Agency	Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade	
Location	Australian Embassy, Berlin	
Position number	5310	
Title	Receptionist and Administration Support Officer	
Classification	LE2	
Section	Administration Section	
Reports to (title)	Counsellor and Consul-General	
Contract	Employment will be offered on a part-time contract basis for an initial period of 1 year.  Continued employment is subject to successful completion of a 6 month probation period.

The hours of work are 8.15am to 13.00pm, Monday to Friday.	
Gross Monthly Salary	€1,990	
Commencement date	As soon as possible (employment and timing will be dependent on successful completion of a security clearance process).	

About the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)
The role of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is to advance the interests of Australia and Australians internationally.  This involves strengthening Australia’s security, enhancing Australia’s prosperity, delivering an effective and high quality overseas aid program and helping Australian travellers and Australians overseas. 

The department provides foreign, trade and development policy advice to the Australian Government.  DFAT also works with other Australian government agencies to drive coordination of Australia’s pursuit of global, regional and bilateral interests.

About the position
This position provides reception services for the Embassy including greeting visitors and providing advice on various topics to clients over the telephone, administering the Embassy’s telephone system and directories and ensuring that the Embassy public area is well maintained.  In addition, the position assists the Counsellor and Consul-General with administrative tasks.

Roles and responsibilities
-	Registering clients and visitor management;
-	Answering and transferring incoming phone calls;
-	Assisting with incoming and outgoing mail for consular/passport office;
-	Documenting processes relating to the consular/passport office; 
-	Administer the telephone message system, ensuring the correct messages are in place and that systems designed to facilitate callers' requirements are operating effectively;
-	Maintain up-to-date Embassy and staff contact details in the department’s electronic directories and contact lists;
-	Maintain current information materials for clients in the Embassy public area;
-	Ensure that the Embassy public area remains tidy;
-	Undertaking regular audits of administrative functions;
-	Updating contact details in the Crisis Action Plan;
-	Assisting with contract market testing; and
-	Other administrative duties as directed.

Selection criteria
1)	Experience in a similar client service role, including demonstrated client service skills and the ability to deal with a wide range of clients. 

2)	Highly developed communication skills, including fluency in both oral and written English and German. 

3)	Proficiency with IT and communication systems and strong ability to use Microsoft Office Suite.

4)	Demonstrated capacity to work effectively and cooperatively in a small team environment, including ability to demonstrate flexibility and to prioritise and manage multiple tasks and deadlines.

5)	Applicants should confirm they have a valid EU work permit and if applicable, the date of expiry.

PREPARING YOUR APPLICATION

Your application should include:
1.	Employment & Qualification Background  - Complete Attachment A
The form is attached for completion.

2.	Contacts for two referees  - Complete Attachment B
You need to provide contacts for two referees who are familiar with your professional as well as personal skills and competence.  In most cases referees are not contacted unless you are shortlisted for the position, however if we have a tight timeframe we may contact referees, with your consent, before interviews.

3.	Curriculum Vitae
Please attach a current curriculum vitae.

4.	Selection criteria – Complete Attachment C
Applicants are required to address the selection criteria by completing Attachment C.  For each criteria, applicants should limit their response to 350 words.  Appendix 1 provides useful information on how to address the selection criteria.

Your completed application package must be emailed by 0900 on 4 October 2016 to anja.gillespie@dfat.gov.au and Katrin.giwan-liebe@dfat.gov.au

LATE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.  Feedback is not provided to applicants who are not shortlisted for an interview.

A valid EU work permit is essential.

ATTACHMENT A		Employment & Qualification Background

1. Personal Particulars
Title	Surname	Given Name(s)	
     	      	     	

Contact Details – address, telephone contact details, email address

	

2. Current Employment
Month/Year
Commenced	Employer	Position	
     	     	     
	
Brief Description of your duties	
     	

3. Qualifications
Year Received	Qualification	Institution	
     	     	     	
     	     	     	
     	     	     	

4. Languages
Language	Proficiency Level	
     	     	
     	     	
     	     	

5. Other e.g. Awards, Academic Appointments, Publications, Professional Associations, etc
     	

ATTACHMENT B		Referee contacts

Please provide the names and details of two referees whom the Counsellor (Liaison) can contact if you are short listed for the interview.

Referee 1

Full name of Referee:

	Relation to Applicant (employer/supervisor):	
Occupation (Position and company):

	Phone:	
Email: 			

Referee 2
Full name of Referee:

	Relation to Applicant (employer/supervisor):	
Occupation (Position and company):

	Phone:	
Email: 		

ATTACHMENT C		Selection criteria

1)	Experience in a similar client service role, including demonstrated client service skills and the ability to deal with a wide range of clients. 

Enter response here (maximum 350 words)

2)	Highly developed communication skills, including fluency in both oral and written English and German. 

Enter response here (maximum 350 words)

 
3)	Proficiency with IT and communication systems and strong ability to use Microsoft Office Suite.

Enter response here (maximum 350 words)

4)	Demonstrated capacity to work effectively and cooperatively in a small team environment, including ability to demonstrate flexibility and to prioritise and manage multiple tasks and deadlines.

Enter response here (maximum 350 words)

5)	Applicants should confirm they have a valid EU work permit and if applicable, the date of expiry.

