Specialisterne Australia offers an alternative pathway for people on the autism spectrum to connect with employers who recognise and value the contributions and talents that individuals on the spectrum can bring to their organisations. We are excited to partner with Services Australia in their Aurora Neurodiversity Program, servicesaustralia.gov.au/aurora, for Program - Project Officers from within our community of talented autistic candidates.
About Services Australia
We touch the lives of almost every Australian and we are here to help people meet life’s challenges. Services Australia is responsible for the delivery of advice and high quality, accessible social, health and child support services and payments. We continually build on our foundation of service excellence to shape how government services are delivered to the Australian community. Our task is to modernise the way we work to deliver simple, helpful, respectful and transparent services every time. We offer work that improves the lives of Australians, great working conditions, workplace diversity and inclusion that reflects the community we serve and flexible work practises for work and family life balance.
Aurora offers:
An inclusive recruitment process that allows candidates to demonstrate their skills and capacity in a format that removes barriers from traditional recruitment processes
18-month employment contract with a competitive salary
Learning and development – including on-the-job and formal training/qualification
Ongoing support and coaching throughout the program from an experienced neurodiversity specialist provider
A dedicated agency relationship manager.
About the role
APS 5/6 Program-Project Officer (1 Vacancy)
About the team
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) provides timely, reliable and affordable access to necessary medicines for Australians. Under the PBS, the government subsidises the cost of medicine for most medical conditions. The Operational Policy and Legacy Programs team, within the Pharmaceutical Benefits Branch, administers and operationalises a number of PBS programs and projects in accordance with government policy and legislation. We are looking for an engaged, innovative and enthusiastic team player, keen to work in a high-paced and dynamic environment, to help us build on designing and promoting a customer centric approach to service delivery.
Tenure
The roles are full-time, non-ongoing/ongoing, non-ongoing contracts for up to 18 months.
Location of role
These roles are located in Greenway, Canberra, ACT
Aurora Neurodiversity Program 2023
APS5 Program-Project Officer | Canberra, ACT
Please Note: All applications must go through Specialisterne Australia. Our partner employers do not handle applications directly for these opportunities.
What you will do
Working under the general direction of senior staff, you will play a role in providing administrative and operational support to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Branch to support delivery of the agency’s programs/projects.
assist in program/project management and coordination activities to implement programs/projects administered by the agency
liaise with internal and external stakeholders to obtain and share information
provide advice, procedural guidance and administrative support to staff
undertake research and analysis, and interpret complex data and information
analyse existing business processes and assist in identifying risks, issues and improvement opportunities
assist in the development and maintenance of process maps, models and presentations
draft a range of written materials, including plans, briefs, reports and other documentation for review by senior staff.
What you should have
These things are important to have:
research and make sound decisions using appropriate judgement
analyse and problem solve
apply attention to detail
communicate confidently and present messages in a clear and concise manner
support and maintain stakeholder relationships
demonstrate personal resilience
work independently and prioritise work in context of competing priorities
collaborate with other staff in immediate work area and in other areas of the agency
tailor services to meet business needs
build relationships and engage with diverse groups of people
work in and adapt to a changing environment
demonstrate relevant computer literacy skills.
What is nice to have: Knowledge and understanding of:
Microsoft products (e.g. Word, PowerPoint, Teams) to communicate and collaborate productively
Program and project management frameworks and policies (desirable but not necessary)
What you must have To apply for these roles, these things are essential:
Must be 18 years of age or over
Must have a diagnosis of autism (including Autism spectrum disorder, Asperger's disorder, Autistic disorder, or PDD-NOS). ‘Specialisterne may be required to provide evidence of your diagnosis to Services Australia to confirm your eligibility for the program.’
Must have proof of Australian Citizenship and agree to background checks
Must be able to obtain a Baseline security clearance
Must live (or be willing to relocate to) a daily commutable distance to Greenway, Canberra, ACT.
Application process:
Step 1
Before you can apply for jobs through Specialisterne Australia, you must first register with us as an eligible candidate using the form on this page. You only need to do this once, existing candidates already registered using this form can proceed to login at the candidate portal. To commence the registration process, please make sure you have the required documents stated below:
Evidence of an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis. Evidence could be a Diagnostic Assessment or a letter from a treating medical practitioner.
Proof of Australian Citizenship. Accepted documents are one of the following:
Australian Birth Certificate
Current Australian Passport
Certificate of Australian Citizenship
Step 2
NEW CANDIDATES
Upload your documents using the form provided on this page below. A member of our team will check your eligibility and you will then be sent a link to complete an online registration form with Specialisterne Australia. After you have completed your registration form, you will be sent a link to the candidate portal to upload supporting documents and apply for our jobs.
EXISTING CANDIDATES
If you have already registered as an eligible candidate with Specialisterne Australia using the form below and have an account, you can login to your account in the candidate portal to apply for the jobs or opportunities you are most interested in. A link to the candidate portal is contained in the form provided on this page below.
Step 3
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to participate in activities and assessments delivered by Specialisterne and Services Australia to determine their suitability for the various opportunities. Talk to us if you need some flexibility to participate in these, particularly if you cannot attend because of work or study commitments.
Step 4
At the conclusion of the activities, successful candidates will be offered employment. If you are unsuccessful, you may be considered for other Specialisterne opportunities.
Activities will be delivered in-person and online in a virtual assessment centre environment and therefore candidates are expected to have use of their own computer with a webcam and microphone and have access to the internet.
About Specialisterne Australia
Specialisterne Australia exists because autistic candidates are being overlooked for employment, largely due to the many barriers that autistic candidates come up against when competing for employment in typical recruitment practices.
Specialisterne has created an end-to-end recruitment and employee support framework that removes those typically found barriers, and replaces them with practical, demonstrative assessments and activities whereby candidates, over a patient process, have the opportunity to:
better understand the requirements of the roles they are competing for to assess if they are the right opportunities for them
meet team members and managers throughout the process
connect with others who have previously gained employment via this program
demonstrate through practical assessments and activities their motivation and suitability for the available roles over a patient process
‘show’ what they can do (not just tell someone what you can do)
At Specialisterne Australia our values are Respect, Clarity, Accommodation, and Accessibility. We keep these in mind in all that we do. We work with our partner employers to promote and sustain a diverse and inclusive workforce.
To support you further throughout your journey, we provide a mentor and buddy, and we work with you to tailor an individual plan to accommodate your needs in the workplace, also providing a period of support for both you and your future employer, ensuring a successful transition into your new role.
More information:
We look forward to receiving your applications.
Aurora Neurodiversity Program
A pathway for people with autism to start their career in the Australian Public Service (APS) with opportunities in Services Australia.
The Aurora Neurodiversity Program (the Program) recognises the unique skills and talents people who are neurodivergent can bring to work. The Program seeks to improve career outcomes and offers professional development and work experience by providing a gateway to the APS.