Committed to breaking down barriers to participation in regular physical activity and bringing communities together, parkrun supports communities around the world to deliver free, weekly events every weekend that people of all ages and backgrounds can take part in – as walkers, runners, volunteers and spectators.

The Opportunity

We are seeking an Outreach & Engagement Officer to be a valued member of parkrun’s Health and Wellbeing Team, based in the parkrun Asia Pacific Office on the Gold Coast.

This team is the champion of those who are more likely to face barriers to accessing physical activity and volunteering opportunities, seeking to improve inclusivity and maximise the health and wellbeing impact of parkrun.

As Outreach & Engagement Officer, you will play an important role in helping to devise, implement and evaluate outreach projects and campaigns, as well as contributing to the development of insight that supports our work.

The Role

As an Outreach & Engagement Officer you will primarily:

• take the lead in developing, implementing and evaluating a program of outreach initiatives to increase participation amongst target demographics. These will include activities to promote walking, running, volunteering, and spectating at parkrun events.
• drive the latest innovations around outreach and engagement and use insight to help shape activities.
• forge and maintain links with community and voluntary sector organisations, in particular those who support under-represented, marginalised and disadvantaged groups.
• deliver specific outreach activities at a regional and national level in line with grant funded projects.

The specific tasks include:

• identifying target demographics and groups.
• building and sustaining collaborative relationships with external organisations to raise awareness of, and promote walking, running, volunteering and spectating at parkrun.
• creating, training, managing and empowering a network of volunteer outreach ambassadors to support community engagement.
• confidently representing parkrun at meetings and other events, including compiling and delivering presentations on parkrun when required.
• supporting the development of parkrun related insight around barriers to participation and strategies for increasing participation.
• keeping accurate records of all outreach activities and their impact.
• overseeing the production of resources and content to support outreach efforts.
• regularly updating colleagues on progress and sharing insight/learnings.

The Ideal Candidate

Will have:

• significant experience of working with people or groups that are underrepresented, marginalised, isolated, or more likely to face barriers to leading healthy, active lifestyles.
• a proven track record in developing and delivering successful outreach interventions.
• experience of forging and sustaining strong relationships with a range of people and organisations.
• a proven ability to undertake research and use insight to support the development and evaluation of outreach activities.
• knowledge and understanding of the factors that impact people’s health and wellbeing, including the value of interventions like parkrun.
• the ability to travel regionally/nationally.

Will demonstrate:

• a passion for improving health and wellbeing outcomes for all and a solid understanding of the aims and objectives of parkrun in relation to health and wellbeing.
• empathy and understanding of the barriers faced by people and groups in sustaining a healthy lifestyle, such as affordability, accessibility, and life circumstances.
• knowledge of how to remove or minimise those barriers successfully and sustainably.
• confidence in generating and proposing new ideas and solutions.
• a thirst for knowledge and learning about outreach and strategies for engaging people from a range of backgrounds.
• the ability to work collaboratively within a team, and with stakeholders.
• the ability to juggle tasks, prioritise workloads and work to deadlines.
• positivity, enthusiasm and be an initiative-taker.
• excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• the ability to use technology (i.e. writing letters, sending emails, compiling spreadsheets, scheduling meetings and collaborating with co-workers and other relevant audiences).

how to apply

The full job description and application process is available on the parkrun Australia website.

1. Carefully read through the position description
2. Submit a covering letter and a suitably tailored CV
3. Include examples of your work, specifically in relation to the job requirements
4. Upload cover letter and CV using the Apply Now button

Instructions

1. Your cover letter and CV should:

• Not exceed three pages
  • one page covering letter
  • two pages for CV
• be typed using 12pt text
• have all pages numbered
• be saved as your full name
• be uploaded ideally as one file combining both covering letter and CV in one document

2. Include:

• your name, email address, and telephone number in the header
• confirmation that you are legally allowed to work in Australia
• parkrun ID (if you are registered with parkrun)

Files uploaded will be used solely for the purposes of recruitment. Files will be deleted 12 months after the selection process has concluded. Please see our privacy policy for more information.

If you have any specific questions with regard to this role, please contact us at [email protected] using the subject line: Outreach & Engagement Officer enquiry via EthicalJobs.

A position description is attached.