Positions are available in Sydney, Parramatta, Melbourne, Dandenong, Adelaide and Perth.

Position overview

Cultural and Liaison Officers (CLOs) play a vital role in supporting culturally and linguistically diverse court users, primarily within the migration jurisdiction. CLOs are tasked with guiding and assisting court users from vulnerable backgrounds, such as migrant and asylum seekers, ensuring they can navigate the court process with confidence and understanding.

A key aspect of this role is identifying and connecting court users with essential legal and social support services within the community. CLOs actively facilitate connections to services tailored to the diverse needs of court users, including pro bono services, emergency relief, interpreter engagement, health services and social support.

Recognising that services for culturally and linguistically diverse individuals vary across regions, CLOs are also responsible for building and strengthening connections with local, state, territory, and national service providers. This ensures that court users receive the most appropriate and timely support, regardless of their location.

Key responsibilities and duties The CLO is fundamentally a support role to assist culturally and linguistically diverse litigants through the Court system in the migration and other practice areas of the Court.

There are several elements to the CLO role which may involve being a part of one or all of the following streams:

- Providing procedural support to culturally and linguistically diverse litigants and connecting them to legal and social supports, such as pro bono legal services, migrant and asylum seeker resource centres, and services assisting migrant and refugee community members with connecting them to homelessness social services, counselling and mental health support.
- Engaging with relevant community organisations, legal and social support agencies to enhance referral pathways between the Court and essential pro bono legal services for culturally and linguistically diverse litigants. Provide advice and guidance to internal stakeholders on working effectively with interpreters, including delivering or contributing to training and capability development initiatives.
- Under the guidance of the Director – Cultural Liaison Officers and Director – Culture, Language Diversity & Inclusion, assist with internal research, education and training development on the needs and circumstances of culturally and linguistically diverse litigants.
- Assess and support litigants to access appropriate interpreter services exercising judgment to determine suitable arrangements and facilitating their effective participation in court processes to support access to justice.
- Engage with interpreter agencies and service providers to strengthen referral pathways and support the effective delivery of language services for culturally and linguistically diverse litigants.

Client and cultural support services

- Provide culturally responsive frontline procedural support to culturally and linguistically diverse litigants, while maintaining the Court’s impartiality and not providing legal advice.
- Connect court users with appropriate legal and social supports, including refugee legal services, migrant and asylum seeker resource centres, emergency relief, income support, employment and skills services, housing, health, counselling and community services.
- Support litigants to access interpreter services and provide dedicated assistance to litigants in detention environments.
- Respond to frontline enquiries from court users, Judicial Registrars and chambers through eLodgment, email, telephone and counter services with a focus on clients with complex needs/issues.
- Provide accurate migration-related procedural information in accordance with Court rules, regulations, practices and procedures.
- Support intake and assessment procedures to ensure that matters are triaged in accordance with Court procedures for priority client groups.

Candidates may be prioritised to work predominantly in certain streams of work within the CLO role, from time to time. Candidates with particular skills and experience may also be called upon to assist with other culturally specific projects or advice work, subject to the operational needs of the Court outside of the migration jurisdiction. As the role is within the Federal Circuit and Family Court, applicants should be aware that the role may be modified as needed to allow for its operation to support litigants and court operations not only in the migration jurisdiction,



but in family law or in various areas of general federal law, including workplace disputes.

The role may therefore operate not only in Division 2, but in Division 1 of the Federal Circuit and Family Court.

Professional qualifications, competencies and attributes

Completed or enrolled in relevant tertiary education in the areas of law, international relations, data management, social work, psychology, or relevant demonstrated experience.

To be successful in the role of CLO, the ideal candidate will possess:

- Cultural Capability: The ability to effectively communicate with and provide information to culturally and linguistically diverse, self-represented litigants about how the Court operates and how to access relevant services in a culturally responsive manner. Experience in supporting culturally and linguistically diverse clients such as a demonstrated experience in providing support to individuals from migrant and refugee backgrounds or similar experience with other vulnerable communities.
- Knowledge of Migration and Court Processes: General knowledge of the migration law system and/or court operations, or the demonstrated ability to learn this quickly.
- Impartiality and Objectivity: A clear understanding of the impartial nature of the Court, with the ability to provide support to litigants while respecting the judicial review process.
- Autonomous and Collaborative Work Ethic: Proven ability to work both independently and as part of a team, while also seeking guidance from more senior members when necessary.
- Demonstrated ability to work professionally with key stakeholders: Strong networking skills with the ability to establish and maintain positive, productive relationships with both internal stakeholders (such as judges, judicial registrars and court staff) and external partners (such as legal, interpreters and social support organisations).
- Data management: Proven skills to demonstrate an ability to analyse and work with data related to the subject matter in a clear and concise manner. Updating information on the Court’s case management systems and National Pseudonym Register, maintaining a high degree of accuracy in data entry on migration matters and ensuring the identification of vulnerable Applicants at the key entry point into the Court system and ensuring referrals to the appropriate services (if any).
- Providing high level case management support to Judges and Judicial Registrars for matters identified as requiring expedition, especially where a court user may be in immigration detention.
- Provide advice and guidance to internal stakeholders on working effectively with interpreters, including delivering or contributing to training and capability development initiatives.
- Demonstrated ability to contribute to research, education and training development activities under the direction of senior stakeholders, applying judgement to support improved understanding of the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse court users.

Special requirements In some regions, travel to other court locations, usually intrastate (for example, Sydney and Parramatta Registry or Melbourne and Dandenong registry), will 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 The successful candidate will demonstrate:

- Cultural and Linguistic Awareness: Strong demonstrated knowledge and understanding of the language and cultural needs of court users from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in the FCFCOA, particularly (but not limited to) the context of migration law.
- Culturally Appropriate Communication: Proven ability to work in a culturally responsive and trauma-informed manner with diverse populations,



and to communicate positively and effectively with key stakeholders both within the Court (such as judges, judicial registrars and staff) and externally (such as lawyers, interpreters and social support organisations).
- Court Knowledge and Adaptability: Demonstrated experience or the ability to quickly acquire knowledge of court procedures and processes, with the capacity to convey this information clearly and effectively to culturally and linguistically diverse court users.
- Data management: Demonstrated ability to collect, manage, analyse and report on data accurately and efficiently. Proven skills in organising information, maintaining data integrity, identifying trends, and presenting data in a clear and concise manner will be highly desirable.
- Feedback and Improvement: Ability to provide and assist in the collection and dissemination of constructive feedback on procedural and policy changes necessary to enhance accessibility and service utilisation for culturally and linguistically diverse court users.
- Oral and Written Communication Skills: Strong oral and written communication skills, coupled with a willingness to engage in ongoing professional development and contribute positively to a collaborative work setting.
- Ability to work autonomously and within a team environment: Strong demonstratable skills of working within a team environment and remotely from the team and supervisors is highly regarded.
- Commitment to APS Values and Conduct: A demonstrated understanding and commitment to the Australian Public Service (APS) Values, adherence to the APS Code of Conduct, and the ability to comply with principles of Workplace Diversity and Occupational Health and Safety.

Salary

$102,514 – $111,741 per annum, including 15.4% superannuation.

Applications close on Monday 23 November at 11:30pm (AEDT).

Contact Officer For more information, confidential enquiries can be made to Wajiha Ahmed, Judicial Registrar, Director - Cultural Liaison Officers and Director – Cultural Language Diversity and Inclusion, by email to [email protected].

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 engaged into the APS will be subject to a probation period.

Interested applicants who have received a redundancy benefit from an APS agency are welcome to apply but know that they cannot be engaged until their redundancy benefit period has expired. Diversity and inclusion The Court is committed to supporting an inclusive and diverse workforce and welcomes and encourages applications from people with disability, First Nations people, LGBTIQA+ people, people from culturally and Liaison ally diverse backgrounds, mature age workers and young workers. The Court is committed to supporting an inter-generational workforce, gender equity and families.

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

RecruitAbility

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

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.

How to apply To be considered you will need to upload a concise expression of interest (2 page maximum) detailing how your experience and skills relate to the position description and selection criteria and attach a current resume.

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

By choosing to apply, you agree to the Personal Information Statement Download Personal Information Statement

If you have any technical issues with applying, please email [email protected]

📌 Cultural Liaison Officer (Sydney)
🏢 Federal Circuit And Family Court Of Australia
📍 Sydney