Strategic Advocacy and Engagement Advisor

**Salary $114 - $127K per annum + 11% Superannuation**:

- **Flexible working conditions and work from home 2 days a week**:

- **Shape and lead Whitehorse City Council's advocacy function**:

- **Real opportunity to make a difference
At Whitehorse City Council, community is at the heart of everything we do. To stay ahead of and best respond to the evolving changes and needs of the community, the organisation is undertaking an exciting journey that will transform ways of working and will empower employees to be innovative and constantly striving towards providing excellent customer experience at all times. The five pillars of our transformation focus on:

- Excellent Customer Experience and Service Delivery
- Great Organisational Culture
- Innovation and Continuous Improvement
- Good Governance and Integrity Long Term Financial Sustainability**The role**:

- This role will lead and shape Whitehorse Council's new strategic advocacy function and take ownership of all advocacy, grant and partnership opportunities for the Whitehorse City Council. This is a unique opportunity to create a new function and forge a way of working that leaves a lasting legacy.This role will develop and implement Whitehorse City Council’s advocacy strategy, identify advocacy priorities, identify grant opportunities and build organisational capability in advocacy and grants.

This role will develop and maintain strategic relationships with a wide range of stakeholders including Ministerial and departmental officers, government agencies, statutory authorities, other councils and industry.

They will help position the Whitehorse City Council as a key stakeholder in major Victorian Government infrastructure projects within the municipality and advocate for best outcomes for the community.

The Strategic Advocacy Advisor will have excellent knowledge of the political landscape and sound understanding of local, state and federal government systems including budget and election cycles.

**About you**:
- have significant experience in building and leading advocacy functions, developing strategic communications, lobbying and/or advocacy activities, in a community or government organisation.
- understand how to build and develop positive and strategic relationships across Council, governments and our community.
- have outstanding knowledge of the political landscape and government systems at a local, state and federal level including budget and election cycles and ability to use this knowledge to identify grants, funding and other strategic opportunities for Whitehorse City Council. have highly developed management skills with the ability to conceptualise, develop and manage multiple projects which achieve organisational priorities, taking into account external opportunities and constraints.Key Responsibilities:

- Lead and shape Council’s new strategic advocacy function and take ownership of all advocacy, grant and partnership opportunities for the Whitehorse City Council. This is a unique opportunity to create a new function and forge a way of working that leaves a lasting legacy.
- Build and maintain strategic relationships with internal and external stakeholders in order to keep across multiple projects and provide comprehensive updates as needed, including to an executive level.
- Identify advocacy priorities collaborating with Executive, Councillors, internal stakeholders and teams, which are aligned with Council’s strategic priorities and aligned with State and Federal government positions.
- Lead the development of strategic communications and media strategies to amplify Council’s position on varying topics to internal and external audience.
- Maintain a register of election commitments and track their implementation.
- Keep across political and government announcements in order to brief other Council departments and executives. Build a maintain an advocacy calendar that tracks advocacy goals and relevant budget and election cycles.**In return, we will offer**:
**The ability to make a difference - **Working at Whitehorse City Council you contribute to making a real difference in the lives of the community and those that live, learn, work or visit Whitehorse. Every day you really will see how the work you're involved in benefits the diverse community.

**Great working conditions **- a professional environment, friendly and supportive teams and a flexibility program that promotes employee work life balance.

**An extensive Health and Wellbeing offering **- Employee assistance program, private health insurance benefits, health checks (skin, hearing and vaccinations), discounted gym membership and facilities (e.g. Theatre, Arts, Leisure) and an active health and wellness program (e.g. stretching, healthy eating demonstrations and health challenges.

**Transformation**:

- We are in a time of transformation to stay ahead of the evolving changes and needs of our community. Together, we are on an exciting journey to empower all of our