Full Time | 36 hours | 9-day fortnight
Salary Range $94,439 - $98,355
Position Brief - First Nations Officer
About The Role
Located within the First Nations Team, the First Nations Officer plays a vital role in supporting meaningful First Nations participation across City events and projects. This position contributes to the delivery of culturally respectful engagement outcomes by working closely with internal teams, Traditional Owners, and First Nations stakeholders.
As part of a collaborative and supportive team environment, the First Nations Officer assists in the implementation of key Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) deliverables and supports City-wide initiatives that promote inclusion, recognition, and respect for First Nations cultures, knowledge, and perspectives.
The role provides operational and coordination support for First Nations engagement activities, including responding to enquiries, preparing documentation, and assisting with project engagement processes in line with established guidelines. With a strong focus on relationship-building, advocacy, and cultural awareness, the First Nations Officer helps ensure that the City's programs and services reflect best-practice First Nations engagement.
This is a permanent full-time position based in Bundall on the Gold Coast.
Further Position Responsibilities Will Include, But Not Limited To
Assist in the delivery of First Nations participation in City events as required Support for Acknowledgement of Country and Welcome to Country engagement activities.
Build and maintain relationships with customers, Traditional Owners, and First Nations stakeholders to achieve effective participation outcomes, as directed by the Coordinator First Nations.
Support the Coordinator First Nations and Senior First Nations Officer in undertaking First Nations engagement on City projects, including the preparation of documentation, following established guidelines and instructions, and maintaining the City's First Nations Stakeholder Contract Register
Coordinate and support responses to general internal and external First Nations enquiries, ensuring timely and accurate information is provided, in consultation with the Coordinator First Nations. This includes auditing the requests and monitoring trends and cultural concerns.
Provide advocacy and advice for internal requests and public sector First Nations participation, ensuring that the City's initiatives are inclusive and respectful of First Nations cultures and perspectives. This will be done in consultation with the Coordinator First Nations.
Escalate sensitive enquiries and requests to the Coordinator First Nations.
Develop and maintain website updates and SharePoint content related to First Nations engagement.
Assisting in the ongoing implementation of Reconciliation Action Plan deliverables.
We're Looking For People Who Have
A strong understanding of best practices in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander engagement, with proven experience in navigating sensitivities related to Traditional Owner engagement and First Nation stakeholders whilst undertaking duties is essential.
Relevant degree with experience in public relations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander engagement, or a related field. Alternatively, an Associate Diploma with substantial experience in public sector First Nations participation. Less formal qualifications with specialised skills sufficient to perform the duties required at this level may also be considered.
Demonstrated experience working on First Nations matters and assisting and supporting First Nations participation in public sector projects.
Demonstrated stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to build and maintain relationships with identified customers, Traditional Owners, and First Nations stakeholders.
Excellent communication and relationship-building skills and the ability to provide specialist advice on First Nations matters.
Understanding of Reconciliation Action Plan development, deliverables and their implementation.
The ability to support City events and projects ensuring First Nations perspectives and engagement are embedded in planning and delivery, and experience in collaborating with various departments and stakeholders to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes for First Nations participation.
Active participation in the RAP Working Group, providing insights and feedback on RAP initiatives and supporting the development and implementation of RAP deliverables.
Driver's licence - Desirable
Be part of shaping the Gold Coast's future
The Gold Coast is inspired by lifestyle and driven by opportunity. We are the second largest Council in Australia.
Benefits
We care about being the most flexible government organisation in Australia. We have a range of benefits to help you create the right balance:
9-day fortnight
Flexible work arrangements to suit your lifestyle, including hybrid/work from home options, flexible working hours and locations
Personal and professional development courses
Access to 350+ fitness facilities through Fitness Passport
4 free confidential counselling sessions a year for you or an immediate family member
1 free nutritionist and financial advice session per year
We pride ourselves on our shared mission of being a high-performing, customer-focused organisation which delivers value-for-money services to the community.
How To Apply
To submit your application, please click apply now and complete the application form. You will be required to upload your resume and a cover letter (no more than two pages) outlining how your skills, experience and personal attributes will enable you to be successful in this role. Please note that you may also be asked to provide relevant qualifications, where applicable.
Contact Person Melanie Lavelle-Maloney
Contact Email mlavelle-
Closing Date Sunday 22 February 2026 at 11:59pm AEST
Our selection process may include a one-way video interview via Criteria, a face-to-face or virtual interview via Microsoft Teams, reference checks via Xref and additional checks including police checks, employment history checks, qualification checks, pre-employment medical reviews and drug and alcohol testing.
We're committed to creating a diverse workplace and inclusive culture. We take pride in people who align with our high-performance principles. We believe that the diverse makeup of our workforce reflects the community we serve. We consider all qualified candidates for employment, irrespective of race, age, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or other protected characteristics by law.