Head of Community Development

About Children's Ground

Children's Ground is a First Nations organisation. The Children's Ground Approach is designed and delivered through the leadership of First Nations people. We are committed to systems change to ensure dignity, justice and equity for all children and families. Our work focuses on national reform as well as evidencing a new way of working.

The Children's Ground Approach is a whole of community, whole of life approach. We privilege First Nations knowledge systems and practice. Over the course of a generation, led by local expertise, we create and deliver an integrated system that is centred on learning, development and wellbeing that responds to the child and their family through the key transition points from pre-birth to young adulthood.

Our approach recognises the cultural, social, and economic strength of our communities. We build on this over a generation to ensure a future for our children and grandchildren that gives them freedom, opportunity and rights to their culture and identity.

Children's Ground operates in Central Australia and across the Top End, with support provided by a Melbourne-based Shared Services team.

About you

You are a proud First Nations person with a deep connection to culture, community, and Country. You bring strong experience in community development, governance, and engagement, and you're committed to walking alongside communities to support local leadership, decision-making, and self-determination. You understand the importance of culturally safe and inclusive practice, and you're passionate about creating meaningful opportunities for individuals and families across generations to thrive. You're someone who listens deeply, values cultural authority, and knows how to bring people together to plan, act, and grow strong, connected communities.

You have experience managing teams and mentoring others, and you're confident navigating both community spaces and professional settings. You are highly organised and adaptable, able to work with complex needs and competing priorities while keeping community voice and vision at the centre. You're collaborative, grounded, and a strong communicator who can build trusted relationships across cultures. You believe in the First Nations leadership, and you're ready to lead a team that delivers genuine, community-led change.

About the role

The Head of Community Development and Wellbeing leads Children's Ground's work to strengthen and embed community governance, local decision-making, and culturally safe, inclusive development initiatives in Darwin and Marlkawo. The role manages a team of Community Development Coordinators, Community Leads (community-based staff), and Community Engagement and Support Workers.

With an all-of-community focus, the role works with people of all ages and backgrounds to support self-determination and community-led planning. It requires the team to deeply understand each community's demographics, needs, strengths, and aspirations, ensuring that Children's Ground's work is grounded in local governance, culture, and knowledge systems.

The Head of Community Development and Wellbeing also plays a key leadership role within Children's Ground, working closely with the First Nations Governance Committee and the broader team to uphold the principles of cultural safety, inclusion, and self-determination.

Key Responsibilities

1. Leadership, Planning, and Strategy

• Provide strength-based leadership and support to a team of Community Development Coordinators, Community Leads, and Community Engagement and Support Workers, ensuring culturally responsive, community-led practice across all communities.
• Work alongside community governance structures and leaders to embed relational accountability, local cultural authority, and community decision-making into all planning and implementation.
• Collaborate with the Regional Director and First Nations Governance Committee to ensure program and operational decisions reflect the aspirations, needs, and cultural integrity of each community.
• Contribute to broader strategic planning, organisational development, and achievement of Children's Ground's goals.

2. Community Development, Governance, and Wellbeing

• Facilitate community-led planning processes that prioritise cultural knowledge, community safety, local employment, and inclusive governance.
• Strengthen governance structures and build capacity within the community, ensuring local leadership and succession planning which are central to decision-making.
• Support integrated service delivery that values local cultural authority and strengthens community wellbeing and cultural identity.
• Work with staff and communities to design and deliver activities and events that promote learning, development, cultural knowledge, and collective wellbeing.
• Foster collaboration and partnerships with stakeholders (e.g., schools, local organisations, government agencies) to support holistic, community-driven development and wellbeing initiatives.

3. Program Design and Implementation

• Guide the team to design and implement tailored programs that address community priorities across cultural, social, economic, health, and wellbeing needs.
• Ensure programs build local capacity, create local employment opportunities, and strengthen economic and enterprise development.
• Promote culturally safe practices and respect for First Nations knowledge systems in all aspects of program delivery.
• Support the implementation of community governance processes and integrated service delivery that aligns with Children's Ground's Community Development and Wellbeing Framework.

4. Team Development and Support

• Mentor and coach staff, particularly community-based team members, to build their skills and confidence in governance, facilitation, and community development.
• Create a culturally safe and supportive work environment that values and respects the contributions of First Nations staff and community members.
• Provide operational and administrative support to the Top End First Nations staff, in collaboration with the Regional Director.

5. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting

• Oversee data collection and reporting to meet monitoring, evaluation, and funding requirements, ensuring data is accurate, culturally respectful, and community-driven.
• Support transparent reporting processes that are accountable to communities and stakeholders.
• Maintain secure and up-to-date information systems, respecting confidentiality and data security.

6. Financial Accountability and Resource Management

• Plan, monitor, and manage the budget to comply with financial systems, and prepare financial reports as requested.
• Contribute to grant applications, delivery of community development programs against grants, and grant acquittal.
• Ensure the effective and transparent use of resources in ways that are accountable to the community.

7. Work Health and Safety

• Ensure WH&S requirements are met for all activities, including risk assessments and safe practices.
• Oversee compliance with WH&S policies and procedures, supporting staff safety and wellbeing in remote and outdoor environments.
• Support team wellbeing and work collaboratively to identify and mitigate risks.

8. Contribute to Children's Ground

• Be a positive, innovative, and active member of the Children's Ground team.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, respect, and continuous learning.
• Represent Children's Ground in meetings and external engagements as requested.
• Undertake other tasks as needed to support the delivery of Children's Ground in the Top End region.

Key Selection Criteria

• E xperience working with First Nations people and communities with ability to work positively with people's strengths and capacities, seeking opportunities for genuine inclusion
• Qualifications and/or minimum 3 years' experience in Community Development, Community Services, Youth Development, Education, or related field.
• Experience managing a small team and evidence of strength-based ways of working.
• Strong people skills – teamwork, communication, highly collaborative and an ability to work in a flexible team environment.
• Strong organisation and planning skills.
• Ability to balance competing work priorities and to work to tight timeframes and deadlines.
• Experience in data collection, report writing and sharing data story with a broad audience.
• Experience in financial accountability and grant processes.
• A current Working with Children Clearance Notice (Ochre Card) or ability to obtain.And a willingness to undergo a National Police Check.

The pay range for this role is:

116,500 - 121,362 AUD per year (Top End - Darwin)