• Opportunity to work at Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment (PLACE), a national not-for-profit organisation that supports the adoption and impact of place-based approaches across Australia.
• Join at an exciting time, as the PLACE team builds its foundational team during its establishment phase, in preparation for its first steps of growth as a new organisation.
• $130,000 - $165,000 (FTE) per annum excluding superannuation.
• Full time (1.0) fixed-term position
• Flexible national location, with hybrid conditions - available in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney or regional Australia.
• The successful candidate will undertake domestic travel regularly as part of this role.

The Director of the Enable Function will lead PLACE’s efforts to develop and implement a national workforce strategy to strengthen the capability and capacity of those engaged in place-based work. This role focuses on creating pathways for a skilled, future-ready workforce through cross-sector collaboration, alignment with educational institutions, and strategic partnerships.

The role ensures that PLACE effectively builds workforce capacity across sectors, fostering a culture of continuous learning, collaboration, and innovation to meet the evolving needs of place-based initiatives.

As a member of PLACE’s executive leadership team, the Director, Enable will play a critical role in shaping the organisation’s direction, fostering collaboration across functions, and contributing to key strategic decisions. During PLACE’s establishment phase, this role will provide leadership and guidance to ensure the organisation’s foundational structures, strategies, and partnerships are effectively established. This includes working closely with the CEO, Board, and other executive leaders to embed PLACE’s values and operational excellence across all areas of the organisation.

Who you are (selection criteria):

• You hold relevant tertiary qualifications in workforce development, organisational management, education or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• You can demonstrate proven leadership experience in workforce strategy development and implementation, preferably in a cross-sector or community-focused context.
• You possess a strong understanding of workforce challenges and training needs in place-based work.
• You can demonstrate an ability to build partnerships and collaborate with a diverse range of stakeholders, including government, education providers, and community organisations.
• You have experience in designing and managing training programs or curriculum development.
• You have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to inspire and engage stakeholders.
• Strong project management skills are a key strength of yours, including the ability to lead complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives.
• You are comfortable in a start-up environment; you manage multiple competing priorities with a proactive and adaptable approach.
• You align with PLACE’s vision, values, and principles.

Research indicates that while men apply to jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, women and other marginalised individuals often wait until they fulfil every requirement. If you believe you have the attributes to do the job but don't match every point on the job ad, we welcome and encourage your application.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead the Enable Function, ensuring its work aligns with PLACE’s vision and strategic objectives.
• Oversee the development and implementation of a national workforce strategy to support place-based work.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to design a national strategy that addresses skill gaps, training needs, and workforce challenges in place-based initiatives.
• Work with local place-based initiatives to ensure training programs are tailored to specific community needs and contexts.
• Build and maintain strong partnerships with government, funders, educational bodies, and relevant associations to support workforce development goals.
• Develop and oversee mechanisms to track the implementation and impact of the workforce strategy, including stakeholder satisfaction and strategy adoption rates.

A position description is attached.

Who we are:

Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment (PLACE) is a not-for-profit organisation, committed to collaborative, community-driven approaches to create impactful and lasting change. By leading a national workforce strategy, we support community needs through place-based solutions.

It is our vision to enable communities and governments to jointly decide on matters that are most important to our lives. We lead national initiatives to develop workforce strategies, enhance place-based practices and improve data monitoring and evaluation.

At PLACE, we are dedicated to creating lasting change through understanding, action and empowered governance.

What we offer:

• True flexibility and a strong focus on agility in the workplace; we prioritise making flexible work arrangements possible for all employees.
• Access to $15,900 in salary packaging through Fringe Benefits Tax options.
• A team of supportive and passionate people committed to maintaining a positive workplace culture and making an impact.
• 5 weeks of Annual Leave for every 12 months of employment.
• Two days volunteering leave for every 12 months of employment.
• A leadership team that truly wants you to flourish and make your mark on the organisation.
• A workplace that prioritises both diversity and inclusion, allowing everyone to bring their authentic selves to work in an environment that ensures psychological and physical safety.
• Hybrid work environment and flexible working arrangements (the opportunity to work where you live).
• Cultural and Ceremonial leave.
• A Learning and Development budget per employee, prioritising professional development for our employees.

How to apply:

To express your interest, submit an online application through clicking Apply Now and include a professional resume. All applicants must also provide brief responses to the application questions that are included as part of the online application.

Note: we do not accept cover letters as part of our application process.

Applications will be reviewed upon receipt, so don’t delay your application.

If you require additional adjustments, or would like to discuss any access needs as a part of the application and recruitment process, then please contact us via email [email protected] using the subject line: Director - Enable - Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment - Flexible Location enquiry via EthicalJobs.

PLACE is an equal opportunity employer and strives to maintain a workplace environment that is fair and free of discrimination, is safe and accessible for all employees, and provides working arrangements that accommodate the diverse needs of our staff. We strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, people from culturally- and linguistically-diverse backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ people and people of every ethnicity, faith, ability, culture, language, gender identity, age, and sex.

Employment in this position is conditional upon reception and maintenance of a Working With Children Check.

As part of our employment screening process, we do run police checks. But don’t worry—having a criminal record doesn’t automatically disqualify you.