• Work in a volunteer-based agency supporting communities of NSW
• Full time, Ongoing Role
• Location: Wagga Wagga, NSW

About the opportunity

We are seeking a talented and highly driven person to join the NSW SES Volunteer Strategy Team. We currently have a vacant ongoing Volunteer Engagement Officer role in Wagga Wagga, NSW. 

The purpose of the role is to contribute to the attraction, recruitment, and retention of a diverse volunteer workforce capable of planning for, and responding to, major weather events, and the promotion of NSW SES as the agency of choice for volunteering. 

On a day-to-day basis you will:

• Engage directly with communities to understand how they might want to volunteer with the NSW and implement volunteering pathway to attract new volunteers to the NSW SES
• Support local NSW SES Units in workforce planning including local attraction and recruitment campaigns to recruit new volunteers to the NSW SES.
• You will be part of a team of a state-wide Volunteer Engagement Officers that work closely to collaborate, share ideas, and develop initiatives that build meaningful volunteering experiences for our members.
• Provide practical support and advice to Units on efficiently onboarding new members through our online application process.

About the NSW SES

Our Mission: NSW SES saving lives and creating safer communities.

Our Vision: A trusted volunteer-based emergency service, working together to deliver excellence in community preparedness and emergency response.

The NSW SES serves the NSW community as the lead agency for floods, storms, and tsunamis as specified by the State Emergency Service Act 1989. We are recognised as the most versatile and widely used emergency service organisation in NSW.  Our volunteers are highly skilled, experienced, and well- trained in the wide variety of roles they perform.

Each NSW SES Unit is as unique and varied as the community it serves, reflecting the vast mix of risks faced and roles required in the diverse locations and communities across the state. In addition to flood, storm and tsunami, our Service provides specialist capabilities that include general land rescue, vertical rescue, road crash rescue, and alpine and remote area search and rescue.  The NSW SES responded to over 64,000 requests for assistance from the community over the 2021-22 year. 

The NSW SES has over 10,000 volunteer members, including reserves, and a full-time equivalent workforce of over 450.  There are 262 volunteer Units across the State, and our volunteer Units are either local, community-based Units, State-wide or regional Units established to provide specialist capabilities. They are varied and unique in their capabilities, designed to address specific risks to communities of NSW.

About you

To be successful in this role you will:

• have experience in developing recruitment strategies and plans to positively promote an organisation,
• have developed campaigns to attract and recruit membership of an organisation.
• possess experience in building and maintaining strong stakeholder relationships to effectively engage with volunteers, communities, and zones.
• be willing work operationally when the agency is responding to emergencies.
• have experience in volunteer management, along with a knowledge or understanding of the volunteering practices.
• Thorough knowledge of AIIMS principles and processes and/or willingness to obtain competence within 12 months.

What we can offer you

• Employment with attractive leave entitlements including parental leave, recreation and flex leave and other leave entitlements.  
• Attractive salary package of up to $102,941.00 + 15% field allowance, superannuation, leave loading.
• Flexible work options working within operational requirements.  
• Mental Health & Wellbeing programs and services  
• Operational and leadership training and development opportunities via LinkedIn Learning and other training avenues to build and maintain skills.
• Comprehensive immunisation programs including the flu vaccine.  
• Opportunities to build invaluable relationships across emergency service agencies, emergency service committees and other Government and community organisations. 

How to apply

Click the "Apply Now" button. Your application should include as separate attachments:

• A cover letter (maximum of one page) briefly responding to the essential requirements and your interest in the role;  
• Responses to each of the targeted questions (maximum of one page per answer); and
• An up-to-date resume of no more than four pages detailing your skills and experience relevant to the role.

Targeted Questions

1. What do you believe to be the main challenges facing the NSW SES in recruiting volunteers? How might you overcome these barriers?
2. Provide an example of how you have recruited volunteers for an organisation and include the strategies you implemented to engage the community. 

Want to know more?

If you want to know more about this opportunity, please contact Manager Volunteer Strategy Aylin Basoglu at [email protected] using the subject line: Zone Volunteer Engagement Officer (Paid Position), Clerk Grade 5/6 - Wagga Wagga enquiry via EthicalJobs or 0486 000 835.

The role description is available here.

If you want to find out more about the recruitment process or would like to discuss reasonable adjustments, contact Isabel Gomes at [email protected].

Talent Pool

A talent pool may be created through this recruitment process. A talent pool is a group of candidates who have undergone an assessment process and have been identified as suitable for this role or similar roles for a period of 18 months. Being part of a talent pool means that you may be considered for ongoing or temporary employment for a range of similar roles. This offers exciting opportunities for you to gain a wide range of experiences to build your public service career.

For more information on how to apply for a role in the NSW Public Sector please click here.

The NSW State Emergency Service is a proud employer of a diverse workforce. We encourage applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, cultural background, faith, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity. We are committed to reflecting the diverse community we serve and creating an inclusive and flexible workplace. People with disability are supported to access adjustments in recruitment processes and in the workplace, to enable them to demonstrate their skills and capabilities to meet the requirements of the job. As supporters of flexible working, we welcome discussions about how our roles can be undertaken flexibly.