A degree

This year applications will be open for those with a bachelor degree or higher in the following areas:

• business management
• human resource management
• human resources/industrial relations
• psychology
• organisational development.

The right skills

We are looking for successful people management graduates who have the drive and ability to:

• think strategically
• achieve results
• manage relationships
• act professionally
• communicate effectively
• perform the technical aspects of working in people management.

Our employees are our most valuable asset. Without them we would not be able to meet our corporate outcomes now and in the future. Our overall objective is to provide the very best administration of Australia’s tax and superannuation systems.

For us, people management is more than simply managing performance or implementing rules and regulations for employees to follow. Our focus is to:

• support employees by providing resources to meet obligations
• provide latitude for employees to develop skills
• encourage employees to initiate innovation in the workplace.

You will find people management functions across all areas of our organisation. Primary human resource management teams operate out of our ATO People business line. This area provides services that make us a sustainable, open and accountable organisation of high integrity. This is critical for us to meet our commitments to the community and the government.

The essential services that people management provides across the organisation play an integral part in achieving our corporate outcomes. The expertise within our people management teams is also very highly regarded.

As a people management graduate, you will not only have the opportunity to sketch your future but also the future of many others.

As a people management graduate you will contribute towards building a work environment that allows our people to grow and learn, and seeks your fresh ideas and engagement. You will be able to equip our people with the tools to help them:

• personalise their interactions with taxpayers
• improve our employment image and conditions to attract high quality people
• retain talented people who want to add value to the community.

To meet ongoing challenges we rely on the people management expertise you have gained from your studies and your past experience. In practice you will:

• assist our leaders and managers to enhance productivity through performance management, continuous improvement and innovation
• implement enterprise-wide, integrated learning and development approaches to enhance organisational capability and agility, with an emphasis on integration of business and people systems
• implement workforce management strategies to enable flexibility in undertaking work and workforce shifts and achieve the optimum workforce mix
• shape the culture of our organisation by embedding our corporate values, including targeted initiatives for increasing engagement and discretionary effort
• refine prevention and early-intervention strategies and implementing the people case management system to maintain a safe and healthy work environment and a productive workforce
• build and maintain sustainable human resources and financial systems that support our organisation in delivering to the community.

You can work in various fields such as:

• workforce planning
• recruitment
• organisational development
• learning and development
• performance and conduct
• industrial relations
• leadership development
• workplace diversity
• health and safety.

Our people management professionals support our organisation by delivering services and programs to help us achieve our key priorities. We want to create a workforce that is equipped, engaged and responsive.

You will experience diverse areas which will help you identify the areas that interest you most. You don’t have to do the same job forever, we encourage you to try new directions. When you work for us you get a career, not just a job.

Join our organisation for diverse opportunities for career development, excellent work conditions and an innovative culture. Take the opportunity to play a unique role in contributing towards the tax and superannuation systems that underpin the Australian way of life.

People management professionals have the opportunity to sketch the future of many individuals in the organisation.

Alexandra Tingate

When I saw the ATO graduate program calling for psychology graduates, I thought that I was looking at an amazing prospect but was curious to see where I could take my psychology knowledge within the ATO. Despite my questioning, I was ecstatic to find that I was accepted after applying. Soon enough I was meeting previous graduates who answered my numerous questions about what life as a graduate was like. The general consensus was that graduate life was fun and filled with a lot of opportunities to develop oneself.

Starting work in an organisation with over 20,000 staff is somewhat daunting at first. However, from the very beginning the graduates were given lots of support and encouragement by graduate managers, past graduates, team members and general colleagues. One of the highlights of the program was the graduate camaraderie and social life. Having moved from the Gold Coast to Brisbane (not far, but far enough…) I was keen to meet new people and enjoy my first uni-free year. I definitely got more than I bargained for as the 70 or so graduates in Brisbane clicked from day one despite coming from various walks of life, being of all ages and having vastly different experiences and interests. We now regularly organise events and get togethers and are there to provide support for each other.

Another highlight was the career development. Throughout the program I was able to work in three different areas of the organisation; organisational development, learning and development, and people, performance and safety management. Working in these different areas has given me the chance to work on several different projects as well as immerse myself in the more regular business activities that occur in the HR roles within the ATO.

As a psychology graduate, I was worried that I would not have some of the HR knowledge needed for my work. However, the people management graduates were given the opportunity and support to undertake a Certificate IV in Human Resources. With this training and the experiences throughout my placements, I was able to watch my skills and knowledge base developing. The seven people management graduates were also extremely fortunate to work with each other across Australia when managing an organisation-wide project. Working on this project was extremely satisfying and allowed us to stand on our own feet as developing professionals. 

Overall, the program has been an amazing challenge and I have been able to stretch myself on various occasions throughout the year. It has been exceptionally rewarding to apply my skills and knowledge in each of my roles and has made me really excited about the opportunities I will be faced with during my career within the ATO. I highly recommend all HR/psychology graduates to apply who are interested in working in an organisation with great conditions, people, and opportunities and who wish to work in an organisation which supports the Australian community.

Marjan Khalidi

I was very excited to commence my career as a graduate people management officer at the ATO. The program promised many opportunities in terms of professional growth, networking and development, which it has certainly delivered on.

Over the year, I have engaged in a vast range of work in the human resource space. In my first rotation I was involved in workforce planning, recruitment and job profiling, and worked in a team that nurtured my work experiences and provided a successful transition into the workplace. I was involved in occupational health, safety, diversity and performance for my second rotation and my third in the senior executive service unit where I have worked in leadership development. These rotations have been both challenging and rewarding and have enabled me to see a clear connection between how my work contributes to the overall strategic goals, outcomes and vision of the ATO.

The ATO has a modern value-based culture, where it encourages responsiveness to challenges and opportunities as well as innovation. I was most impressed with the ATO's staff engagement with a weekly newsletter and timely transparent communication to keep staff informed.

The graduate program offers ongoing training to equip you with the essential skills required to progress and succeed in the workforce. The graduate managers provide ongoing support throughout the program both on a personal and professional level and assist with career planning. Being a graduate, I value learning and development strongly, and have recognised that this value is shared equally with the ATO. From my experience, this has been magnified in the provision and concern for learning and development for graduates. Throughout the year, I have not only completed my Certificate IV in Human Resources, but I am currently completing my Certificate IV in Government Project Management.

It is very rewarding to wake up everyday and attend work knowing that your presence and contribution is valued. This only motivates me to work harder and put in a high level of discretionary effort. I aspire to remain in the ATO long term and know that it will provide me with diverse career options that will keep me engaged and challenged. Throughout this year I have discovered that success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success, and if you love what you are doing, you will be successful!