CANBERRA: The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has launched an ambitious new recruitment program aimed at attracting talented and qualified professionals who might not have considered the ATO or the Australian Public Service (APS) as a likely employer. According to the Office, its program, Opening Doors is a first of its kind for Public Service recruitment and is unique to the ATO. In a statement, the ATO said that by targeting specific, under-represented groups, it was seeking to raise the profile of those employees in the workforce and promote increasingly flexible work opportunities. “More than 20 people have already commenced as part of the Opening Doors program since it began in November 2016,” the statement said. “Opening Doors aims to build a more diverse workforce with part-time opportunities for high calibre professionals looking for flexible working hours and conditions, in particular for those with primary caregiving responsibilities.”
The ATO said the program would also seek refugees who were qualified professionals seeking to establish themselves locally, and war veterans as well as current or previous armed service personnel who were transitioning to a civilian role. “The ATO seeks to fill roles across a variety of disciplines including — but not limited to — law, accounting, economics, design, information technology, customer service, human resources, marketing and communications,” the statement said. “As a large organisation, the ATO offers flexibility in working arrangements, while still ensuring employees have meaningful work.” It said it was expanding its networks to target skilled candidates with the right expertise and capabilities for the positions available, and would involve specialist employment agencies such as Beam Australia for part-time professionals, and Refugee Talent and Ironside Recruitment for veterans and emergency service personnel.
