Position overview

The role of Judicial Registrar/Director - Cultural Liaison Officers and Director – Cultural and Language Diversity and Inclusion (Judicial Registrar/Director – CLO and CLDI) is multi-faceted requiring the occupier of the role to be agile, enthusiastic, driven and motivated to assist in achieving the Court’s objectives and perform the key functions of this role. It provides an exciting opportunity to be involved in, and influence, important migration-related case management reforms that will improve access to

justice and reduce delays.

The Director – CLO and CLDI will oversee a team of Cultural Liaison Officers (CLOs) to support CALD court users to effectively engage with the court process, understand the role of the Court in migration matters, and obtain appropriate legal and social support throughout their court journey.

The Director – CLO and CLDI will mentor and support the CLO team, fostering strong internal relationships with Judicial Registrars and registry staff, as well as external partnerships with legal and social service providers and community organisations. The Director – CLO and CLDI will also collaborate with the Director – Migration Registrars and Legal Operations and Director – Access, Equity, and Inclusion to enhance stakeholder relations at the national level, contribute to the development of policies and procedures, and lead and support education and training initiatives and special projects aimed at improving access to justice.

The role of a Judicial Registrar (to be exercised approximately 20% of the time allocated to this full time role – that is; 1 day per 5 day week) is to give the successful applicant the opportunity to obtain hands-on experience in the work they are supporting as Director CLO and CLDI while, as for any Judicial Registrar working in the Migration Division, assisting the Court to address the issues listed below to:

- enhance the ability of the Court to respond to emerging trends in the migration caseload,
- alleviate workload pressures on Judges and make the Court process as efficient as possible,
- improve culturally responsive support to culturally and linguistically diverse court users, and
- implement improved policies, practices and procedures to drive efficiencies in the Court’s migration jurisdiction.

The key duties of the position include:

Note: The responsibilities and duties of the Director and Judicial Registrar are separately listed below, however they are linked duties. The purpose of performing the Judicial Registrar work is to support and inform the duties as Director CLO and CLDI.

Director - CLO and CLDI role

There are several elements to the Director – CLO and CLDI role:

Leadership and Team Management:

- Lead and mentor a team of CLOs ensuring the delivery of high-quality support to culturally and linguistically diverse litigants.
- Provide guidance and supervision to CLOs in their day-to-day responsibilities, including supporting litigants, coordinating with interpreters in collaboration with registry and chambers staff, and engaging with community organisations.
- Develop and implement a comprehensive diversity and inclusion strategy focused on cultural and linguistic equity.
- Be engaged in the National Operations leadership team for inclusive practices, policy development, and community engagement for CALD litigants and staff.

Support for CALD Litigants:

- Oversee the team's efforts to assist litigants by explaining the importance of attending court hearings and providing guidance during court processes.
- Ensure that CLOs are effectively connecting litigants with necessary legal and social support services, facilitating warm referrals, and coordinating with service providers to meet the diverse needs of court users.

Interpreter Coordination and Support:

- Supervise the CLOs’ liaison with registry staff to ensure that appropriate interpreters are engaged for court events, addressing the communication needs of litigants.
- Ensure CLOs familiarise interpreters with their role within the court setting and provide logistical support.
- Collect and analyse feedback from judicial officers, court staff, and litigants regarding interpreter services, and collaborate with the Judicial Registrar and Director - Migration and Legal Operations and Director – Access, Equity and Inclusion on continuous improvement initiatives.

Litigants in Detention:

- Oversee the logistical arrangements for litigants in detention, ensuring CLOs provide clear explanations of the processes and offer necessary support to both litigants and registry staff.

Community and Stakeholder Engagement:

- Lead the development and maintenance of relationships with CALD legal and social support organisations, as well as mainstream service providers.
- Represent the Court at community events and meetings and facilitate CLO participation in networks and forums aimed at improving services for CALD litigants and gather feedback to inform continuous improvement.
- Working closely with the Director – Access, Equity and Inclusion, developing training and professional development for staff on cultural competence, unconscious bias, working effectively with Interpreters and inclusive service delivery.
- Create a CALD reference group to support the initiatives of the Court for feedback and development of key policies to be introduced.

Internal Education and Training Development:

- Collaborate with the Judicial Registrar and Director - Migration and Legal Operations and the Director – Access, Equity and Inclusion to develop and implement internal education and training programs focused on understanding and addressing the needs and circumstances of CALD litigants and staff.

Policy and Procedure Development:

- Assist the Director – Access, Equity and Inclusion in refining policies and procedures related to the support of CALD litigants, ensuring they are aligned with the Court's strategic goals.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with CALD communities, advocacy groups, and government agencies.
- Represent the Court at public forums, advisory panels, and interagency collaborations.

