Worker Welfare Officer Tonga 39 views

Worker Welfare Officer, Tonga – Pacific Labour Facility
About Palladium:
Palladium is a global leader in the design, development and delivery of Positive Impact – the intentional creation of enduring social and economic value. We work with governments, businesses, and investors to solve the world’s most pressing challenges. With a team of more than 3,000 employees operating in 90 plus countries and a global network of over 35,000 experts, we help improve economies, societies and, most importantly, people’s lives.
Project Overview:
The Pacific Labour Facility (PLF) facilitates seasonal and longer-term work opportunities for Pacific workers in Australia. It connects Australian employers with Pacific workers under the newly introduced Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme which combines the existing Pacific Labour Scheme (PLS) and Seasonal Worker Programme (SWP).
Tonga Overseas Employment Division Unit
The Overseas Employment Division of the Ministry of Internal Affairs exists as the Labour Sending Unit (Overseas Employment Division) for Tonga. The Overseas Employment Division has 14 staff including the Deputy CEO for Overseas Employment, who is the Head of the Tonga Overseas Employment Division. The Government of Tonga, through the Overseas Employment Division, also employs Liaison Officers, (3) in New Zealand and (2) in Australia, to manage the welfare of workers and lead in-country marketing activities. Currently there are two (2) staff members managing SWP mobilisations from Tonga. On average, over 3,000 SWP workers are mobilised from Tonga each year, and the number is expected to further increase particularly as the PALM scheme is introduced in 2022. The Tonga Labour Mobility Policy requires Tonga to mobilise high-quality workers who meet industry requirements in Australia as well as effectively represent Tonga as a reliable and competitive sending country.
Role:
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.
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion – Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into everything we do. We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status.
Should you require any adjustments or accommodations to be made due to a disability or you are a neurodivergent individual or for any other circumstance, please email our team at accessibility@thepalladiumgroup.com and we will be in touch to discuss.
Safeguarding – We define Safeguarding as “the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients and the communities we work with from harm”. We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse. All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.

Apply now
Share
Save Job