Indigenous Cultural Advisor

Work with a team committed to supporting positive outcomes
Make a difference every day
Integral part of the Senior Management Team

About the Role

Acacia Prison is one of the largest prisons in Australia, accommodating 1,525 male medium-security prisoners. Acacia has a focus on providing prisoners with educational, training and work opportunities that improve their chances of sustainable employment on release into the community.

The Aboriginal Cultural Advisor will strengthen and widen our understanding of Indigenous and Torres Strait islander issues provide linkages with the Senior Management Team, Real Support Network and broader community. Providing appropriate leadership and support to the Senior Management Team and Prison Director to make culturally responsive decisions. By strengthening our linkages with the community, Real Support Network and seek their policy input on issues, policies and practices utilising their networks in the assessment of individual cases. The Aboriginal Cultural Advisor will provide specific training during the Initial Training Course (ITC) and regular refreshers to the accommodation team regarding kinship, family groups and current familial issues from the community. This training will ensure a consistent approach is applied to a risk assessment; based on the understanding of culturally accurate practices and norms.

About You

You value diversity and difference, have a high level of cultural sensitivity and demonstrate exceptional moral values in everything you do. Experienced working with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, you would have mutual respect from their communities and Industry partners within Western Australia. You are excited by the challenges of working within a large and complex environment and hold knowledge of trauma informed care principles to drive effective change which provides positive outcomes.

To be successful in this role, you will have;

Identify as an Aboriginal Person

An Aboriginal person (as defined by the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983) means a person who:

is member of the Aboriginal race of Australia, and
identifies as an Aboriginal person, and
is accepted by the Aboriginal community as an Aboriginal person
Respect for Aboriginal cultural connections, contemporary beliefs, values and practices together with cultural association and/or knowledge and understanding of the WA Aboriginal people and communities.
Demonstrate an understanding of the contemporary issues facing Aboriginal Australians and the impacts these issues have on Aboriginal Australian societies and culture.
Demonstrate the highest levels of personal and professional integrity and ethical behaviour

Other desirable attributes:

Tertiary qualifications in Social Work, Social Sciences and / or relevant industry experience
A recognised qualification in Cultural Affairs
Experience in a similar leadership role, ideally in a similar institutional environment involving complex human behaviour
Proven experience in dealing with Aboriginal Communities of Western Australia, including a reflection of mutual respect from these communities.

This is a position of trust and responsibility and to support this we will conduct a thorough probity assessment, which includes a national police check as an essential selection component for this role.

Serco requires employees in this role to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our people. Please consider this requirement when submitting your application.

Serco and Proud

At Serco, not only is the nature of the work we do important, but everyone also has an important role to play from caring for vulnerable people to managing complex public services. We are a team of 60,000+ globally and 16,000+ in Asia Pacific responsible for delivering essential public services in areas including defence, justice, immigration, healthcare, facilities management and citizen services.

To learn more please visit

Join Us

If you are inspired to make a positive different and would like to be considered for this opportunity, please apply now.

Serco's values of Trust, Care, Innovation and Pride underpin everything we do. We are curious, creative and collaborative. Our people matter and make a difference every day.

We seek and celebrate diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds and cultures including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, LGTBQI+, veterans and people with disability. By joining Serco you will have access to Employee Networks led by colleagues who are passionate about diversity, inclusion and belonging.

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