Continuous Improvement and Reporting:

- Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of CLO initiatives, collecting data and feedback to identify areas for improvement.
- Prepare regular reports on team performance, community engagement, and stakeholder relations,



and provide strategic recommendations to senior leadership.
- Provision of information for compliance with relevant legislation, including anti-discrimination and multicultural policies.

A candidate with particularly high-level skills and experience may be called upon to assist with other culturally specific projects or advice work, subject to the operational needs of the Court.

Judicial Registrar role

Judicial Registrars – Migration (JRs-Migration) support Judges in facilitating the just resolution of migration proceedings as quickly, inexpensively and efficiently as possible. JRs-Migration play a key role in achieving the Court’s reform objectives by:

- performing delegated judicial functions at a high level, including presiding in Court, conducting directions hearings and callovers, hearing and determining interlocutory applications and efficiently case-managing proceedings to hearing
- performing critical work in supporting Judges’ migration workload, such as by analysing migration filings, understanding emerging trends, and identifying matters that raise similar legal and/or factual issues
- supporting the development and implementation of migration resources, policies and practices, for example by monitoring developments in migration law and contributing to preparing and updating migration practice area resources
- liaising with Judges, court staff, court users and other internal and external stakeholders in relation to the Court’s migration workload, and
- working closely with other staff who undertake work in the area of migration and general federal law including mediation skills where necessary.

Key responsibilities and duties (Judicial Registrar role)

Delegated judicial functions

- Exercising delegated judicial powers in migration proceedings pursuant to section 254 of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Act 2021 (Cth) (FCFCOA Act) and other legislative instruments.
- Conducting procedural hearings, such as directions hearings and callovers, and preparing migration proceedings for substantive hearing and determination.
- Hearing and determining interlocutory applications, including applications for summary dismissal.
- Considering requests for consent orders for proceedings in the Central Migration Docket.
- Considering requests for costs orders in migration proceedings which have been discontinued.

Case management

- Performing urgent and duty registrar work in relation to migration matters, as required.
- Ensuring a nationally consistent approach to the case management and coordination of migration matters.
- Conducting high-level strategic analysis of the migration caseload with a view to understanding emerging trends, identifying matters that raise similar legal and/or factual issues, and making recommendations in relation to case management.
- Consulting and meeting with judges regularly to gain an understanding of their support needs in relation to their migration workload.

Jurisprudential support

- Overseeing the development and improvement of internal migration law jurisprudence resources;
- Ensuring compliance with Court Rules, policies and procedures in specific matters and at a whole of registry level; and
- Collaborating in the development, review and implementation of policies and procedures in the migration practice area.

Professional qualifications, competencies and attributes

The successful applicant must have legal qualifications and admission as a practitioner of the High Court and/or the Supreme Court of a State or Territory of Australia.

Additional qualifications in migration law, for example as an Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law, will be considered favourably, but are not essential.

The successful applicant for a Judicial Registrar role must also have:

- a minimum of 5 years’ post admission experience
- the ability to exercise delegated judicial powers and functions at a high level in migration proceedings in the Court pursuant to section 254 of the FCFCOA Act, including the ability to preside over Court hearings and exercise judicial discretion;
- considerable experience in general federal law or civil law, with a particular focus on migration litigation;
- a thorough understanding of case management principles;
- a comprehensive understanding of the migration jurisdiction and the Court’s practices and procedures;
- a proven ability to:
- work autonomously and with the necessary authority and accountability;
- manage multiple responsibilities effectively and prioritise matters appropriately; and
- build and sustain positive relationships with a network of key stakeholders internally and externally.

To be successful in the role of Director – CLO and CLDI, the ideal candidate should possess:

- Strong leadership experience or demonstrated capability in mentoring, guiding, and leading a geographically dispersed team.
- Demonstrated experience and training in cultural competency.
- Robust strategic thinking skills with the ability to identify areas for improvement within existing processes and develop innovative solutions.
- Proven ability to build and maintain strong relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, including community organisations, legal aid providers, and court staff.
- Good understanding of court processes and the migration law system, with the ability to effectively communicate this knowledge to both team members and court users.
- Ability to work independently while maintaining close collaboration with senior leadership, ensuring alignment with the Court’s strategic goals and operational needs.
- Exceptional oral and written communication skills, with the ability to clearly convey complex information to diverse audiences.
- Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to handle sensitive situations with discretion and empathy.

Eligibility

Special requirements

Depending on operational needs, this role may require working remotely. Candidates must have an appropriate home workspace and the ability to manage a remote team effectively.





Travel to other court locations may be required. A candidate’s willingness and flexibility to travel will be highly regarded.

