• Salary Package Range: $87,000 - $99,000

Want to work with Traditional Owners, Indigenous Rangers and a diverse variety of stakeholders on some of the most spectacular and remote Kimberley country and coastline? Based at Dambimangari and working in close partnership with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, this role provides a high-level of administrative, executive and governance support for Dambimangari Aboriginal Corporation and the Joint Management Body, ensuring meaningful and informed representation in joint management of the Lalang-Gaddam Marine Park and Dambimangari Sea Country.

• Competitive salary package ($87,000 - $99,000) plus super with salary sacrificing up to $15,899.
• Training and development opportunities in a supportive team environment.
• 5-weeks annual leave with office closure over the Christmas period.

About the Role

The Marine Park & Joint Management Project Officer works alongside the Sea Country Coordinator to support the Marine Park Joint Management Board (JMB) made up of Dambimangari Aboriginal Corporation (DAC) and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) representatives. The Project Officer supports joint management activities in the marine park between DAC and DBCA and engagement with the wider Dambimangari community. The role is responsible for providing a high level of administrative, executive and governance support to the JMB, particularly the DAC members of the JMB, to meet the requirements under the Joint Management Agreement (the Agreement) and ensure meaningful and informed Dambimangari representation in joint management of the Marine Park in line with the Lalang-gaddam Marine Park Joint Management Plan 2022.

The Project Officer will also provide administrative and other project support to the Sea Country Coordinator for all marine park and sea country activities including purchasing, record keeping, workshops and trip planning, travel, payroll and administration, and support expenditure of Marine Park funds.

About Us

We are the Traditional Owners of the land and waters along the north-west Kimberley coastline, extending from the Robinson River, just north of Derby to the Prince Regent River in the far north of the Kimberley region in WA. It has been our home for many thousands of years. We carry the cultural responsibilities of our ancestors to look after Country. Our Country is of great conservation significance, home to many threatened and endemic species, mighty rivers, coral reefs, powerful whirlpools, rugged cliffs, sandy beaches, and more than 700 islands.

Dambeemangaddee are part of the Wandjina Woongudd community. We all share a unique body of beliefs and cultural practices going back to Lalai, the Dreaming when the creator beings Wandjina and Woongudd helped shape the land, sea, heaven, and all living things in our Country. They set out how we must look after culture, plants, animals, people, and country to keep them healthy. We maintain strong connections to our land through our Law, Culture, songs and stories. We visit our Country when we can and have set up homeland communities on our remote coastline. We want to return to Country, live on our homelands, regain control, and teach future generations.

About the Corporation

Dambimangari Aboriginal Corporation (DAC) provides a unique opportunity to work closely with Aboriginal people in one of the most remote and spectacular regions of the Kimberley. DAC is a small Aboriginal Corporation dedicated to the benefit of our members, Dambimangari Traditional Owners. DAC is the governing body for all Dambimangari business on behalf of our members, and in line with traditional Law and Culture. We employ more than 30 staff, the majority of whom are Traditional Owners. The Corporation’s key functions include:

• Managing Native Title including engaging with mining, tourism and other access and development proposals.
• Members Services like health and education.
• Land and sea management (Indigenous Protected Area, Ranger Program & Jointly Managed Marine Park).
• Cultural heritage management.
• Economic development.
• Visitor management.
• Cultural programs.
• Remote infrastructure.
• Corporate Services including finance, administration and payroll.

About the Healthy Country Team

The Healthy Country Team and Ranger program provides jobs for our young people and supports them to work on Country and reconnect with culture. The broader Healthy Country Team consists of the Ranger operations, led by the Ranger Coordinator and supported by the Marine Operations Officer, seven full-time and ten casual rangers, both men and women, working across land and sea Country.

