This is an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander designated position, classified under Section 12 Special Measures of the Equal Opportunity Act 2010.

This employment opportunity is only available to Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Salary Offering: $82,840.96 (VALS RC 1.1 ) per annum, depending on experience plus 11.5% Superannuation

Office Locations: High Street, Preston

This position may require regional and very occasional interstate travel.

Additional Benefits:

• 17.5% Leave Loading
• 5 extra days leave on top of 20 days annual leave
• Only required to work 35 hours per week, any extra hours worked will be calculated as your Time In Lieu (TOIL) – which you may use as additional leave hours
• Access to company vehicles for any work-related trips
• Salary packaging of up to $15,900+ per FBT available via Maxxia

OVERVIEW OF THE ROLE:

The Senior Community Engagement Officer will have a focus on engaging with Aboriginal communities to identify their legal service needs and legal reform priorities. The focus of this role is:

• Organising and facilitating community engagement events
• Preparing resources for community engagement events, such as flyers and presentations
• Writing reports about community engagement events
• Developing strong relationships with community engagement staff in other Aboriginal organisations

This role would suit someone who enjoys speaking with community and has event coordination and delivery experience.

What A Day as A Senior Community Engagement Officer Looks Like:

Community Engagement

• Develop and implement a community engagement plan for the Policy, Communications and Strategy team
• Support VALS’ clients who wish to engage in policy and advocacy in relation to the legal system
• Engage with other Aboriginal organisations and stakeholders
• Travel across Victoria to engage with Aboriginal communities and VALS clients.
• Support the planning and delivery of Community Legal Education sessions run by VALS as needed
• Support the Policy, Communications and Strategy team to translate the concerns of clients and the Aboriginal communities into specific campaigns, policy and advocacy materials and communication strategies.

Stakeholder Management

• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with key internal and external – particularly staff in other Aboriginal organisations who deliver community engagement or Community Legal Education events
• Ensure that clients and community attending events feel comfortable and safe to share their thoughts and know how to access any supports they might need.
• Engage with suppliers and ensure good procurement processes VALS events.

Internal Obligations

• Commitment to VALS’s strategic plan
• Attend and actively contribute at team and working group meetings
• Provide mentoring and support to other members of the Policy, Communications and Strategy team as needed
• Provide supervision and guidance to other policy staff and contractors, including volunteers
• Undertake other duties & responsibilities within the scope of the role as directed.

Personal Accountability

• Compliance with all VALS Values, code of conduct, policies and procedures and relevant government legislation and standards where relevant
• Demonstrate a commitment to the principles of social justice and aim to ensure every individual is treated with dignity and respect regardless of their background, ability, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation or religion
• Ensure appropriate use of resources
• Actively participate in initiatives to maintain, build upon and promote a positive and collaborative workplace
• Take reasonable care for your own health & safety, and health and safety of others (to extent required)
• Promptly respond to and report health and safety hazards, incidents and near misses to management
• Attend mandatory training sessions (ie. equal employment opportunity, health and safety, cultural safety) and mandatory training specific to position.

Key Selection Criteria

Essential

• Relevant qualifications or experience
• Community engagement or event management experience
• Ability to work autonomously and to collaborate in a small team environment
• High level organisational and administrative skills and ability to prioritise workload, to work under pressure and meet deadlines
• Ability to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and acknowledge their diverse backgrounds, personalities and varying needs and the unique cultural ways in which they may be expressed.

Desirable

• Demonstrated relationship-building and stakeholder engagement skills
• Demonstrated computer literacy skills and proficiency using the Microsoft Office and other relevant software
• Lived-experience of the criminal legal system
• Understanding of the role of Aboriginal legal services and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations.
• Experience working in the non-profit sector.

MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS:

On offer of this position, you must provide:

• A copy of your current Employee Working with Children Check card
• A copy of your current Victorian Driver’s License
• You will be required to complete a current Criminal History Police Check
• Proof of rights to work in Australia, i.e. a copy of an Australian Passport, Birth Certificate or Immigration VISA documentation
• COVID-19 Proof of Vaccination Certificate or current and valid medical exemption certificate
• Copies of any certificates or degrees relevant to this role