APS6 - Senior Rehabilitation Case Manager, People Branch, Affirmative Measures, First Nations

Title:	APS6 - Senior Rehabilitation Case Manager, People Branch,   Affirmative Measures, First Nations
Classification(s):	APS Level 6
Employment Type:	Ongoing, Full Time
Salary:	$99,733 - $118,084 per annum plus 15.4% superannuation
Business Division:	Enabling Services
Branch / Section:	People, Safety Wellbeing & Performance
Location:	We want to recruit the best people to our department. Our roles   support flexible work arrangements including the opportunity to   work from one of our departmental offices and hybrid (mixture of   office and home-based work).  These roles are located in Brisbane; Canberra; Melbourne.  A merit pool may be formed and used to fill future similar   vacancies in these locations and other locations within the same   metropolitan area.
Security Clearance:	Baseline Vetting
Job Reference No:	48195
Contact Officer:	Deborah Hannigan, (02) 6136 7245,   deb.hannigan@infrastructure.gov.au
Closing Date:	11.59pm AEDT, Thursday, 8 October 2026

The filling of this vacancy is intended to constitute an affirmative measure under section 8(1) of the 'Racial Discrimination Act 1975'. This vacancy is only available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait people.

The opportunity we have available

The People Branch plays a central role in supporting the department’s people to do their best work in a complex, high-profile and nationally significant operating environment. As part of the Corporate and Territories Group, the branch delivers practical, contemporary and people-centred HR services that help the department respond to immediate priorities, emerging workforce challenges and the needs of a diverse national workforce.

This opportunity sits within Safety, Wellbeing and Performance, a team focused on fostering safe, healthy and productive workplaces. You will contribute to work that matters: supporting employees through injury, illness and recovery; partnering with managers to achieve safe and sustainable outcomes; and helping shape a rehabilitation and injury management function that is proactive, trusted and prevention-focused.

If you are motivated by meaningful case management, strong stakeholder relationships and the opportunity to influence better wellbeing and return to work outcomes across the APS, this role offers a rewarding next step.

What you will do

Reporting to the Assistant Director, Rehabilitation and Injury Management, this role is an opportunity to make a practical difference to employee recovery, wellbeing and safe, sustainable return to work outcomes across the department.

As Senior Rehabilitation Case Manager, you will bring together sound judgement, strong stakeholder engagement and practical case management expertise to support employees and managers through complex rehabilitation and compensation matters. You will provide clear advice, coordinate timely action and contribute to a mature, prevention-focused approach to rehabilitation and injury management.

In this role, you will:

• Help strengthen the department’s Rehabilitation Management System by reviewing policies and procedures, providing practical advice and supporting health and wellbeing initiatives.
• Deliver responsive compensation and rehabilitation services for employees in line with the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988, including case management for ill and injured employees where required.
• Partner with managers to address workplace factors that may affect recovery, participation at work or successful return to work outcomes.
• Build trusted working relationships with employees, supervisors, medical practitioners, workplace rehabilitation providers and other stakeholders to develop and implement effective rehabilitation programs.
• Use medical, functional and workplace information to identify rehabilitation goals, monitor progress and support safe, durable return to work arrangements.
• Coordinate information gathering for workers’ compensation claims and work closely with the Pay and Conditions Unit to support accurate and timely claims processing.
• Identify opportunities to improve how rehabilitation and case management services are delivered, including contributing to projects and improved systems.
• Support early intervention, injury prevention and active management of workers’ compensation premium risk, while maintaining accurate, confidential and secure rehabilitation records.

Inherent requirements for the role

This role requires a combination of professional judgement, specialist case management skills and the ability to work confidently with sensitive health, employment and workplace information. The inherent requirements reflect the core skills and capabilities needed to perform the role safely, effectively and at the APS6 level.

