|
AGENCY |
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade |
|
POSITION NUMBER |
BK08028 |
|
POSITION TITLE |
Consular and Passport Manager |
|
CLASSIFICATION |
LE6 |
|
SECTION |
Consular Services |
|
REPORTS TO (TITLE) |
Second Secretary & Consul |
About the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade
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
The Consular and Passport Manager has a critical role in supporting the Consular Services Section on a full-time basis, including providing courteous, effective and helpful advice and assistance to Australians throughout Thailand. Under broad direction, this position is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the Consular Services Section, providing expert advice to senior staff and mentoring junior staff. This role will provide consular assistance to Australian citizens in Thailand and their family members in circumstances that include hospitalisation, arrest, death, welfare, whereabouts or crisis situations. The Consular and Passport Manager will lead on managing high profile and complex consular cases. The role may also be required to provide passport and notarial services.
This position may be required to provide emergency consular assistance outside of office hours and on weekends. Participation in an after-hours on-call duty roster is an important part of this role. Occasional domestic travel may also be required.
Key responsibilities of the position include but are not limited to:
- Serve as a key source of expert advice and analysis on engagement with Thai authorities to support the delivery of consular, notarial and passport services, and crisis planning and response, drawing on deep knowledge of relevant legislation, policies and local operating environments.
- Exercise high-level initiative and judgement to interpret the Consular Services Charter, the Australian Passports Act 2005 (Cth) and legislative and policy frameworks to complex and sensitive consular, passport and notarial matters, ensuring consistent, defensible decisions
- Lead engagement and negotiate with senior Thai authorities and other critical stakeholders to achieve cooperation in complex, high profile or time sensitive cases that carry a reputational risk for Australia.
- Provide authoritative and timely reporting, analysis and correspondence on consular and passport cases, ensuring senior diplomatic staff have accurate information for decision‑making.
- Play a leading role in crisis planning and response, including contributing to strategic planning, scenario development, operational coordination and post‑crisis evaluation.
- Develop and implement plans for external engagements and actively develop and manage key relationships, including with Thai government (Royal Thai Police, Thai Immigration Bureau, Department of Corrections), medical, funeral, tourism service and aviation providers to support Australia’s consular objectives.
- Plan and oversee consular visits to hospitals, morgues, detention centres, prisons and other services providers, as well as key crisis planning locations
- Monitor and analyse current affairs, processes and decisions of government, legislative developments, anticipate trends and emerging issues, and provide recommendations to senior staff on consular-related policy issues, including local regulations, procedures and practices to inform consular support and travel advice to Australian citizens
- Manage and develop a team of consular officers by setting priorities, managing workflows and performance, and provide expert consular guidance, fostering capability growth.
- Oversee financial and administrative responsibilities relevant to consular and passport operations, ensuring compliance with financial standards and contributing to effective resource planning
Required Qualifications/Experience/Knowledge/Skills
- Extensive experience with service delivery and/or case management
- Fluent written and oral communication skills in English and Thai, including translation skills
- Strong computer skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office
- Demonstrated sound judgement
- Experience working with difficult clients and in high pressure situations within time constraints
- Ability to develop and maintain relationships with a broad variety of stakeholders
- High level negotiation, liaison, advocacy, communication and interpersonal skills
- Demonstrated administrative skills, including the ability to prepare written reports and process financial accounts
- Experience with managing a team, demonstrated teamwork and ability to work autonomously
- Ability to demonstrate a high standard of personal and professional ethics
Highly desirable
- Consular experience and ability to deliver positive and tangible outcomes for clients
- Tertiary qualifications in a related field
- An understanding of the Thai government and legal system