While experience within a court setting is desirable, it is not essential. Proficiency in a language other than English for the purposes of communicating with litigants is also desirable, but not essential. A community language allowance may be available to the successful candidate who is able and required to communicate in a language other than English in the course of their work.

Selection criteria

1. Leadership and Team Management: Demonstrated experience in leading, mentoring, and managing a team, with a focus on achieving high performance and professional growth and ability to oversee the effective delivery of services across a geographically dispersed team.
2. Cultural and Linguistic Awareness: Strong knowledge of the cultural and linguistic needs of court users from diverse backgrounds, particularly in the context of migration law, and the ability to guide others in meeting these needs.
3. Stakeholder Engagement and Relationship Building: Proven ability to engage with a wide range of stakeholders, both internally and externally, and to build and maintain productive partnerships that enhance service delivery.
4. Operational and Strategic Planning: Demonstrated experience in strategic thinking, planning, and problem-solving, with the ability to develop and implement effective solutions that improve service delivery and operational efficiency.
5. Considerable experience in general federal law or civil law, including migration litigation, and a sound knowledge of the available avenues of review in relation to migration decisions.
6. Demonstrated experience in case management and a thorough understanding of case management principles.
7. Demonstrated experience and understanding, or the ability to acquire such knowledge quickly, of the jurisdiction and practices and procedures of the Court in general federal law proceedings.
8. Demonstrated ability to critically evaluate large volumes of information and demonstrate sound judgment in decision making.
9. Excellent analytical and conceptual skills and demonstrated achievements in developing and implementing improved and innovative services and processes.
10. Court and Legal System Knowledge: Strong knowledge of court processes, particularly in migration matters, with the ability to provide expert guidance to team members and court users.
11. Communication and Interpersonal Skills: Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to convey complex information in an accessible manner, and strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to handle sensitive and challenging situations with professionalism.
12. Commitment to APS Values and Continuous Improvement: A demonstrated commitment to the Australian Public Service (APS) Values, including integrity, respect, and accountability.
13. Development of Policies and Procedures: Experience in contributing to policy and procedural development, and a proactive approach to continuous improvement.

How to Apply

To apply, please complete the application form on the Court’s careers portal.

As part of your application, you will be required to submit a two-page response outlining your suitability for this position having regards to the selection criteria and duties of the position which are described in the position description (maximum word limit 1000). Please ensure this document is attached before submitting your application.

If you have any issues with applying, please email ***********@fedcourt.gov.au.

Notes

Eligibility

Employment with the Court is subject to the conditions prescribed in the Public Service Act 1999, and the following:

1. Australian citizenship – the successful applicant must hold Australian citizenship.
2. Security and character clearance – the successful applicant must satisfy a Police Records Check and may also be required to complete security clearances during the course of their employment.
3. Successful applicants will be subject to a probation period.

Interested applicants who have received a redundancy benefit from an APS agency are welcome to apply but cannot be engaged until their redundancy benefit period has expired.

Diversity and inclusion

Federal Court Australia is committed to supporting an inclusive and diverse workforce and welcomes and encourages applications from People with Disability.

First Nations peoples, LGBTIQA+ people, people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds, mature age workers, as well as young workers and supporting an inter-generational workforce and supporting gender equity and families.

Federal Court Australia will provide reasonable adjustments for candidates to participate equitably in the recruitment process and discuss workplace adjustments to fulfil the inherent requirements of the role.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in recruitment

Candidates may use AI tools to assist with their participation in this recruitment process unless otherwise advised. Where AI tools are used, candidates are responsible for ensuring that all information submitted is transparent, accurate, and genuinely reflects their own skills, capabilities, and experience.

For more information, see: Principles for candidate use of AI in Recruitment

Getting to know the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia

The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Act 2021 (FCFCOA Act), which came into effect on 1 September 2021, merged the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court of Australia into a unified court system known as the FCFCOA. The FCFCOA (Division 1) is a superior court that handles the most complex family law cases and serves as the appellate court for family law matters. It operates nationwide, except in Western Australia. The FCFCOA (Division 2), a federal court, shares jurisdiction over family law and child support with Division 1, but also handles general federal law matters, such as administrative law, bankruptcy, intellectual property, and migration law. The Federal Court of Australia entity engages employees under the Public Service Act 1999 to support the Federal Court, the FCFCOA (Divisions 1 and 2), and the National Native Title Tribunal. Established by the 2016 Courts Administration Legislation Amendment Act, each court retains its own identity and judicial independence. FCFCOA employees are covered by the Federal Court Enterprise Agreement 2024–2027.

📌 Judicial Registrar/Director– Cultural Liaison Officers and Director – Cultural and Language Diversity and Inclusion (Sydney)
🏢 Federal Circuit And Family Court Of Australia
📍 Sydney