APPENDIX 1		Addressing the Selection Criteria
The duty statement or role description will help you understand the responsibilities and tasks required in the job. The selection criteria describes the personal qualities, skills, abilities, knowledge and qualifications (if any) a person needs to perform the role effectively.
The Embassy’s selection team will assess the responses of all applicants to each criterion. From time-to-time this will be enough to identify the right person for the role. More commonly though, this process creates a shortlist of applicants suitable to move to the next stage—usually an interview.
It is essential to respond to each criterion, writing at least one to two paragraphs explaining how you have demonstrated the particular skill or quality. Provide relevant examples from your work, study or community roles. Be clear and to the point. If a word or page limit is set, make sure you stick to it, and edit your responses for grammar, spelling and punctuation.
It is important to provide evidence to back up your claims. Where possible use actual examples of what you have done, how well you did it, what you achieved, and how it relates to the requirements of the job. The STAR model can help you form your answer.
What is the STAR model?
The STAR model is one way of presenting information against selection criteria. For each criterion think about the following and use these points to form sentences:
Situation - Set the context by describing the circumstance where you used the skills or qualities and gained the experience.
Task - What was your role?
Actions - What did you do and how did you do it?
Results - What did you achieve? What was the end result and how does it relate to the job you are applying for?
How do I address the selection criteria?
The most important aspect of addressing selection criteria is to provide evidence through relevant examples. Support your claims with actual, specific examples of what you have done and how well you did it. The following steps provide guidance on how to address selection criteria.
Step one –Understand the selection criteria
As an example, take written communication skills. The associated selection criterion could be:
‘Well developed written communication skills. This includes the ability to:
•	structure written communications such as reports to meet the needs and understanding of the intended audience;
•	express opinions, information and key points of an argument clearly and concisely; and
•	write convincingly in an engaging and expressive manner’.
It is important that you clearly understand what is meant by each selection criterion before drafting a response. Your application itself may also be used to assess this criterion.
Step two – Opening sentence
Begin each selection criteria with an opening sentence that clearly states your claim to this criterion. For example:
‘I possess strong written communication skills, which I have developed over the course of my career.’
Support the statement with detailed examples of where you demonstrated these skills. The following steps will help you to provide a structured, easy-to-understand response.
Step three – Brainstorm ideas for each criterion
For each selection criterion, brainstorm ideas from your recent work life. Ideally, confine your examples to the last two or three years of employment, or other relevant examples (e.g. study, community participation). At this stage, it is useful to generate as many examples as possible.
Step four – Expand on your brainstorming ideas and provide the evidence
Expand on these points from step three. Go back to each criterion and choose which examples to use, by matching them against the wording of the criterion. Once you have finalised your examples, you need to demonstrate how they meet the different aspects of the criterion. Be specific and describe exactly what you did, including the outcome, to demonstrate convincingly that you have met the requirements of each criterion. Here, the STAR method described earlier can be used. For example:
Situation – role as Research Support Officer
Task – needed to ensure that managers were kept informed of policies and procedures
Action or approach – initiated monthly newsletter, which was emailed to each manager. Took responsibility for writing the main articles. This involved obtaining ideas and input from other stakeholders to ensure that the articles reflected managers’ needs (in terms of content and language)
Result – led to improved lines of communication between managers and the Research Support Unit. Feedback was consistently excellent. Received divisional achievement award for newsletter quality.
Once this has been achieved, you can then write the draft paragraph in full. For example:
As Research Support Officer, I needed to ensure that managers were kept informed of policies and procedures. To do this, I initiated a monthly newsletter, which was emailed to each manager. I took responsibility for writing the main articles in each publication. This involved obtaining ideas and input from other stakeholders to ensure that the articles reflected the needs of managers, both in terms of content and language. I received consistently excellent feedback in relation to this newsletter from these internal clients and my own manager. I received a divisional achievement award for the quality of this newsletter from management. Importantly, this initiative resulted in improved lines of communication between managers and the Research Support Unit.
Remember to use only one or two of your strongest examples to respond to the selection criteria.
Step five – checking work
At this stage, you should read through your application, and check the following points:
a)	Have I been honest? Your responses should reflect an accurate picture of your role and achievements.
b)	Have I used positive and specific language? Avoid ambiguous or unclear expressions such as ‘involved in’ or ‘assisted’ as it makes it difficult to understand exactly what you did. Words and phrases which could reduce credibility should also be avoided (e.g. some, a little, limited, somewhat).
c)	Have I used strong action (doing) words? Avoid using passive language. For example, ‘I received consistently excellent feedback in relation to this newsletter from these internal clients and my own manager’, is better than simply stating, ‘Feedback in relation to this newsletter was consistently excellent’.
d)	Have I avoided unsupported claims about my capabilities? For example, rather than simply saying, ‘The newsletter was received well by others’, this assertion is substantiated in the following way: ‘I received a divisional achievement award from management for the quality of this newsletter’.
e)	Have I addressed all aspects of the criterion? It is important that you go back to the wording of the particular selection criterion. In the example provided, it is clear that the content refers mainly to the first descriptor, ‘structure written communications to meet the needs and understanding of the intended audience’. To make a full statement against the criterion, ‘well developed written communication skills’, it would be necessary to address the remaining two descriptors in additional paragraphs.
f)	Have I paid attention to the language of the criterion? For example, writing a response to the criterion ‘well developed written communication skills’ requires a focus on actual experiences and the degree of skill in this area. However, if the criterion was phrased ‘knowledge of effective written communication skills and techniques’, this would require different examples which do not necessarily rely on describing actual performance in the workplace.