Customs and Border Protection Marine Unit Tactical Officer (MTO)

Organisation: Department of Immigration and Border Protection

Job Title: Customs and Border Protection Marine Unit Tactical Officer (MTO)

Location: ACT, NSW,VIC, WA, SA, QLD, and NT

Word Limit: Maximum 2000 Character response for each criterion

1. Integrity

• Accountable for professional behaviour and probity
• Commits to action with integrity and honesty
• Risk taking and shows personal courage
• Resilient and self-aware
• Committed to personal development

Throughout my employment history I have demonstrated high levels of integrity and have successfully balanced work with the ability to multitask and remain focused. I take great pride in the quality of work that I produce and strive to deliver on intended results at all times. In the eleven years that I served for the Royal Australian Navy, it was my duty to uphold the Navy’s core values of honour, honesty, courage, integrity and loyalty. As a Naval Officer, integrity was the foundation on which every aspect of each operation was built and it was the key essential of serving in the Navy. My integrity was clearly demonstrated while undertaking a secondary role with a Flight Deck team while deployed in the Southern Ocean during which time an audit was taking place. I was working within one team of two, whose duties were to secure helicopters on the flight deck once they had landed to ensure the safety of all crew and equipment. This particular location was extremely cold and wet and one of the teams had decided that they did not want to work on this day and had planned on feigning illness in order to avoid their duties, expecting the other team to pick up their work. Upon hearing this I committed to action, demonstrating personal courage and approached the team for a discussion. I reminded them of their work obligations, as well as the core values that were instilled into us as Naval Officers. I pointed out that in order to get our work done and pass the audit we needed to remain a committed team unit and clearly demonstrate this to the Auditing Officers. The team took on board what I had to say and completed their work efficiently and effectively. As a result of my ability to demonstrate accountability for professional behaviour and probity of not only myself, but my crewmates as well, I motivated the Naval Officers to work together as a team and we successfully passed the audit.

2. Leadership

• Develop and maintain internal and external relationships
• Share benefits and recognise individual and team successes
• Values individual differences and diversity
• Shape, mentor and develop others

Persuasive, confident and capable, I have held numerous leadership roles throughout my career where I have been responsible for facilitating positive change while shaping, mentoring and developing others. While serving in the Royal Australian Navy I completed The Leading Seaman Leadership Course which gave me the qualifications and skills necessary to undertake duties as the first line of supervisors in the chain of command, being responsible for the professional development of subordinates, as well as being the first point of contact for support. As a Leading Seaman, I additionally held an important role in ensuring that good order and discipline was maintained and I was expected to be an important role model for subordinates. This training is something that I have valued, utilised and transferred my knowledge from to each of my employment positions that I have held since the Navy. An example of this is when I was working for Peter Rowland Catering and I was asked to manage and coordinate the catering for a large exhibition at Melbourne Museum. As well as hiring and training staff, I was required to develop and maintain relationships with the Head Chef, Site Manager and various external suppliers in regards to food and equipment. My ability to develop a strong rapport with these people created an environment of trust, where information was readily shared which contributed to the overall success of the operation. When delegating tasks to staff, I ensured that I noted their individual differences and diversity and allocated work that would best fit their skillet to ensure the task was undertaken as effectively and efficiently as possible. The length of the exhibition was ten months, and during this time there were quiet periods where I did not require all staff working. By treating the staff with respect and recognising their individual and team successes, I gained their commitment and understanding in these periods and they were readily available again when needed.

3. Shape Strategic Thinking

• Support innovation, shared purpose and direction
• Harness information and maximises opportunities
• Shows judgement, intelligence and common-sense
• Think strategically

I support organisational objectives and recognise how my work contributes to the achievement of goals, organisational purpose and direction. This was demonstrated throughout my career with the Royal Australian Navy. Keen to inspire a sense of direction, I supported innovation and shared purpose by practicing sound judgement and decision making with an awareness of implications and how I could contribute to solutions and future strategies. While serving in the Navy, when I was not deployed on a ship to work as a Chef, I was moved to a shore base. During this time I encountered a concern when the decision was put forward by Head Office to outsource Chef Employees on the shore bases in order to save on costs. Navy Chefs would then be required to undertake other duties such as administration or work in the stores. My colleagues and I did not agree with this decision as it could often be twelve months between deployments and in that time we would not be able to continue with employment as a Chef, thus increasing the chances of our skills becoming outdated and out of practice. We did not see this as a positive strategic decision for the future of the Navy Chefs. Working collaboratively we brainstormed strategies that we could use in order to keep Chefs employed on the shore bases instead of sub-contractors. We met with Head Office to present our ideas which were unfortunately not agreed with and the Chef jobs were outsourced. Working as a Chef throughout my career, I have always aimed to use strategic thinking skills and creativity to resolve complex challenges and achieve exceptional results. As a Chef, it is important to continually think towards the future in regards to menu planning and innovative ideas to continue to maintain a customer base. When faced with an issue with a dish or a customer I ensure that I use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to the problems.

