Indigenous liaison officer - affirmative measure, aboriginal and torres strait islander (newcastle)

Location: Newcastle, NSW; Sydney, NSW

Salary: $101,833 - $111,979

We are committed to empowering futures, ensuring rights and enriching lives. We support people to have safe, secure and well-paid work with the skills for a sustainable future as we ourselves strive to be a model employer.

We provide the framework for fair and productive relationships between employers and employees. We also oversee skills development and training initiatives to support those entering the workforce or re‐training to take advantage of emerging employment opportunities.

With us, your work directly contributes to shaping the employment landscape. Whether you are engaging in policy development, program implementation, or direct support services, your efforts will have a tangible impact on job seekers, employees and the economy by giving them a framework to build a future anchored and realised through employment.

It is our ambition to do things differently, to create the 'department of great jobs' - where our people reflect our purpose.

Reporting to the Director Strategy, Corporate and Insights the Indigenous Liaison Officer is responsible for engaging with local communities and building positive working relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders. This will assist the department better understand gaps in service and barriers to employment opportunities for First Nations people.

The Indigenous Liaison Officer will collaborate with service providers, supporting and promoting local place‐based activity that enhances the experience and impact of First Nations people in employment and skills programs. This will help to address Priority Reforms under the National Closing the Gap Agreement and DEWR's Reconciliation Action Plan.

By providing the NSWACT State Office with feedback from community and in relation to place‐based activity, it will help build our cultural responsiveness and guidance on a local level. Our work can be challenging, but it is also rewarding and suits people who are resilient and embrace innovation, change, and want to make a difference in our communities.

Responsibilities of the APS 6 Level may include:

• Providing cultural intelligence and support to the NSWACT State office staff and Senior Executives on matters affecting First Nations people, relevant to the work of DEWR.
• Provide targeted program management and support on the ground for a variety of programs delivered by DEWR.
• Actively engage with key stakeholders to improve industry, employer and participant awareness, and uptake of DEWR programs.
• Participate in DEWR Community of Practice on Closing the Gap, representing NSWACT State Office and sharing information on the work being done to support First Nations peoples into employment, education and training.
• Lead and contribute to NSWACT State Office Closing the Gap initiatives, bringing together staff, providers, and key stakeholders to achieve shared outcomes for First Nations peoples.
• Develop a directory of First Nations key stakeholders across NSWACT so the right people are engaged in State Office led activity.
• Understand the dispersed caseload and demographic characteristics across NSWACT, to target activity to most need.

• A driver's licence is essential.
• Demonstrated experience working with First Nations communities and organisations is essential.
• Proficiency in Microsoft programs is essential.

These positions are only open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This is consistent with Section 31 of the Australian Public Service Commissioner's Directions 2022. The filling of this employment chance constitutes a special measure under subsection 8(1) of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975.

Confirmation of Heritage

• is of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent;
• identifies as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person;
• is accepted as such by the community in which they