Policy Officer

**Key Position Information**

***

Business Unit**:Policy and Advocacy**

Location**:Marrickville, NSW**

Level **Level 4**

Reports To**:Director, Policy and Advocacy**

Status**:Six-month maternity leave contract - Full Time - 35 hours / week**

Financial Delegation **Nil**

**About AbSec**

**AbSec **- NSW Child, Family and Community Peak Aboriginal Corporation - is the peak organisation for Aboriginal
children and families in NSW. We work to empower Aboriginal children, young people, families, and
communities impacted by the child protection system, and support a quality Aboriginal community-controlled
child and family sector to deliver needed supports in Aboriginal communities across the state. We are a not-for
- profit, incorporated community organisation, governed by an all-Aboriginal board.

AbSec provides child protection and out-of-home care policy, research and advocacy advice on issues affecting
Aboriginal children, young people, families and carers, and we are informed by our membership base and
community to ensure that Aboriginal perspectives are included in government policy and reform directions.

AbSec Learning and Development Centre (AbSec LDC), is a subsidiary organisation and registered training
organisation. AbSec LDC is the only registered training organisation in NSW owned and managed by Aboriginal
people in the child and family support sector, offering recognised qualifications in disability support, family
welfare and child protection, as well as governance, leadership and management.

Our Vision
Aboriginal children and young people are looked after in safe, thriving Aboriginal families and communities. They
are raised strong in spirit and identity, with every opportunity for lifelong wellbeing and connection to culture.

Our Principles
- **Acknowledgement and respect **- acknowledging the diversity of all Aboriginal nations and respecting traditional

owners of the land, constantly reminded by Elders, and cultural knowledge of communities to inform our action
- **Professionalism and integrity **- acting with the highest level of professionalism for our communities, ensuring

our integrity will not be compromised in striving for the provision of quality, culturally responsive and accessible
supports
- **Self-determination **- ensuring that our focus is underpinned by the rights of Aboriginal people to make decisions

that impact their lives, recognising the interests of Aboriginal children, young people, families and carers, and
communities in all that we do
- **Independence and solutions focused **- serving the interests of Aboriginal children, young people, families,

people with disability, communities and the organisations that support them to deliver holistic approaches to
issues impacting them
- **Transparency and commitment **- remaining committed to our people in everything we do, ensuring our actions

are clear and promoted at every opportunity

**Role Purpose**

The Closing the Gap Policy Officer provides advice and support to AbSec relating to Closing the Gap (CtG) policy,
research and advocacy matters. The primary responsibilities of this position are to provide detailed and informed
policy advice to the CEO and Executives on a range of complex policy issues including policy analysis, researching the
synergies between Closing the Gap and Family is Culture reforms, advice in the development of the NSW CtG
Implementation Plan, developing AbSec CtG policy positions, promoting AbSec CtG policy positions to key
stakeholders, and preparing quality reports, submissions, briefing papers and correspondence. The role works
closely with governance structures of the NSW Council of Peak Aboriginal Organisations (NSW CAPO) and Safe
and Supported, and the Ministerial Aboriginal Partnership Group (MAP Group).

**Position Requirements**
- Tertiary qualifications and/or equivalent in the areas of social and or public policy is desirable.
- Minimum of 1 years’ working experience and knowledge within policy reform and/or organisational

governance.

**Function Accountabilities**

**Operational** Develop and deliver policies that respond to legislative amendments affecting Aboriginal
children, families, communities and agencies.
- Develop and maintain appropriate planning strategies for the effective oversight of policy

development and review processes.
- Develop and maintain timely advice, detailed briefings, resource materials, reports,

correspondence and submissions on a range of complex policy issues to inform Absec’s
policy and advocacy objectives.
- Undertake research to design and manage projects to influence AbSec’s policy agenda.
- Participate and lead in working groups, committees, community consultations, and other
- associated forums to inform AbSec’s policy priorities.
- Work closely and maintain strong connections with Aboriginal agencies, communities,

families, children and young people and government agencies to ensure confidence in
AbSec’s work.
- Coordinate wit