4. Managerial, Planning and Continuous Improvement

• Identifies and uses resources wisely
• Applies, builds and shares professional expertise
• Fosters an environment of continuous improvement
• Flexible and responsive to change in requirements
• Takes responsibility for managing work projects to achieve results

Consistently maintaining a high level of initiative and a commitment to continuous improvement, I have a proven track record of achievement in applying my professional expertise in order to deliver quality outcomes. I have demonstrated my ability to work independently with limited direction or supervision to ensure delivery of intended results and commitments. Throughout my employment history as a Chef I have gained a thorough understanding of situations where deadlines need to be strictly observed and have obtained advanced skills in delegating and planning work tasks according to importance with the ability to work productively in high pressure and fast paced environments. While working as Assistant Manager, at Jersey Pottery Restaurants on the Channel Islands, I identified that the large kitchen on site was not being used productively. The restaurant and facilities were very large but had a small turnover of customers which got me thinking about an incentive to provide external catering to the community. Wanting to share my professional expertise while fostering an environment of improvement, I requested a meeting with the restaurant owner to present my ideas. The owner liked my idea, however was not sure if there would be a market for that type of business. Taking responsibility for this project, I used my initiative and canvassed potential clients for the new business venture. I contacted sporting clubs and community clubs and conducted surveys to gauge interest and within a week the business was receiving requests for catering services. Applying knowledge from previous employment, I designed a menu that could be easily prepared and transported to events. I took responsibility for sourcing tables, chairs and other necessary equipment, as well as suitable transport. My proposal was a great success and resulted in continuous improvement for the restaurant. Jersey Pottery Restaurants has now become one of the leading restaurants and catering businesses in Jersey.

5. Communicate with Influence

• Confidently communicate in a clear and concise manner
• Listens, understands and adapts to audience
• Negotiates confidently

Throughout my career I have assumed a high level of responsibility that has demanded exceptional communication, including staff supervision and management, organisation and facilitation of staff training, handling customer enquiries and complaints, facilitating and attending staff meetings, as well as educating staff regarding company policies and procedures. When communicating with others I seek to understand my audience and tailor my communication style and messages accordingly. I listen carefully to others and check to ensure that my views have been understood while ensuring that I select the most appropriate medium for conveying information to ensure clarity. My communication skills were demonstrated on a recent posting with my employment with Pinnacle People when I was sent to the Nauru Detention Centre. My managerial skills and experience was required during Ramadan, which is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and a period of fasting for Muslims. Prior to my arrival, there was much confusion in regards to catering during this month, as while the Muslims were fasting during the day, they required catering during the evening, and were requesting meals at all hours of the night. Dealing with this required high levels of negotiation skills, as we did not often have food on hand that was requested. When faced with an irate patron, I would confidently and firmly stand my ground and give them another option. Due to the history of riots at this Centre, it was imperative that I diffused these situations as quickly and calmly as possible. During my time working at Nauru I found that the majority of my colleagues, as well as the asylum seekers being held at the Centre spoke very limited English. Adapting to this situation required a lot of patience, speaking clearly and slowly, as well as using hand gestures to get messages across. My communication skills proved to be a key factor in the successful facilitation of catering during the time that I was there.

6. Technical Criteria

• Achieve work area outcomes
• Apply relevant legislation, policy and guidelines
• Apply a broad knowledge of Customs and Border Protection functions, responsibilities and organisational linkages

I have an excellent ability to acquire technical knowledge and have been required to do so throughout my career. This has been demonstrated in my career in the Royal Australian Navy where it was imperative to undertake and maintain high levels of training in order to achieve work area outcomes. The training that I received is world class, and is equally valuable to potential employers in the civilian world as it is in the Navy. The most important technical aspect that I was trained in was that my primary responsibility was the welfare of my sailors and what it meant to uphold the Navy’s core values of Honour, Honesty, Courage, Integrity and Loyalty. This training was instilled very deeply and is something that I have held on to and applied to each of my positions since serving in the Navy. In addition to everyday civilian law, as a Naval Officer I was subject to military law which has its own judicial arrangements and punishments. I was legally bound to follow all lawful commands which could have been given at any time and could have involved considerable risk to life. Such orders required me to live, work and fight anywhere in Australia or overseas at short notice. In my current position working as a Chef for Pinnacle People I am often required for contract and short-term FIFO engagements to mine sites and remote facilities which require strict compliance and workplace safety considerations. This involves site specific inductions, police checks and clearances, medical testing, details reference checking as well as psychometric testing. Additionally, I am required to gain knowledge of and apply relevant legislation, policy and guidelines of each site that I am working at. My extensive experience clearly demonstrates that I have the ability to gain and apply a broad knowledge of Customs and Border Protection functions, responsibilities and organisational linkages.