Project & Policy Officer, Aboriginal Health

Provide project and governance advice on matters concerning the health needs of Aboriginal prisoners and young offenders.
- Ongoing opportunity to work with a high-performing and passionate team.
- VPS Grade 4: $90,067 - $102,192 plus superannuation.

The Department of Justice and Community Safety (the department) is seeking a Policy and Project Officer - Aboriginal Health to provide a critical role within Justice Health.
This is an Aboriginal Identified Position, classified under 'special measures' of section 12 of the Equal Opportunity Act 2010. Only Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are eligible to apply.

About the business unit
The Aboriginal Health Unit is responsible for the design, development, implementation and motoring of initiatives to strengthen Aboriginal health care within both adult and youth custodial settings. this includes initiatives to:

- Enhance cultural safety of health care services
- ensure that health care services meet the needs of Aboriginal Prisoners and young people, including prioritising culture, cultural strengthening, addressing trauma and supporting healing,
- increase aboriginal engagement with healthcare services

The Aboriginal health unit will achieve this through working in partnership with key stakeholders including Aboriginal adults and youth in custody, community, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs), contracted health service providers, custodial staff and other services provided in custody.
About the role
Reporting to the Aboriginal Health and Governance Team Leader you will provide project and clinical governance support to Justice Health to advance priority work to strengthen the health needs of Aboriginal people in custodial settings.

**Some of your duties will include**:

- In partnership with the Aboriginal community drive work to further self-determination approaches to the development of key projects including the new models to enhance the cultural safety of service provision within custodial health setting.
- Develop and review projects and provide authoritative advice, recommendations and innovative options to management and stakeholders in relation to the health and rehabilitation needs of Aboriginal Community in the prison system.
- Prepare high quality submissions, briefing papers, correspondence and research documents and support government processes as required, including supporting the Aboriginal Justice Forum.

To learn more about this role before applying, please read the attached position description.
About you

**To be successful in this role, you will have**:

- Experience with working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community is essential.
- Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of the Aboriginal community, society and culture and the issues impacting on these.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate sensitively and effectively with the Victorian Aboriginal community.
- Ability to develop high quality and timely policy advice within a highly sensitive and complex environment.

A tertiary qualification in a suitably related discipline would be desirable.

How to apply

**IMPORTANT INFORMATION**:
The department is committed to providing and maintaining a working environment which is safe and without risk to the health of its employees consistent with the department's obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic). Therefore, there is a requirement that all DJCS employees be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to undertake duties outside of their homes.
Prior to commencement of employment with the department you will need to provide evidence that you are vaccinated against COVID-19.
Upon commencement of employment with the department you will be required to provide evidence that you have an up-to-date vaccination status within the timelines specified by the department into the DJCS Service Portal. This includes evidence of all doses of a COVID-19 vaccine required by the department (from time to time).

**Acceptable evidence includes**:
*
- COVID-19 digital certificate or ATAGI exemption certificate (available via your myGov account)
- Your immunisation history statement (available via your myGov account)

Other documentation outside the above will not be accepted as evidence of having received your COVID-19 vaccine doses.