The Australian Human Rights Commission (the Commission) is Australia’s national human rights institution, dedicated to fostering a society where human rights are upheld, protected, and celebrated. We envision an Australia where every individual is valued equally in dignity and rights.

Our mission involves promoting and safeguarding the human rights of all Australians by:

• Advising all levels of government and various public and private organisations.
• Strengthening laws, policies, and practices while providing accessible investigation and conciliation services.
• Engaging inclusively with civil society, communities, and the private sector.
• Raising awareness about human rights and offering educational resources.
• Collaborating with partners to cultivate a culture of respect for human rights across the nation.

We are looking for an experienced Program Officer to join our International Engagement Team and support the delivery of human rights technical cooperation initiatives, generally funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

In this role, you will support the planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of human rights technical cooperation programs. They will work closely with internal and international stakeholders to ensure programs align with organisational objectives, meet grant requirements, and achieve sustainable outcomes.

This full-time / part time, ongoing position / non ongoing position offers a competitive salary range of $94,563 - $105,910 per annum plus 15.4% superannuation.

We offer flexible hybrid and remote work options to suit your lifestyle.

What You’ll Do:

• Support the design, planning, and delivery of human rights technical cooperation programs in alignment with the organisational and team strategy.
• Collaborate with overseas partners to develop work plans, budgets, and monitoring frameworks for program activities.
• Assist with program implementation, continuously improving initiatives to enhance program outcomes.
• Build and maintain relationships with partners, donors, other government agencies and development partners.
• Represent the organisation in external forums, meetings, and conferences.
• Monitor program activities to ensure adherence to timelines, quality and compliance standards, and budget constraints.
• Assist in identifying program risks and propose mitigation strategies to address challenges.
• Support the design and delivery of training and capacity-building initiatives for overseas partners.
• Supervise contractors, consultants, and junior staff with specific tasks, providing mentorship and guidance.
• Support a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning within the team.
• Contribute to the identification and development of proposals for new international projects, in consultation with senior staff.

What We’re Looking For:

• Experience in supporting international aid and development programs, including cross-cultural engagement.
• Experience in program design, implementation, and monitoring in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
• Understanding of human rights, Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI), and sustainable and locally-led development principles.
• Experience facilitating training sessions and delivering clear presentations.
• Qualification in International Development, Human Rights Law, or related field (desirable).
• Familiarity with Southeast Asia and DFAT-funded programs (desirable).
• Solid knowledge of program management, including planning, implementation, and monitoring.
• Experience in applying evaluation frameworks to assess program effectiveness.
• Ability to provide guidance to contractors, junior staff, and program participants.
• Ability to take a flexible and adaptable approach to responding to change, supporting team objectives and contributing to a collaborative and positive culture.
• Strong relationship management skills to support effective partnerships. 

Why Join Us?

By becoming a part of our team, you'll play a vital role in influencing public conversations about human rights and making a meaningful impact. If you’re ready to use your skills to support a cause that matters, we want to hear from you!

Apply Now! Help us shape the future of human rights communication in Australia. Join us in making a difference!

Notes

We strongly encourage First Nations people and individuals from other negatively racialised backgrounds to apply.

We value inclusivity and diversity and seek people who support and model the behaviours we promote in our workforce. We strongly encourage applications from First Nations Australians, mature workers, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, culturally and marginalised communities, carers, LGBTIQA+ and people with disability.

Under section 22(8) of the Public Service Act 1999, employees must be Australian citizens to be employed in the Australian Public Service (APS).

The Commission is committed to providing an accessible, inclusive work environment to enable people with a disability to participate fully in all aspects of employment. Applicants are encouraged to request reasonable adjustment as required to assist your participation in this recruitment process.

Please note that this position may be filled on either an ongoing or non-ongoing basis. If an offer of non-ongoing employment is made, the successful applicant would be employed for an initial period of up to eighteen months with the possibility of extension up to a maximum period of two years in total. The merit pool established through this selection process, which is valid for a period of eighteen months from the date the vacancy was advertised in the Public Service Gazette, may be used to fill future ongoing and non-ongoing vacancies in the Commission where the duties are of a similar nature.

RecruitAbility applies to this vacancy. Under the RecruitAbility scheme you will be invited to participate in further assessment activity for the vacancy if you choose to apply under the scheme; declare you have a disability; and meet the minimum requirements for the job. For more information visit: https://www.apsc.gov.au/recruitability.

How to Apply

Please provide a resume and a statement (maximum of 2 pages) outlining your interest in this position(s), your experience that would lead to impactful outcomes in the role, and the skills and capabilities you bring.

The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to fulfil the requirements of the role in an impartial and respectful manner as required by the APS Code of Conduct. The successful candidate will uphold the integrity and independence of the Australian Human Rights Commission.

As part of the recruitment and selection process, applicants will be required to consent to and undergo background checks which may include character and social media checks.

For more Information

Information about the role and Commission practices may be sought from Joanna Mansfield,

Team Leader, International Engagement via [email protected], using the subject line: Program Officer - International Engagement enquiry via EthicalJobs. 

A position description is attached.