• Demonstrated capability to perform at the APS6 level, consistent with the APS6 Work Level Standards, including sound judgement, initiative, personal drive, discretion, resilience and the ability to manage complex work with limited direction.
• Specialist skills in rehabilitation, injury management, workers’ compensation, return-to-work, human resources, employee wellbeing, allied health, psychology, work health and safety, case management or a related field, supported by relevant tertiary qualifications, training or equivalent professional experience.
• Practical experience managing sensitive or complex case management matters, including the ability to interpret medical, functional and workplace information and translate it into clear, timely and appropriate rehabilitation or return-to-work actions.
• Ability to engage appropriately with employees and stakeholders in sensitive rehabilitation and injury management contexts, including recognising wellbeing, confidentiality and workplace complexity considerations.
• Ability to work within relevant legislative, policy and procedural frameworks, including rehabilitation, workers’ compensation, work health and safety, privacy, APS values and Code of Conduct obligations.
• Ability to manage confidential personal, medical and employment information with care, accuracy and integrity, including maintaining clear records and preparing well-structured written advice, briefings and case documentation.

To be successful in this role, you will need to demonstrate that you can:

• Deliver high-quality outcomes by showing initiative, exercising sound judgement and managing competing priorities in a small team, often within tight timeframes.
• Prepare clear written and verbal advice for different audiences, including employees, managers and decision-makers.
• Build productive relationships across teams, senior leaders and stakeholders by engaging respectfully, valuing diverse perspectives and working collaboratively.
• Show curiosity, adaptability and a commitment to ongoing learning, while supporting a positive learning culture for others.
• Think strategically, analyse complex information from multiple sources, identify connections and make well-reasoned decisions.
• Use sound reasoning and evidence to explain recommendations, support decisions and influence practical rehabilitation or workplace outcomes.
• Work effectively across boundaries by keeping your supervisor and team informed, contributing to shared priorities and supporting coordinated delivery.

RecruitAbility

The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts is committed to supporting the employment and career development of people with disability. Our participation in APS RecruitAbility means we will progress an applicant with disability to a further stage in the recruitment process, where they opt into RecruitAbility and meet the minimum requirements for the vacancy.

The RecruitAbility minimum requirements are listed above under ‘inherent requirements for the role’.

You will be asked to indicate if you wish to opt into RecruitAbility in the application form. You must tick the 'opt in' box to participate in RecruitAbility. Simply declaring that you have a disability will not automatically include you.

We provide reasonable adjustments such as access, equipment or other practical support at relevant stages of the recruitment process. Please advise in the application form or get in touch with the contact officer if you need any adjustments made. 

More information can be found at RecruitAbility scheme: A guide for applicants | Australian Public Service Commission.

Desirable requirements

The following experience is desirable and would help candidates make a strong contribution quickly. These are not mandatory requirements and should be read separately from the inherent requirements listed above.

• Experience applying the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 or comparable workers’ compensation legislation in an APS, Commonwealth or similar employer environment.
• Knowledge of rehabilitation management systems, prevention-focused injury management approaches, or workers’ compensation premium management.
• Experience contributing to rehabilitation, injury management or wellbeing projects, including improvements to processes, systems, guidance material or reporting.
• Experience working with Comcare, workplace rehabilitation providers, claims managers or similar external partners to support coordinated rehabilitation and return-to-work outcomes.
• Relevant tertiary qualifications, professional accreditation or specialised training in rehabilitation, injury management, allied health, psychology, human resources, work health and safety, case management or a related discipline.
• Technical Knowledge of the Safety Rehabilitation and Compensation legislative framework and experience in interpreting this in a work environment and Case management experience.

Cultural capability requirement

The department believes every role contributes to cultural safety and that building staff cultural capability helps us deliver better policies, programs and services for First Nations people and the broader Australian community.  Candidates will be required to demonstrate their willingness to develop their cultural capability as part of the assessment process. In making it a requirement across all roles in our department, we are taking a practical step in delivering our commitments under the Our Stories on Country Agreement and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategy 2025–28.

As an APS 6 you will be expected to:

• Consider the cultural context and implications of work area outcomes.
• Engage respectfully with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander stakeholders, building trusted relationships.
• Communicate respectfully and seeks appropriate cultural input to inform decisions.

What else can we offer?

