Join Our Team:

Are you passionate about making a difference in remote, rural and regional communities?

The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR) is seeking a Co-ordinator Community Engagement.

It provides an exceptional opportunity to make a very real contribution to the thriving of communities across regional, rural and remote Australia.

• Fantastic opportunity to work within a national leading philanthropic and community organisation
• Remote, hybrid or Bendigo based
• Applicants from remote, rural or regional areas in Australia preferred
• Salary Range $85k - $89k plus super and 17.5% leave loading
• Full Time, Fixed Term Contract to 31 October 2025 with possible extension to 2028

About us

FRRR is a national charitable foundation focused on increasing equity of opportunity in remote, rural, and regional Australia. It adopts a partnership and leverage model of philanthropy which harnesses the collective resources of philanthropy, business, and governments to support rural communities to be vibrant, adaptive, and sustainable. Established in 2000, FRRR has distributed more than $200m to over 15,000 projects across Australia to date.

Our strategy is focussed on improving outcomes in the areas of People, Place, and Disaster Resilience & Climate Solutions. FRRR believes that targeted philanthropic investment and collaboration in these areas will build more vibrant, sustainable, and adaptive remote, rural, and regional communities - and a more equitable and prosperous Australia as a whole.

About the role

The Co-ordinator Community Engagement role will support the community engagement, granting and administrative delivery of the Future Drought Fund’s Helping Regional Communities Prepare for Drought program, between July 2022 and end October 2025, with a possible extension to 2028.

Reporting to the Program Manager: Future Drought Fund’s Helping Regional Communities Prepare for Drought program, the role will be part of a collaborative and agile team that collaborates closely with community based non-profit organisations across Australia to assist in the consultation, planning and delivery of drought preparedness activities through Community Impact and Small Network Grants, and other program deliverables.

Notionally working in state-based clusters of grant recipients, the primary remit of the role will be to broker connections, build relationships, facilitate opportunities, and increase awareness with aligned Future Fund Drought Fund investment to extend the reach, maximise investment, and leverage connections for the benefit of local communities. This is to be achieved through understanding and application of granting principles, including charitability, alongside granting and administration responsibilities. Travel throughout regional, rural and remote Australia is a pivotal part of this role.

From time to time, you may also be required to collaborate with external contractors employed to assist with the delivery of program outcomes, and other delivery partners of the Future Drought Fund.

What you'll need to succeed:

• Evidence of highly developed interpersonal, communication, collaboration, negotiation, and consultative skills, including proficiency in literacy and numeracy.
• Experience working with remote, rural, and regional communities in a community development and/or drought preparedness and recovery role.
• Existing knowledge of Future Drought Fund investment and activity, and issues affecting remote, rural, and regional communities; including drought and other climatic impacts.
• Proven track record working within multi-stakeholder or inter-organisational projects, in time constrained environments.
• Ability to work autonomously within an agreed approach, in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities demonstrating strong attention to administrative detail, discretion, and confidentiality.
• High level ability to be flexible, adaptive, and resilient within a changeable working environment.
• Conceptual understanding and practical experience in place-based models of delivery and co-design principles,
• A natural team player who thrives in collaborative, mission-driven, and outcomes-focussed environments.
• Ability to undertake interstate travel as required.
• Degree or equivalent in social sciences, humanities, ag-science or community development preferred or equivalent demonstrated experience in one or more of these areas.

Desirable

• Grant program administration, and/or philanthropic sector experience
• Non-profit sector, volunteer experience, at a grass-roots level in a rural setting
• Understanding of the drought cycle, disaster cycle, and principles of resilience.
• Applicant is based in rural, regional or remote Australia.

What Sets Us Apart

• Enjoy flexible hours and the option for hybrid/remote working.
• Benefit from ongoing professional development support including annual staff conference held in regional Australia
• Environment of growth and innovation
• Highly skilled and committed workforce
• Reputable organisation making real impact in remote, rural, and regional communities
• Access to support and counselling via our Employee Assistance Program.
• Our Bendigo CBD office features state-of-the-art facilities, is a two-minute walk from the Bendigo train station, and provides access to end-of-trip facilities.

How to Apply

Interested? Please apply via Ethical Jobs where you will be asked to submit a cover letter and CV. Your cover letter will include a summary of how your background positions you well with the selection criteria for the role. 

For queries, please send an email to [email protected] using the subject line: Coordinator Community Engagement enquiry via EthicalJobs.

A position description is attached.