About Story Factory:

At Story Factory, we believe that stories can change lives. As a not-for-profit, our mission is to enrich the lives of young people in under-resourced communities through quality creative writing programs. All our programs aim to improve young people’s writing skills, increase their confidence and expand their future prospects. As we often say: reading is access but writing is agency.

Since 2012, Story Factory has been running a wide variety of fun and engaging creative writing programs at primary and high schools across Sydney and Western Sydney, and at our centres in Redfern and Parramatta. In 2023, we began rolling out our programs nationally, delivering digital programs via Zoom to primary and high-school classrooms across the country.

Our achievements since 2012 include:

• 50,000+ student enrolments, with nearly 10,000 enrolments in 2023, including nearly 3,000 in our digital programs;
• 16% of student are Indigenous and 46% are from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds;
• Recognition of our work with multiple awards, including a Secretary’s Award for Excellence in the 2018 Public Education Foundation Awards, and Executive Director and Co-founder Catherine Keenan AM being named the 2016 Australian of the Year Local Hero.

About the role

The Digital Engagement Officer will play a crucial role in the growth and sustainability of our Digital Programs by identifying and recruiting new schools to participate in our programs. Additionally, they will be responsible for assisting in contributing to and implementing an engagement strategy to deepen our relationships with existing schools and educational partners. The Digital Engagement Officer will also manage all communications with prospective schools and schools currently enrolled in our Digital Programs, to ensure teachers and principals have a consistent and helpful point of contact.

This is a fixed-term role, to begin as soon as possible and end in December 2024. There is a possibility the contract will be renewed.

The role will be based at Story Factory Parramatta with the option of a hybrid work-from-home arrangement following the training period, and will be three days per week. This role will report to the National Program Manager, but will also work closely with the Digital Programs team, the Senior Manager, Communications and Publishing, and the Publishing Manager. The salary package is $75-85k per annum (dependent on qualifications and experience) plus superannuation, and fringe benefit salary sacrifice options are available. Story Factory also offers four weeks annual leave per year (pro-rated), a week of time-in-lieu around the end of the year, and cultural and ceremonial leave is available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff.

Key Position Priorities and Duties:

School Recruitment

• Identify and research potential schools and educational partners that align with our mission and values.
• Develop and maintain a database of prospective schools and key contacts.
• Build relationships with school administrators, teachers, and staff to promote our programs and services.
• Create tailored presentations and materials to effectively communicate the benefits of partnering with our organisation.
• Coordinate and conduct outreach activities such as conference visits, presentations, and online networking events.

Engagement Strategy

• Collaborate with the program team to develop a comprehensive engagement strategy aimed at increasing participation and involvement of schools in our programs.
• Plan and organise digital marketing campaigns
• Provide ongoing support and resources to schools, working closely with the National Program Manager and Digital Storytellers to ensure successful participation in our programs.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of engagement initiatives and make recommendations for improvement.

Administrative Duties

• Handle all communications with schools and community groups engaging in our Digital Programs through our designated email, answering questions about our program offerings, booking in workshops and including designated Digital Storytellers in correspondence where appropriate.
• Log workshop details in Trello, allocating associated tasks to the designated Digital Storyteller.
• Manage tracking of student attendance in student rolls, along with any ancillary administrative information involving students.
• Help to manage any special projects - assisting with things such as scheduling, questions about projects, etc.
• Maintain accurate records of school engagement activities, partnerships, and outcomes.
• Prepare regular reports and updates for management and stakeholders.
• Manage budgets and resources allocated for engagement initiatives.
• Insure compliance with relevant policies, procedures, and regulations.
• Participate in and attend relevant meetings as required.
• Participate in staff development and training activities as required.
• Like all staff at Story Factory, welcome the public and the local community into our centre, explain what we do, and forge links into the community.

Selection Criteria:

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as Education, Arts Administration, Marketing, Communications or Business.
• Proven experience in outreach, recruitment, marketing or community engagement, preferably within the education or non-profit sector.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build rapport and establish productive relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Strong organisational and project management abilities, with the capacity to multitask and prioritise effectively.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of educational trends and curriculum requirements.
• Proficiency in G-Suite and CRM software.

Our Commitment to Diversity

We embrace differences in gender, age, ethnicity, race, cultural background, disability, religion and sexual orientation. We know that diversity and inclusion helps us to attract, recruit, engage and retain a team of talented people. The success of our programs depends on authentic engagement with young people and their communities. The diversity of our team is one of our greatest assets, and nurturing that diversity - and supporting our team to grow our engagement with young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people - are key strategic objectives.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, are particularly encouraged to apply.

A position description is attached.