Worker Welfare Officer, Tonga – Pacific Labour Facility

The Worker Welfare Officer will be required to provide continuous coaching, support and mentoring to the Social Worker Officer within the Overseas Employment Division (OED) of the Tonga Ministry of Internal Affairs.

This hands-on mentoring role will actively build the capability and knowledge of the Social Worker Officer to provide specialised welfare support and advice to Tongan workers and their families, as well as other key stakeholders including employers, diaspora and the facilitators of the three labour mobility programs across Australia and New Zealand.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

Under the direction of the Senior Employment Officer – PALM and the PALM Coordinator the Worker Wellbeing Officer will work directly with the Social Worker Officer and the wider Overseas Employment Division team members to ensure that;

• The Social Worker Officer and Tongan OED staff are efficiently coordinating welfare requests received from the PLF Worker and Employer Support Services Team (WESS) or approved employers (AEs), including the coordination of direct contact with, and case management of, workers, families, employers and community members as required/requested.
• Proactive communication is initiated by the Social Worker Officer and the OED with Tongan workers, team leaders and AEs to create regular and open dialogue to manage any issues that may arise, identify early interventions, information, and capacity development opportunities to support all stakeholders.
• The case management of worker incidents, including data entry and reporting (within In-country Recruitment Database (IRD)) is undertaken, enabling longer-term strategic analysis on trends and recommend interventions.
• Appropriate written and visual content (in English and Tongan) is developed to support the facilitation and input into key sessions on worker wellbeing at pre-departure briefings for mobilising workers including working with OED Partners to facilitate discussions with female candidates regarding pregnancy and other sensitive topics.
• The Social Worker Officer and other key OED staff have sufficient knowledge and capability to enable the embedding of the proposed Worker Welfare framework within the OED.
• The Social Worker Officer can actively contribute towards the development of family support mechanisms within Tonga that support worker mobilisation and re-integration activities.
• Families and communities feel confident and supported in approaching the Social Worker Officer and the OED staff regarding the welfare of their loved ones in Australia and New Zealand.
• The Social Worker Officer can undertake other tasks as reasonably requested by the Deputy CEO, Overseas Employment Division (OED) and the Labour Mobility Engagement Manager.

  Required Qualifications:

• A strong commitment to mentoring and developing the skills and abilities of staff within the Overseas Employment Division
• A background in social welfare, counselling and case management or a minimum of 2 years’ active experience
• Familiarity with the Pacific Labour Mobility programs for both Australia and New Zealand.
• Experience in managing and implementing projects, including ongoing development and implementation of operational processes and manuals
• Excellent communication skills in both Tongan and English
• Experience in cross-cultural environments with a detailed understanding of the challenges and opportunities
• Relevant and up to date experience with modern databases and technologies
• Outstanding attention to detail and analytical thinking skills
• Excellent computer skills (Internet, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Experience in facilitating workshops and training activities
• Self-motivated – demonstrate high levels of initiative to plan and manage work to meet both Tonga Overseas Employment Division, MIA and Australian Government priorities.
• Understanding of Gender, Disability and Social inclusion

This position is open to Tongan Nationals and permanent residents. We encourage people with disabilities to apply. Salary is competitive and based on the Public Service Pay Agreements, Band J. The successful candidate will be offered an initial contract to 30 June 2023.

This is a Nuku’alofa based role, candidates who are willing to relocate for the position must do so at their own expense.

Applications close on the 21st of June 2022 and will be assessed on a rolling basis.