United Nations
The Multilateral Placements Program (the Program) provides multilateral organisations with funding to place Australian professionals in positions across the multilateral system. This measure supports the institutional capacity of key UN bodies. It also helps to develop a cohort of Australian professionals who could, in the long-term, progress to senior leadership positions in multilateral organisations or return to Australia to build multilateral expertise in the Australian Government and broader Australian sectors that rely on multilateral engagement.
Examples of placements in multilateral organisations may include:
Grant Opportunity Documents for the Multilateral Placements Program can be found on GrantConnect.
UN Junior Professional Officer (JPO) Program
The UN JPO Program (sometimes called the Associate Expert Program) is an established international program run by various multilateral organisations. The Program provides young professionals with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in multilateral cooperation and international development. JPOs are embedded with specified UN agencies for around three years. Some non-UN multilateral organisations (such the World Bank) also have a JPO Program.
Current JPO opportunities
Please check the APS Jobs Mobility Board – Temporary Opportunities for Commonwealth Employees for current JPO vacancies. To register your interest for future JPO vacancies or to learn more about the JPO Program, email jpo@dfat.gov.au.
JPOs will need to have a strong understanding of Australia’s strategic priorities and policy interests. To be eligible for the program, applicants must be employees of the Australian Public Service (APS) and corporate Commonwealth entities. In accordance with UN requirements, JPOs must hold Australian citizenship, be no more than 34 years of age, and hold a post-graduate degree in a discipline related to the specific vacancy.
- UN Junior Professional Officer (JPO) Program: Frequently Asked Questions [DOCX 29 KB]
- UN Junior Professional Officer (JPO) Program: Frequently Asked Questions [PDF 118 KB]
Secondments
The Multilateral Placement Program will also include some secondments of Australian officials to multilateral organisations. This component has more flexibility than the JPO program, allowing us to support more experienced officers in both long and short-term placements. Australian Public Service agencies and corporate Commonwealth entities identifying priorities for Australian secondments to multilateral institutions may submit a business case for assessment. Please contact jpo@dfat.gov.au for further information regarding eligibility requirements and to obtain the application template.