The Australian Human Rights Commission is seeking an EL2 Director - Campaign & Engagement, Community Support to work in their Race Discrimination Team on a full time non-ongoing basis until 30 June, 2025.

The Race Discrimination Team undertakes a program of policy, project, education and public awareness work under the Commission’s National Anti-Racism Strategy including a national anti-racism campaign and initiatives to progress a National Anti-Racism Framework.

The Commission has recently been given funding to deliver a program of anti-racism work to support Muslim, Palestinian, Arab, Jewish and other communities in Australia affected by the Hamas-Israel conflict.

Purpose of the position

• Deliver a time sensitive program of community engagement with Muslim, Jewish, Arab and Palestinian communities, leaders and representative bodies.
• Deliver tailored anti-racism content and lead awareness raising anti-racism initiatives to combat antisemitism, Islamophobia, anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian racism and hate including through Commission campaign and other channels.

Key responsibilities

Community engagement:

• Lead the time sensitive delivery of an agreed program of work including community engagement and consultations taking a trauma-informed, solutions-based approach.
• Develop and maintain relationships with key interest groups and communities as well as internal stakeholders to effectively deliver the program of work.
• Ensure hard to reach and hardly reached audiences are engaged with the program of work.
• Apply a robust approach to identifying and effectively managing risks in a complex operating environment.
• Lead monitoring, evaluation and reporting on program outcomes including to the Commonwealth Government.

Public awareness and education:

• Lead the design and development of tailored, engaging anti-racism public awareness and education content across multiple channels including existing Commission channels.
• Confidently identify audiences, key messages and communication channels.
• Work effectively with external providers as required to create and distribute content.

Strategic advice and leadership:

• Provide strategic advice to the Race Discrimination Commissioner and Commission Executive on the program of work in alignment with its purpose, the Commission’s National Anti-Racism Strategy and the Commission Strategy and Workplan, including corresponding resourcing.
• Lead a high performing team of multi-disciplinary professionals.
• Lead the design and implementation of best practice community engagement and communications strategies to effectively deliver program objectives.
• Represent the Commission in public, and in community engagement settings related to the program of work.

Key capabilities and role requirements

Experience, qualifications and accreditations:

• Demonstrated expertise in community engagement and consultation.
• Demonstrated expertise in campaigns and/or public awareness initiatives.
• Demonstrated experience in managing complex projects/programs.
• Lived experience with First Nations or other racialised communities is desirable.
• Demonstrated experience in anti-racism is desirable.
• Demonstrated experience in the provision of high-level advice in relation to complex human rights issues.
• Budget and financial management experience.

Strategic Leadership:

• Demonstrated capacity for setting strategic direction, achieving outcomes in a human rights policy or similar context.
• Exceptional leadership, management and representational skills in a complex, sensitive and dynamic environment.
• Experience in the effective management of organisational risks, and in compliance with regulatory and reporting requirements.

Relationships and interpersonal skills:

• Exceptional relationship management skills with a capacity to ensure stakeholder interests are recognised and managed successfully.
• Collaboration and negotiation skills with an ability to navigate challenging situations in a dynamic environment.

Communication:

• Exceptional communication skills including a demonstrated ability to communicate:
  • with all stakeholders with respect, empathy, discretion utilising a trauma-informed approach
  • confidently and persuasively on matters relevant to the delivery of the Commission’s identified strategic priorities and the objectives of the program of work across diverse stakeholders.

Professional knowledge and skills

• Project / Program Management skills with an ability to deliver effective outcomes.
• Monitoring and evaluation skills, and establishment of evaluation frameworks to assess program delivery effectiveness.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

We value inclusivity and diversity and seek people who support and model the behaviours we promote in our workforce. We strongly encourage applications from First Nations Australians, mature workers, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, carers, LGBTQI+ and people with disability.

Under section 22(8) of the Public Service Act 1999, employees must be Australian citizens to be employed in the Australian Public Service (APS) unless the Agency Head has agreed otherwise, in writing.

The Commission is committed to providing an accessible, inclusive work environment to enable people with a disability to participate fully in all aspects of employment. Applicants are encouraged to request reasonable adjustment as required to assist your participation in this recruitment process.

Please provide a resume and covering letter outlining your interest in this position. You are not required to address each selection criterion individually but should provide sufficient information to demonstrate that your skills, knowledge and experience are the right fit for this position. Please be accurate, succinct and show a clear connection with the selection criteria for the role.

The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to fulfil the requirements of the role in an impartial and respectful manner as required by the APS Code of Conduct. The successful candidate will uphold the integrity and independence of the Australian Human Rights Commission.

As part of the recruitment and selection process, applicants will be required to consent to and undergo background checks which may include character and social media checks.

Additional information may be sought from [email protected] using the subject line: Director - Campaign & Engagement, Community Support enquiry via EthicalJobs.

A position description is attached.