• 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.
• $110,000 - $130,000 (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 Senior Service Designer will play a key role in PLACE’s efforts to create user-centred, effective, and scalable services that address the needs of communities, stakeholders, and place-based practitioners. This role is central to PLACE’s innovation agenda, ensuring that solutions are designed collaboratively, tested rigorously, and refined to deliver maximum impact.

Reporting to the Chief of Staff, the Service Design Lead will work closely with internal teams and external partners to develop, implement, and iterate PLACE’s services, including shared service models, frameworks for shared decision-making, and resources that support systemic change.

Who you are (selection criteria):

• You hold relevant tertiary qualifications in design, human-centred design, service design, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• You have demonstrated experience in service design, human-centred design, or innovation roles, preferably in not-for-profits, social impact organisations, or government contexts.
• You possess strong facilitation skills, with experience conducting workshops, user research, and co-design sessions.
• You have the demonstrated ability to develop and implement service models that are scalable and adaptable.
• You possess excellent problem-solving and analytical skills, with the ability to address complex challenges through creative and practical solution
• You have experience in working collaboratively across teams and with external stakeholders, including communities, funders and governments.
• You possess strong project management skills, including the ability to manage timelines, budgets and multiple priorities.
• You are comfortable in a start-up environment; you manage multiple competing priorities with a proactive and adaptable approach.
• You demonstrate a commitment to PLACE’s vision, values and principles, particularly around community leadership and shared decision-making.

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 design and development of PLACE’s service offerings, ensuring they are user-centred, effective, and aligned with organisational priorities.
• Collaborate with stakeholders, including communities, funders, and government partners, to co-design services that meet their needs and priorities.
• Design and implement shared service models that provide operational efficiencies for place-based backbones, such as administrative support, data management, and grant reporting.
• Test and iterate PLACE’s services through pilot programs, ensuring they are adaptable and scalable for broader implementation.
• Work closely with the Learn and Share and Strengthen Data teams to integrate evidence and data insights into service design processes.

Please see the attached position description for more.

Establishment Phase Priorities:

• Lead the development of PLACE’s initial shared service models, ensuring they are fit-for-purpose and ready for implementation during the start-up phase.
• Contribute to the creation of foundational tools and processes that will guide PLACE’s service design activities as the organisation grows.
• Engage with key stakeholders to build early buy-in and trust in PLACE’s service offerings.

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 Fringe Benefits Tax options, in addition to base salary and superannuation.
• 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 this portal 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: Senior Service Designer - PLACE - 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.