Who We Are

Balarinji is a Sydney-based, Aboriginal Australian-owned strategy and design agency that amplifies Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, voices and narratives authentically, to create impactful change for a new, shared Australian identity through design excellence: www.balarinji.com.au

Founded in 1983 by its Chair and Cultural Director, Yanyuwa man John Moriarty and Managing Director and Creative Executive, Ros Moriarty. As an award-winning agency our founders are recognised for their design excellence and unparalleled contribution to building bridges of best practice participation between Aboriginal communities, business and the broader community.

We assist our national and international clients to express Australian identity through best practice co-design with Country and community, for construction, interiors, public art, digital and design and communications. The company’s work spans graphic design, branding, digital, infrastructure, urban design, precinct planning, public art and curatorial and interiors.

The Role

The Indigenous Design Integration Specialist will contribute to Balarinji’s Indigenous engagement and co-design delivery. It’s a specialised role working across major design projects, to establish and translate Indigenous narrative for co-designed interpretation throughout project life cycles. The objective is to facilitate design thinking informed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander worldviews.

The Ideal Candidate

A creative thinker with the knowledge and understanding of community and cultural protocols of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. You thrive on building and fostering relationships whilst using your analytical and problem-solving skills to achieve design outcomes. You are dynamic communicator, who is committed to Indigenous design excellence and able to translate information and ideas clearly and concisely to clients and across a range of stakeholders.

A creative thinker with the knowledge and understanding of community and cultural protocols of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. You thrive on building and fostering relationships whilst using your analytical and problem-solving skills to achieve design outcomes. You are dynamic communicator, who is committed to Indigenous design excellence and able to translate information and ideas clearly and concisely to clients and across a range of stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Facilitate design translation brainstorming sessions with the Project Team.
• Ideate cultural design thinking and key themes for design translation based on client briefing and community consultation feedback.
• Attend and present at client meetings and design integration workshops.
• Attend and present at project review meetings such as PWGs, SDRPs and meetings with GANSW.
• As required attend and present at Balarinji business development meetings, speaking events or strategic meetings.
• Provide community engagement and design integration advice to Project Managers on project issues, project strategy and aligning delivery with client requirements.
• Contribute to written reports summarising project consultations and design translation themes and ideas.
• Assist in the planning and facilitation (as required) of Indigenous community consultations and workshops to support design outcomes.

Administration

• Ensure all stakeholder contact is logged in a timely manner.

• Efficient, logical, and structured file management of all collateral and documents on the Balarinji server relating to engagement.
• Manage workflow, task assignments and recording of timesheets in Workflow Max, Asana and Smartsheets systems.

Experience

• Tertiary qualified, or be studying, in Art, Design, Architecture, Urban Design, Landscape Design or other relevant design field.

• Experience in a commercial design studio/agency environment and or facilitating community engagement activities.
• A creative thinker that can analyse community feedback for design outcomes.
• Well-developed stakeholder management and presentation skills with the ability to build and influence successful partnerships.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal.
• A proactive and flexible attitude, with the desire to achieve.

• A positive team culture is the driver of all we do at Balarinji, where authenticity and respect are central, if you meet some but not all of the criteria, please get in touch as we would love to talk to you.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.

To apply please submit your resume and cover letter via the "Apply Now" button.