Community Development Manager

Join to apply for the Community Development Manager role at Kempsey Shire Council (Careers at Council).

Location: West Kempsey, New South Wales. Employment type: Full-time.

Kempsey Shire Council (KSC) is located on the Mid North Coast of NSW, known for its genuine hospitality, pristine beaches, sub-tropical rainforests, mountain ranges, rock river gorges, sprawling farmland and peaceful villages.

We are seeking an experienced Community Development Manager to lead our dedicated and energetic Community Development team. If you are passionate about community capacity building and empowering change, we encourage you to apply. Reporting to the Group Manager, Community Partnerships, the Community Development Manager will lead the Community Development team by creating the conditions for effective and responsive community development initiatives that reflect community and Council priorities.

• Apply asset-based community development strategies to work in partnership with community groups and government organisations to support events, activities, and capacity building within the Shire.
• Establishing relevant and trusted partnerships with other Government and non-government organisations to support their own community development programs.
• Establishing and maintaining programs and services to meet the identified needs, including opportunities for community led placemaking, supporting disaster preparedness, response and recovery, events and capacity building.
• Seeking grant funding opportunities and comply with funding requirements to increase the range of services delivered to the community.
• Leading the development and implementation of Council's Arts and Culture Plan, Reconciliation Action Plan and Disability Inclusion Action Plan, ensuring they are considered in all of Council's operations.

To be successful in this role, you should possess:

• Experience in asset-based community development.
• Experience in project and event management.
• Experience in disaster preparedness and recovery (preferred but not essential).
• Highly developed spoken, written and cross-cultural communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively develop and deliver programs that positively impact a culturally diverse community.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively lead, manage, supervise, and influence staff.
• Tertiary qualification/s in Community Services, Social Sciences or a related discipline are desirable.

• A permanent full-time position, 35 hour work week
• Monthly RDOs
• Weekly salary of $2,068.86 to $2,328.52 (plus superannuation).
• Generous leave entitlements, including access to Long Service Leave after five years
• A working environment focused on wellbeing, including flexible work arrangements, rostered days off, EAP access, social club, and health and wellbeing programs.
• Fitness Passports for discounted access to a range of gym and pool facilities.
• Career development and learning opportunities, access to study leave if required.
• A supportive, collaborative working environment designed to help you grow
• A fantastic lifestyle and work life balance on the beautiful Mid-North Coast.

Please apply via Council's website: http://careers.kempsey.nsw.gov.au/. Note that you will be required to prepare and submit:

• A short statement (maximum 2 pages) outlining how your experience, abilities, knowledge and personal qualities will enable you to achieve the key accountabilities of the role (as listed in the Position Description); and
• Your current resume.

COB Wednesday, 24 September 2025. Please note that Council reserves the right to close this job advertisement before the stated closing date if a suitable candidate is found. Therefore, we encourage all interested applicants to submit their applications as soon as possible.

Kempsey Shire Council is an equal opportunity employer and celebrates our diverse, inclusive and values-led workforce. We welcome and encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with diverse culture and linguistic backgrounds and people with a disability. We will provide reasonable adjustments for suitably qualified individuals with disabilities. If you require additional assistance to participate in the recruitment process, please discuss with the advertised contact person. You can ask for reasonable adjustments to be made at any time during the recruitment process.