Leading Border Force Officer | Department of Home Affairs |

The Australian Border Force (ABF) is an operationally independent body under the Home Affairs Portfolio. The ABF is responsible for operational border, investigations, compliance, detention (facilities and centres) and enforcement functions, and continues to be Australia’s customs service.

In a rapidly evolving global environment, we perform to the highest standards while remaining agile and to anticipate and respond to emerging threats, and capitalise on opportunities to partner with domestic and international border, customs, immigration, intelligence and law enforcement agencies.

Operations SA is responsible for delivering on the ABF’s operational effect in South Australia by prioritising resources and coordinating the deployment of Border Force Officers in specific geographical areas to achieve the portfolio’s strategic outcomes. Operations SA consists of:

• Aviation Operations: includes Aviation Travellers and Aviation Goods. This section is responsible for monitoring the movement of people and goods across Australia’s air border, and managing border threats at Adelaide International Airport.
• Enforcement Operations: consists of Field Operations, Regional Investigations, Character and Removal Operations and Sponsor Monitoring Unit. This section harnesses the ABF’s investigative and enforcement capabilities to target serious and organised crime, serious and deliberate non-compliance and systemic vulnerabilities that threaten the security of Australia’s trade and migration systems through criminal investigations, the prevention of foreign worker exploitation, the location, detainment and removal of unlawful non-citizens.
• Maritime Operations: consists of Commercial Shipping, Sea Cargo Examination, and District Offices in Port Lincoln and Port Pirie. This section is responsible for monitoring the movement of people and goods across Australia’s sea border at all South Australian regulated ports and wharves.
• Supply Chain Operations: consists of Supply Chain Integrity, Cargo Response, Detained Goods and Firearms teams. This section is responsible for monitoring the lawful movement of goods across the border and into home consumption and identifying and treating any identified vulnerabilities.
• Operations and Planning: includes Mobile Deployment Teams, the Operational Readiness cell and Operational Planning team. This section plans and tests critical operational response capability provides surge support to other sections and undertakes regular regional patrol activity.

This process will be used to fill current ABF vacancies and establish a merit pool to fill any future vacancies over the coming 12 months.

About the role

Leading Border Force Officers work under limited direction to investigate contraventions of migration, customs and other border legislation administered by the Department in accordance with policies and procedures. They use a range of internal and external resources and investigative techniques to gather information and evidence to enforce legislation in a law enforcement environment. They require a thorough knowledge of the relevant legislation and policy frameworks to ensure that they exercise legislated powers appropriately and with due diligence.

The roles provide a unique and challenging opportunity for officers to develop and enhance their operational skills whilst working on complex cases within a high profile and politically sensitive environment. The successful candidates will proactively deliver high-quality outcomes in a complex and dynamic operational environment.

Some positions involve overtime, shift work and/or work outside of the standard/core business hours across a 7-day roster. Interstate, intrastate, overnight travel and deployments may also be required. On-call rosters may apply in some sections.

Our ideal candidate

The successful candidates will have an analytical and inquisitive mindset with strong attention to detail and accuracy with a retentive memory. They will be enthusiastic, proactive and forward-thinking in their approach to work and show resilience in responding to changing and competing priorities, including stress tolerance. They will have the ability to work under limited supervision, display integrity and high ethical standards and maintain confidentiality and discretion within heightened risk operational environments and in situations of potential conflict.

The successful candidates will be highly effective communicators and possess a demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgement, make timely decisions and possess strong interpersonal skills in working within teams and dealing with a wide range of stakeholders.

The key duties of the position include:

Specific duties/responsibilities:

Leading Border Force Officers are multi-skilled, mobile, agile and responsive. Candidates should consider their personal capabilities against the following when preparing their applications.

Leading Border Force Officers within Operations SA are required to:

• Enforce legislation and lawfully exercise powers
• Undertake research, analysis and interrogate a range of departmental IT systems for information and evidence collection
• Interpret and apply legislation, guidelines and instructions, policy and procedures
• Prepare routine documentation including operational plans and reports
• Support the planning and implementation and/or coordination of operational responses
• Apply innovative initiatives and contribute to change and to the improvement in quality and efficiency of services
• Build and maintain effective internal and external relationships
• Demonstrate a law enforcement mindset
• Communicate effectively in an operational environment.

Role requirements/qualifications:

Some positions within the Australian Border Force require the occupant to meet Border Force Officer essential qualifications. If successful, candidates are required to:

• Attain and maintain relevant medical, fitness and psychometric standards
• Swear an oath or make an affirmation
• Actively participate in career management (postings and deployments)
• Be uniformed
• Ability to acquire and maintain a valid Australian drivers licence
• Be able to deploy at short notice across a range of operational domains
• Obtain and maintain essential and role-specific qualifications.

Specific positions may also require candidates to:

• Undergo specialised training, including but not limited to Basic Operational Safety Training (Use of Force) – the use of personal defensive weapons and firearms
• View Objectionable Material.

Eligibility

To be eligible to work with the Department of Home Affairs you must:

• Be an Australian Citizen
• Fulfil the Department’s minimum requirements by satisfactorily answering all screening questions during the application process
• Obtain and maintain the required AGSVA clearance
• Obtain and maintain a current Employment Suitability Clearance
• Undergo a health assessment (where applicable).

Mandatory (and where applicable, role-specific) screening questions are used within the application to ensure all successful applicants meet these minimum requirements of the Department.

Notes

The Department is committed to workforce diversity and applicants who are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, come from a diverse cultural or linguistic background or have a disability are encouraged to apply.

Pool of Merit: Applicants rated as suitable will be placed in a pool of merit that may be used to fill similar positions throughout the Department for up to 12 months.

Remuneration: The Department offers an attractive remuneration package, including salary, superannuation benefits and flexible working conditions appropriate to the level of the position.

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.

Contact

Julie Fernandes | (08) 7421 7343