Community Engagement Officer

**_Do you want your work to make a difference for NSW?_**
- Together, we create thriving environments, communities and economies._
- **Aboriginal identified opportunity**:

- **Community Engagement role with South East Biodiversity & Conservation Division**:

- **Ongoing full-time opportunity, Wollongong based or other location by negotiation**:

- **Salary relative to experience, and ranges from $103,961 to $117,290 + super**

Join the South East Biodiversity & Conservation Division to improve opportunities for Aboriginal communities to contribute to land management outcomes in our threatened species, coastal management and biodiversity planning business areas.

Our business areas are striving to improve ways that we work alongside Aboriginal communities. Can you help us improve our cultural capabilities and participation pathways for Aboriginal communities throughout the South East?

Current projects include:

- Working alongside community to develop a Healthy Country Plan for glossy black-cockatoos
- Improve Aboriginal participation within separate Saving our Species projects
- Support internal and external stakeholders to connect with Aboriginal communities to better incorporate their values within the NSW Coastal Management Program
- Mapping of cultural values alongside Elders and knowledge holders related to significant roadside vegetation

**This is an Aboriginal Identified role where Aboriginal identity, cultural knowledge or connections are a genuine aspect of the role. Positions are specifically noted under the provisions of the NSW Anti-discrimination Act (1977).**

**About You**
- **Do you have experience in improving Aboriginal community participation in government programs?**:

- **Can you help facilitate connections with Aboriginal knowledge holders and community members who have an interest in caring for Country?**:

- **Do you have a passion for facilitating improved opportunities for Aboriginal communities to have their voices heard?**:

- **Would you like to use your Aboriginal cultural knowledge and connections to heal Country and community?**:

- **Do you work well in a collaborative team?**

Use your experience to provide advice for the development and implementation of effective engagement processes and play a key role in identifying issues and needs of target audiences.

Your skills across a range of engagement tools will assist targeting a diverse array of stakeholders to **support delivery on priority regional and state-wide program outcomes**

The successful applicant will be an excellent communicator, self-motivated, strategic, and keen to work collaboratively with many staff across DPE and other NSW Government agencies.

**Role Responsibilities**
- Coordinate the delivery of community engagement strategies that promote regional community engagement programs optimised for identified customer needs
- Help proactively position us as a leader in community engagement and facilitate enhanced participation in programs
- Influence effective community engagement program design and delivery by researching and identifying the specific issues, needs and interests of target audiences
- Identify and recommend issues impacting on future community engagement strategies, approaches and programming.
- Provide technical input into the accurate and timely preparation of reports, submissions, briefing notes and ministerial correspondence
- Provide advice to management on the development and implementation of regional community engagement strategies, initiatives and programs
- Support effective project management of multidisciplinary teams by preparing and submitting high quality project plans and briefs

To be successful in the role you will need:

- Relevant qualifications and/or experience in community engagement
- Experience in preparing and delivering community engagement programs for a variety of stakeholders, in particular rural communities
- Ability to work collaboratively within multi-disciplinary teams and organisations to deliver successful project
- Excellent communication skills, self-motivated and eager to contribute to team outcomes.
- Capacity to travel as needed
- Drivers licence

**Essential Requirements**
- This is an identified role under Section 14d of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 and as such Aboriginality is an essential requirement of the role. Aboriginal identified positions are developed where Aboriginal identity, cultural knowledge or connections are a genuine aspect of the role. Positions are specifically noted under the provisions of the NSW Anti-discrimination Act (1977) for Aboriginal people who meet the following criteria:

- is of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent, and
- identifies as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person, and
- is accepted as such by the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community.
- Sensitivity to and understanding of Aboriginal Culture and an excellent understanding of Aboriginal community governance and struct