Job offer and onboarding

Always refer to the requirements of the specific position you are applying for carefully. The information below is of a general nature only.

The offer process

If you're successful, your new line manager will contact you to agree on a start date and discuss salary and conditions such as flexible work, reasonable workplace adjustments and relocation if needed. Information on our salary and conditions is available at Why work at PM&C.

Due to the nature of work at PM&C, every new starter must undergo security and background checks before we issue a formal offer of employment. This process can take a bit longer, depending on the security clearance level required. You can contact your new manager to find out what this might look like for you and if there may be any delays to your start date.

Documentation requirements

As part of the onboarding process, candidates must provide relevant personal documents and information such as bank details, tax and superannuation information. Additionally, candidates will need to provide documents to assist with the security clearance process if they do not already have a clearance. All documentation is managed in confidence.

To avoid delays in the onboarding process, candidates are encouraged to start gathering documents together as early as possible, even at the point of application.

For a full transparent list of standard documentation requirements for security clearances, visit Application information and documents on the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) website. AGSVA will guide you step by step through this process with clear instructions, and contact you if they have any questions.

Security clearance process

All candidates must obtain a security clearance prior to their engagement with PM&C and be able maintain a clearance during their employment.

The security clearance process is complex and may seem daunting if you have not undergone a security clearance before. So, we recommend familiarising yourself with the information below to clear up any questions you might have.

The Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) is the mandated agency to undertake vetting services for PM&C staff. When you have received advice that a vetting action has commenced, it is important that you follow the instructions provided by AGSVA.

There are 4 levels of security clearance:

Baseline: authorises access to classified information/resources up to and including PROTECTED
Negative Vetting 1: authorises access to classified information/resources up to and including SECRET
Negative Vetting 2: authorises access to classified information/resources up to and including TOP SECRET
Positive Vetting: authorises access to classified information/resources to all classification levels including certain caveated and codeword information.

The clearance level required will vary depending on where you are working but for most people, a Baseline clearance is sufficient. Eligibility and suitability assessments are undertaken in order for a determination on the provision of a security clearance. For higher levels of clearance, the process will be more involved and requires more information.

The vetting process may include:

personal security checks
psychometric testing (for higher level clearances)
interviews with an AGSVA vetting officer (for yourself and/or your nominated referees).

Visit the AGSVA website for more information on the security clearance process. Where there are concerns about the information required, you can contact:

PM&C personnel security team: help-security@pmc.gov.au or by phone on 02 6271 5222.
AGSVA customer service team: securityclearances@defence.gov.au or by phone on 1800 640 450.

Requesting reasonable adjustments in the workplace

Reasonable adjustment is any form of assistance or adjustment that is necessary, possible and reasonable to enable you to participate equally and safely in the workplace. The adjustments may:

be required for physical or psychological conditions
be for staff living with a temporary or permanent disability
change over time.

If you need a reasonable adjustment, please flag this during onboarding and/or contact the wellbeing team upon commencement. We can also provide you with a copy of our Reasonable Adjustment Guidelines.

Relocation assistance

We will consider relocation assistance for candidates relocating to Canberra to accept a position with PM&C. We may approve relocation assistance on a case-by-case basis following a formal job offer.

Did you know Canberra was ranked second best city in the world for qualify of life in the Oxford Economics Global Cities Index? For more information on living in Canberra, visit:

Flexible work requests

We consider flexibility from a starting position of 'How can we make this work?' with a bias towards flexibility. This means that we consider individual circumstances and operational requirements and make genuine attempts to establish mutually beneficial arrangements.

Conversations about flexible work requests should take place during the offer stage of the recruitment process. If we support your request, you will be required to set up a formal flexible work arrangement when you commence with PM&C, approved by the relevant manager. All flexible work arrangements must be reviewed at least once a year to ensure they remain mutually beneficial.

Merit pools

PM&C may identify you as a suitable candidate during the recruitment process and place you in a merit pool. If you are not offered the role you apply for but we place you in a merit pool, you can still be considered for similar positions within PM&C or other agencies in the broader Australian Public Service (APS) for 18 months following the initial job advertisement.

Visit Creating, using and sharing merit lists on the Australian Public Service Commission website to learn more about merit pools in the APS.

Requesting feedback

Whether your application has been successful or not, you should request feedback from the contact officer. This feedback could enhance your job application skills and boost your confidence for future applications.