminars

provision of advice or services to the Department's clients, such as other foreign governments, other areas of the Australian Public Service and the Australian public

provision of advice to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Trade

provision of advice to the Government about international strategic, political, economic and trade issues

provision of advice on treaties and other international legal matters.

Overseas duties may also include:

consular services such as the protection of the interests of Australians overseas and assistance to Australians involved in accidents, arrest/imprisonment and loss of travel documents

provision of statutory legal services such as issuing passports and authenticating and notarising documents

administration and management of posts, including finances, personnel and property

preparing political and economic analyses

conducting or assisting in negotiations relating to Australia's trade interests

management of cultural and information activities

liaison and representation on behalf of Australian authorities, including negotiations with local authorities

representation of the Australian Government at bilateral and multilateral conferences

provision of immigration and visa services where DIAC is not represented.

Specialists

DFAT also employs a number of staff with particular expertise, professional knowledge, skills or experience as the need arises. Examples include:

accountants

economic/trade specialists

information technology staff

lawyers

Specialist vacancies are advertised throughout the year as vacancies become available. We may only fill one or two vacancies from each specialist recruitment process.