We are dedicated to fostering personal and professional development, empowering individuals to set goals, acquire new skills, and cultivate unique qualities that define who they are. We believe that this not only leads to a more fulfilling and happier life but also enhances the overall quality of our work. Some of the benefits we offer include:

• Access to our study Assistance Program that provides paid leave and financial support for you to undertake courses of study that contribute to the improvements of your professional skills and knowledge relevant to our work and broader Australian Public Service.
• Through our investment in learning and development opportunities, and a positive performance culture, we provide diverse career pathways for our people to enable their mobility and adapt in a rapidly changing world.
• Improve your leadership skills, through the department’s Professional Coaching Scheme and tailored leadership opportunities for staff members.
• Flexible working opportunities, including part-time hours, home based work and job sharing.
• We offer generous leave entitlements of 20 days personal circumstances leave per year, with one month’s accrual of leave credited on commencement and 150 hours of paid annual leave (based on a full-time employee), plus a range of other miscellaneous leave options to support you.

Join our department and embark on a journey of growth, fulfillment, and well-being. Experience personal and professional development, prioritise your health, and be part of a vibrant and positive culture that empowers individuals and drives exceptional performance.

Eligibility requirements

This is an Affirmative measure vacancy – This vacancy is open only to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.

This is an Affirmative Measures – First Nations applicants only position. The filling of this vacancy is intended to constitute an Affirmative Measure under section 8(1) of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975. To be eligible to apply under the Affirmative Measures initiative, applicants must:

• be an Aboriginal person and/or a Torres Strait Islander person
• identify as an Aboriginal person and/or a Torres Strait Islander person, and
• be accepted by their community as being an Aboriginal person and/or a Torres Strait Islander person

For more information please visit - Affirmative measure for recruiting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians: A guide for applicants

Employment with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts is subject to conditions prescribed within the Public Service Act 1999 including:

• Citizenship: candidates must be an Australian citizen at the time of submitting your application. 
• Health Assessment: The preferred candidate may be required to undergo a medical examination conducted by the department’s preferred medical provider.
• Security Clearance: The successful candidate must be able to obtain and/or maintain a security clearance at Baseline Clearance Level.  You must be willing to disclose all relevant and required information.  You must have lived in Australia, or have a checkable background, for at least the preceding five years for Baseline Vetting clearances.  More information on the security clearance vetting process is available on the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) website.
• Police check: The successful candidate must complete an Australian Federal Police criminal history check.
• Integrity and Performance check: The successful candidate must satisfy the requirements in an Integrity and Performance check which is completed by your most recent employer.

How to apply

Applications for this opportunity close at 11.59pm AEDT, Thursday 8 October 2026.

Prior to preparing your application for the department, please read our Artificial intelligence (AI) in recruitment at the department principles. The principles aim to help you use AI in a way that supports your application and maintains fairness and transparency while maintaining your integrity as a candidate. They outline what is and isn’t acceptable use of AI in APS recruitment.

In applying for this position, you are not required to address individual selection criteria. Rather, you should provide in a PDF document a statement of no more than two pages outlining your background, capabilities and experiences, and how these align with the advertised role.

You should also provide a tailored CV in PDF, no more than two pages. The capabilities and behaviours required to be successful for this role are identified in the ‘Who are we looking for’ section.

Your application should be received through the department’s online recruitment system prior to the closing date and time to be considered. 

If you experience any issues with the system please contact the recruitment team on 02 6136 8989 or via email at recruitment@infrastructure.gov.au to discuss an alternative way to submit your application.

Please advise the contact officer if you require adjustments during the recruitment process. We recognise and value diversity as our strength and promote a culture of inclusion to enhance our work performance and the wellbeing of our employees. We are committed to systems that are accessible, inclusive and safe for all. If you need any further information about accessibility and inclusion at our department, please contact DiversityandInclusion@infrastructure.gov.au.

Timeline and assessment

A selection panel will be established to assess your suitability against the advertised role.

If a merit pool is established, it will be valid for 18 months from date it first appeared in the APS Gazette.

Applications open: 23 September 2026

Applications close: 8 October 2026

Application shortlisting: 15 October 2026

Further assessments: 22 October 2026

Selection report finalised: 5 November 2026

Offers and announcements: 12 November 2026

The above is indicative only, please reach out to the contact person if you have any questions on the recruitment process or timeframes.

Your application will be assessed against the inherent requirements of the role, the Work level standards and in comparison to other candidates who applied. Once the entire applicant pool has been assessed, the panel will create a shortlist of applicants. If your application is shortlisted, you may be asked to undertake further assessment, this may include work sample testing, interviews and reference checks.

Work with us. Apply now!