THE PROJECT

Mountains Community Resource Network (MCRN is the peak body for the community sector in the Blue Mountains, funded by NSW Communities & Justice, and has led the Recovery work for the community services sector since the October 2013 and 2019-20 bushfires).

MCRN is seeking to contract a Get Ready/Preparedness Coordinator position to join the Resilient Villages Team, to March 2025, to assist in implementation of a pilot project of Resilient Villages as part of a three-year Preparing Australian Communities grant (funded by the Federal government).

The project aims to draw together current/planned individual village-based initiatives and to assist each community to develop local, community-led Resilience Action Plans for each village/locality. This pilot project is designed to build on work underway in the Blue Mountains since 2013 to increase the resilience of our communities - street by street, and each village at a time.

A detailed Project Plan is available (see attached below).

The Project will provide skilled community development workers to assist with coordination, capacity-building and support to each participating community, and assist in ensuring sustainability. The lessons learned in the course of the project will be shared with other villages participating in the pilot, and any others interested in the model (in what we hope will be Stage 2 roll-out across the LGA).

In addition, the project will involve significant expansion of our coordinated annual Get Ready! BM preparedness program across the LGA, and we are recruiting for a FT position to coordinate this activity.

For a copy of our Annual Report and Strategic Plan, as well as an overview of our organisation, please download from the MCRN website.

See also our website for our previous work in emergencies and recoveries here.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

We are looking for a FT Get Ready! BM/Preparedness Coordinator (approx. SCHADS 5.1, depending on qualifications and experience), an experienced community development worker, (reporting to the Project Lead), who will:

• Initiate and support a significant expansion of our annual Get Ready! BM calendar of preparedness and capacity-building events, including;
  • Coordinate the Calendar of Events in partnership with RR&P (Recovery, Resilience & Preparedness) Group members
  • Liaise with Comms Officer around extensive promotion activities across the LGA in relation to Get Ready!
  • Roll-out of the HUFF (Heads-Up For Fire & other emergencies) model
  • Supporting the most vulnerable in our community to be better prepared for emergencies
  • Assist in coordinating the roll-out of Person-Centred Emergency Preparedness (P-CEP) across the LGA

Interested applicants MUST address essential and desirable selection criteria (see below); any applications which do not address the Selection Criteria will not be considered.

Please provide at least two referees, with at least one being a previous employer/supervisor. All applicants must be willing to undergo a criminal record and Working With Children check.

Enquiries about the position are to be directed to Kris Newton, MCRN Manager on 0458 626210.

Applications should be addressed to [email protected] using the subject line: Get Ready / Preparedness Coordinator - Resilient Villages Project enquiry via EthicalJobs.

Late applications will not be considered.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Essential

• Demonstrated background/expertise in community development (including specifically grass-roots community consultation/co-design processes, genuine community engagement)
• Demonstrated skill in building trusting relationships and productive networks (in community, with project partners/stakeholders, in a team)
• Demonstrated active listening skills
• Excellent written skills (including report-writing, analysis, data-analysis, developing case-studies and stories, recommendations for follow-up action)
• Excellent verbal communication skills (including clarity, matching message to target audience, chairing or convening public meetings, public speaking)
• Ability to deal with conflict (including in community meetings, or in a team)
• Driver’s Licence
• Proof of up-to-date COVID vaccinations

Desirable

• Demonstrated understanding of Blue Mountains community (shared values, unique villages, geography, history, socio-economic factors, experiences with emergencies, etc.)
• Previous experience with long-term Recovery or community preparedness programs following an emergency would be highly regarded
• Ability to work from home if required (NB laptops, mobiles, etc supplied)