Property Officer - LE 4 - DFAT - The Hague

The successful candidate will be engaged on a 1-year fixed term contract with the possibility to extend for a further 12 months and will be engaged as a locally engaged staff member at the Australian Embassy, The Hague.

Please be advised that the Australian Embassy, The Hague does not provide relocation assistance and any costs associated with taking up the position would be the responsibility of the successful candidate.

About The Department of Foreign Affairs and 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 pursue Australia’s global, regional and bilateral interests.

About the position

Under the general direction of the Senior Administration Officer (SAO), this position is responsible for managing Post’s property portfolio and the coordination of building maintenance within the Australian Embassy in the Netherlands.

The Property Officer is responsible for liaising with internal and external maintenance contractors, supervising outsourced building management contracts and undertaking procurement activities as required.

Key responsibilities of the position include, but are not limited to:

• Support the SAO and contribute to the efficient management of the Embassy’s property portfolio, including scheduling repairs and maintenance and liaising with Post management, the HOM Residence staff and local tradespeople.
• Liaise with landlords and building services (leased property) and JLL and HOM Residence staff (owned property) and manage property maintenance, providing regular monitoring and updating project work schedules.
• Oversee and coordinate works at the Embassy, ensuring compliance with Australian Government requirements and standards, ensuring works are delivered on time and on budget.
• Coordinate the Embassy’s Work Health and Safety (WHS) obligations, including conducting risk assessments, reviewing and updating risk registers and managing incident reporting.
• Assist with ensuring the Embassy portfolio complies with Work Health Safety standards, as outlined in DFAT policies and procedures.
• Coordinate repairs and maintenance for the Chancery and Australian Based (A-based) residences that fall outside the scope of landlord responsibilities.
• Manage the proposed renovation project at the Chancery.
• Assist A-based staff in finding suitable rental properties and research and negotiate commercial and residential leases and liaise with landlords for property maintenance matters.
• Manage simple procurements to support the maintenance of the Embassy’s property portfolio with regards to minor assets, service and maintenance contracts ( such as cleaning, security, telephone, photocopiers, air conditioners, fire extinguishers, AEDs, first aid kits).
• Coordinate the Embassy’s first aid officers, fire officers and wardens, including organising training, arranging evacuation drills and assisting the Chief Fire Officer.
• Oversee the Embassy’s cleaning contract, including monitoring the day-to-day cleaning activities in the Chancery and arranging waste disposal for the Residence.
• Assist with the management of outsourced security cleaning and security contract.
• Provide administrative assistance to A-based with settling in/out kits and distribute as required, ensuring they are aware of processes and procedures to report property faults.

Required Qualifications/Experience/Knowledge

• Excellent client service skills including well-developed communication and liaison skills.
• Knowledge and demonstrated experience in project management and managing property portfolios including the ability to supervise tradespeople/work teams.
• Ability to interpret policy regulations and guidelines related to property and contract management.
• Good judgement and strong problem-solving skills and ability to exercise discretion.
• Strong interpersonal skills, a proven ability to work both autonomously and collaboratively within a small team.
• Excellent organisational skills, including ability to organise workloads, set priorities and meet deadlines.
• Proficient ICT skills including a strong grasp of Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Outlook and Excel.
• Fluency in written and spoken English with Dutch being desirable.

Selection Criteria

Please ensure you provide a response to each of the listed selection criteria below. In your response, you must include relevant high-level examples from your experience that support your claims against the role.

The word limit is strictly 250 words per response to each selection criteria. The panel may not assess incomplete applications or responses which exceed the word limit.

A. Demonstrated experience working in a property related role, managing all aspects of a property portfolio.

B. Demonstrated strong client service skills and ability to liaise effectively with internal and external stakeholders.

C. Strong organisational skills, attention to detail and the ability to work under pressure and manage priorities with limited supervision

D. Initiative and ability to exercise sound judgement when providing services and ensure sensitive information is handled with discretion.

E. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills in English (oral and written) with the ability to work both autonomously and collaboratively within a team.

The Human Resources Section based in the Australian High Commission, London is responsible for managing all recruitment processes across the European region. To apply, please use the 'Apply' button below. Please direct any other queries to [email protected].

We are committed to providing an inclusive and diverse workplace where all employees are valued. We appreciate the experiences, skills and perspectives of all individuals. We actively encourage applications from people from diverse backgrounds who share Our values

We are looking for an enthusiastic team player to join the Australian Embassy, The Hague as a Property Officer on a locally engaged contract.