The Ranger team is supported by a Healthy Country Manager, Ranger Coordinator, Marine Operations Officer, Marine Park Joint Management team and other staff. They also work closely with the Visitor Management team and new Cultural Programs Team. Ranger Operations are overseen by the Healthy Country Advisory Committee and the Marine Park Joint Management Body. The Dambimangari Rangers deliver activities across the Indigenous Protected Area and Lalang-gaddam Marine Park including:

• Fire management, including aerial burning.
• Feral animal & weed management.
• Biodiversity and threatened species.
• Cultural heritage management.
• Visitor management and education.
• Marine Park Patrols and sea country science.
• Back to Country trips and community events.
• Biosecurity.
• Indigenous knowledge transfer.
• Training and development.

We work closely with expert partners like Parks & Wildlife (DBCA), the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, WA Fisheries (DPIRD), the Department of Agriculture and researchers to deliver our programs.

What We Are Looking For

You will be someone with strong experience providing high-level executive and administrative support, including preparing reports, correspondence and communications, presentations, meeting minutes and joint management briefings. We’re looking for someone who is able to work independently, with high attention to detail, with the ability to liaise effectively across a range of diverse stakeholders. You will be comfortable working in a cross-cultural setting, keen to further develop your knowledge of Indigenous culture and explore the remote Kimberley. You are a positive problem-solver who can work under pressure and respond quickly to change in a dynamic, remote and challenging work environment.

Duties will include:

• In collaboration with DBCA and with support from the Sea Country Coordinator, plan and prepare regular JMB and other Marine Park sub-committee meetings, including logistics, secretarial support, agendas, catering, travel, briefing packs and presentations.
• Acts as a point of contact and ensure effective liaison and communication with DAC, DBCA and JMB and broader DAC membership.
• Support all DAC JMB members to ensure meaningful and informed participation in all aspects of joint management, including briefings, plain-English communication, pre-JMB meeting support or de-briefs and other communication materials
• Attend and record minutes at all JMB and other sub-committee meetings, including items for noting, discussions, actions and decisions at relevant meetings and distribute meetings to JMB members, DBCA, DAC and other stakeholders.
• Provide project and administrative support to the Sea Country Coordinator and Marine Operations Officer with planning and delivery of marine operations including, but not limited to, purchasing, trip planning, travel, payroll, administration, trip reports and record keeping.
• Support the Sea Country Coordinator with team meetings, strategic planning, consultation and annual work planning, budgeting and rosters as required.
• Supervise and support the Marine Park & Joint Management Administration Trainee, with a key focus on training and development.
• Work with other Healthy Country staff to support and attend back to country trips and cultural activities to increase opportunities for members.

Experience

• Experience providing high level executive or administrative support, working independently, using initiative to solve problems, high attention to detail and meeting tight deadlines. (essential)
• Experience in preparing reports, correspondence, presentations, minutes, and briefings. (essential)
• Experience liaising effectively and successfully with different stakeholders including Aboriginal people, government agencies, community, industry, and special interest groups. (essential)
• Experience working in remote logistics. (desirable)
• Experience in purchasing and payroll systems, including but not limited to MYOB. (desirable)
• Experience in natural resource management, marine policy, Indigenous land management, conservation, or tourism industry. (desirable)

Skills, Abilities and Knowledge

• Good interpersonal and oral communication skills, particularly when collaborating with Aboriginal people in remote Australia. (essential)
• Strong written communication skills, and additional skills in Microsoft office, outlook, excel & purchasing. (essential)
• Ability to approach challenges and work through issues with a solution focus. (essential)
• Ability to commit to on-country boat trips and fieldwork if required. (desirable)
• Possess and maintain a level of physical fitness for working in remote, hot, humid Kimberley conditions.
• Highly proficient in Microsoft Word, Outlook and Excel.

Further Information

For more information about the role please email Ryan via [email protected] using the subject line: Joint Management Marine Park Project Officer - Derby enquiry via EthicalJobs or call (08) 9383 3293.

Role is based in Derby WA 6728, relocation support provided to the successful candidate.

All appointments are subject to the successful applicant having at least two COVID-19 vaccinations, WWC check and police clearance prior to commencement of employment.

Full Australian Working Rights are a requirement of this role.