Foster Care Recruitment Officer

The Foster Care Recruitment Officer works within MacKillop's NSW CR&D Team.

There is an immediate and chronic shortage of Foster Carers and this position will proactively engage within the local community, with schools, business and organisations to support the promotion of foster care across Northern NSW focusing initially on the Clarence Coffs region.

This includes working with the CR&D Project Officer in rethinking conventional ways of promotion, advertisement, engagement, marketing and attraction activities and converting these ideas into actions.    

The Foster Care Recruitment Officer reports to the NSW CR&D Manager and will also work collaboratively with the Northern NSW CR&D team.

**This is a part-time position 2 days per week (15.2hrs) based in our Grafton office**

The Foster Care Recruitment Officer will be responsible for:

·      Assist in the implementation of the recruitment plan to promote and attract foster care applicants in the Northern NSW region using contemporary and alternative approaches.

·      Provide support to the local CR&D teams recruitment activities

·      Ensure the maintenance of Family Journey (MacKillop's CMS) to ensure all carer activity can be regularly monitored and analysed.

Provide regular updates and report on activities and outcomes

·      Approach the promotion of foster carer across Northern NSW in a new, creative way, whilst continuing to support all the existing embedded strategies.

·      Represent MacKillop Family Services at community events to attract new foster carers and raise community awareness of foster care.

·      Consider all types of mediums to broaden the scope for promoting foster care and attracting interested people to take that next step to become a foster carer. Engage across all sectors in Northern NSW to reach into and promote foster care with a view to increasing awareness and interest in foster care and taking the next step to assessment.

·      Support carer engagement in activities such as carer support groups.

·      Assist in organising carer celebrations/social events, including public speaking engagements.

·      Excellent interpersonal skills, with a demonstrated capacity to work collaboratively with others and exercise influence in a diversity of contexts.

·      Demonstrated ability to manage and prioritise a range of tasks, plan workloads and work to deadlines.

·      Support for the statement of purpose and values of MacKillop and the Sanctuary commitments.

From time to time, as mentioned above, a person's position may need to change significantly and hence warrant a complete review. At such times and where required, the incumbent will be adequately trained/mentored to support them during this transition.

Key selection criteria:

·      A knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal culture and values and an awareness of the current issues faced by Aboriginal children, young people and their families.

·      An appropriate qualification either in human services and/or marketing and/or communications (equivalent experience and skills). A combination of equivalent study and experience, including Aboriginal people with lived and professional experience will be considered. 

·      Demonstrated skills and experience in project planning, public speaking, event planning, marketing and promotion, administration and coordination.

·      Ability and willingness to create new and innovative ways to promote and engage the community around foster care. 

·      Confidence to engage, build relationships and partnerships through verbal and written communication with community, stakeholders, services, industry.

·      An ability to adhere to deadlines and meet performance measures while working under pressure and to work autonomously.

Willingness and ability to travel and work alternative hours including planned weekends

The incumbent must possess a:

·      Valid and current Driver's Licence.

·      Valid and current Working with Children Check.

·      Valid and current NDIS Worker Check (for NDIS risk assessed roles).

·      Satisfactory criminal history check conducted by MacKillop Family Services.

Our offer:

• A great opportunity to join a leading provider of community and family services. Succession Plan for career growth. 
• Hourly Rate based on SCHADS Award dependent on qualification and experience. 
• Salary packaging – we can help you to maximize your salary packaging up to $18,550 per year, which allows you to reduce the amount of tax you pay.
• Professional Development- we promote ongoing learning and development and provide study leave, and an enormous amount of training and development within our inhouse learning team.  
• Training- Industry-specific training paid by MacKillop including Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI), Sanctuary and Cultural Awareness training.
• Employee Assistance Program- Free access to a wide range of options with all aspects of life such as social, financial, physical, mental health by providing counselling and coaching supporting relating both to your circumstance, even including health advise from qualified nutritionists 
• Sanctuary- MacKillop's work is underpinned by the Sanctuary Model, an evidence-supported, whole-of-organisation framework that brings our values to life. The model reinforces our ability to create a safe environment that teaches people to cope effectively with stress and trauma, and to heal.
• Click HERE to find out more about becoming a member of the MacKillop Family Services team and what further support we have to offer our employees.

Our Commitment:

MacKillop celebrates and draws strength from diversity and respects the dignity of all people. Every person at MacKillop has the right to be safe and to be treated justly. We value every person's ability, cultural or linguistic backgrounds, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, intersex status, relationship status, religious or spiritual beliefs, socio-economic status, and age.

It is our goal that MacKillop Family Services continues to evolve as a culturally safe, culturally competent, and welcoming organisation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, young people, families, and communities.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

• Shortlisting for this position may commence immediately so please submit your application as soon as possible.