• Location: Darwin
• Salary: $94,736 – $106,876 plus superannuation
• Reports to: NT Academy Regional Lead and National Director of IAHA Group Training
• Contract: Ongoing

The role is an identified position open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates only. This is intended to constitute a special measure in line with the Discrimination Act 1991 (ACT) subsection 27 (1)(b) and the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth) subsection 8(1).

Purpose of the position

The IAHA National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Academy is a major and innovative program designed to create supportive, culturally informed, and localised pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to pursue careers in health, primarily through school-based traineeships. A national program with key success factors, the Academy is delivered in a tailored and place-based way to be a cultural and community fit in each location. The Senior Program Support Officer plays a lead role in ensuring the delivery, growth, and development of the program through supporting the success of young people and providing tailored and holistic support to trainees. This includes supporting the day-to-day operations, building relationships through regular student, stakeholder and community engagement, working with stakeholders involved in the program delivery, such as schools and Registered Training Organisations, and maintaining relationships with the national program.

Organisational environment

IAHA is a national, community controlled, not-for-profit and member based Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander allied health organisation. IAHA was established in 2009, from a network of committed allied health professionals and is now a registered company limited by guarantee. IAHA has a growing Secretariat with offices based in Canberra, Darwin, Katherine, Lismore, and Sydney, supporting a Board of Directors and over 1700 members nationally. Further information on IAHA, our membership, activities and projects can be found on our website www.iaha.com.au.

IAHA appreciates all people working in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing including a holistic approach to health care; the value of education and other social determinants; the right to self-determination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; their cultures, spirituality and traditions of wellness and health. IAHA’s vision is that all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and future generations are thriving in ongoing connection to self, spirit and place.

IAHA focuses on five strategic areas of work to:

• Strengthen and engage our IAHA membership.
• Grow the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander allied health workforce through access and entry, effective pathways, promoting and support for allied health careers, skills development, and retention.
• Transform the allied health and wider workforce by building culturally safe and responsive health and education systems.
• Lead in the Indigenous health and allied health sectors to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander led solutions and approaches to policy and program development.
• Connect with and promoting connectedness with IAHA members, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, families, communities, and cultures.

Working conditions, benefits, and salary packaging

IAHA operates under a distributed leadership and cultural governance model to ensure that IAHA programs, activities and services are delivered and implemented in a culturally safe and responsive manner by all staff and directors.

IAHA is recognised by the Australian Tax Office as a Health Promotion Charity and salary packaging is available to all employees to increase take home pay. Free onsite parking is available for staff at the Canberra and Darwin offices.

IAHA is committed to supporting personal, cultural, and professional development opportunities for employees. IAHA provides all employees access to Employee Assistance Program (EAP), including access to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander providers in addition to an annual social and emotional wellbeing allowance.

In line with the IAHA Leave Policy, employees are entitled to flex time as approved in advance. IAHA provides a diverse range of leave entitlements additional to recreational and personal leave including cultural leave, bereavement/compassionate leave, emergency services leave, special leave, paid parental leave and pandemic leave.

The employment instrument is the National Employment Standards – Fair Work Act (2009).

Role responsibilities

The IAHA NT Academy Senior Program Officer duties may include most, and potentially all, of the following:

1. Establish, develop, and maintain relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students and families, community, mentors and guest speakers, employers, schools, career advisors, and government agencies to promote the program and to ensure the program is delivered successfully and in a culturally responsive way.
2. Liaise and coordinate with a wide range of partners and stakeholders, across government, non-government, community, and corporate sectors, including the vocational education and training sector, Registered Training Organisation(s), and health, education, professional and service delivery bodies.
3. Oversee administrative functions and program delivery, including meeting and compliance reporting requirements under funding agreements and legislation.
4. Coordinate support for apprentices and trainees in the program, including developing relationships with IAHA Group Training and host employers to facilitate access to student placements aligned with the learning needs and career goals of trainings.
5. Provide mentoring and support of culturally responsive professional learning opportunities in relation to the delivery and implementation of the Academy, including working with IAHA members and guest speakers to promote opportunities and pathways.
6. Facilitate learning and other support with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students and trainees in the Academy, including through relationships with Registered Training Organisations, university partners and services within the community.
7. Coordinate regular monthly or bi-monthly engagement with program graduates to ensure supportive transitions post program and any issues or barriers are identified and addressed.
8. Lead evaluation, monitoring, and analysis processes for continuous improvement to meet the needs and aspirations of the Academy Program.
9. Coordinate high quality and timely reports to senior staff, including the Chief Executive Officer, Executive Directors, and the IAHA Board of Directors as required.
10. Other duties as directed.

Selection Criteria

Essential

1. Demonstrated experience and capabilities in community engagement and developing and maintaining strong reciprocal relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities, and stakeholders.
2. Detailed knowledge of the education and training sector including school-based learning and/or adult learning, or the factors which impact Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student success, particularly within a health context.
3. Significant experience in one or more of the following areas: community engagement, project delivery, the health and/or Vocational Education and Training sector, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce development or employment services.
4. Highly developed organisational skills, interpersonal and negotiation skills with the capacity to demonstrate initiative and promote IAHAs objectives and priorities with culturally safe and responsive practice and delivering high quality outcomes for stakeholders.
5. Highly developed oral and written communication skills including effective representation with diverse stakeholders specifically on IAHA activities, workplace learning, employment, training, and development.
6. Demonstrated ability to work effectively and collaboratively in a fast-paced team environment and to balance multiple tasks and competing priorities within tight deadlines.
7. Have a current Working with Children Check in the relevant jurisdiction and National Police Clearance or the ability to obtain.

Highly Desirable

1. Certificate IV or above in Training and Assessment with proven experience in the development and delivery of VET sector training.
2. Tertiary qualifications in an allied health or health discipline.
3. Ability to travel regionally and nationally when required.

next steps

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A position description is attached.