• Full time, 12-month position.
• Exciting new role working in a supportive and community focused team.
• Work towards greater sustainability through community connections in a local area.
• Salary from $81,861.00 - $105,880 per year (Band 5 or 6, depending on extent of skills and experience) plus Superannuation.

About Merri-bek City Council

Merri-bek is a progressive council with 180,000 residents: one community, proudly diverse. It's known for its lively community, great festivals, cool pools, and diverse shops. It's also known for our community of artists and creative businesses. As a Council, we've been helping our community through hard times. Our long-term vision has big goals. They are for the environment, community wellbeing, and making great places.

Council aims to be a modern, innovative, and collaborative. It is deeply committed to engaging with the diverse Merri-bek community. The Civic Centre is in Coburg, 8 kilometres north of Melbourne’s CBD. There are excellent public transport options and great food and cafés right at the doorstep.

We pride ourselves on being an inclusive and welcoming workplace. We offer flexibility to work in the office and at home. We truly care about giving our staff work/life balance. Our organisation vision is: One team, brave and diverse, making a difference.

About the role

We're looking for someone with the passion and experience to work with local people and community groups. The role will test different ways to change how people understand, think about and act on important sustainability topics: energy, waste, and sustainable transport.

We aim to raise awareness about the environment. We also want to encourage lasting changes in behaviour. This applies to both residents and businesses.

To reach and build relationships with under-represented communities may require patience, empathy, careful listening, and great social skills. Council aims to pilot this approach in a geographic area in the north of Merri-bek.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Map and build trust with Merri-bek's multicultural groups. They are multilingual and multifaith.
• Work with community members to design education and local initiatives related to energy, waste, and sustainable transport.
• Deliver education and communications activities to community members.
• Track the progress and impacts of this pilot approach, so it can be evaluated.
• Share insights and experiences with the Sustainable Communities team and wider Council.

Skills and experience we are looking for:

• Experience working within multicultural communities.
• Qualification (from Australia or overseas) in community development, behavioural sciences, public health, sustainability, education, or social science.
• Experience in delivering community projects including project design and monitoring.
• Good written, verbal, and other communication skills.
• Ability to speak a Merri-bek community language is highly desirable. For example: Arabic, Greek, Italian, Chinese, Turkish, Urdu, Vietnamese or Nepali
• Knowledge and interest in sustainability issues is highly desirable.

What this role can offer

• Opportunities for training & career development.
• Salary sacrifice options.
• A real sense of work-life balance & flexible work options.
• Wellness programs.

Further support offered for our staff

• Ceremonial leave.
• Gender affirmation leave.
• Family violence leave.

For more information about this position please contact Donna Luckman on 03 9304 9741.

Merri-bek wants our staff to reflect the diverse community we serve. We believe lived experience will help this role succeed. It will also grow a safe, inclusive work culture.

Merri-bek is committed to removing barriers to employment. We help people with a disability or other hurdles with getting and keeping good jobs.

A position description is attached.