Summary of program and its objectives:

The Community Programs division is one of seven divisions at the Brotherhood of St Laurence and exists to engage with individuals and communities, empowering them and building their capacity through providing services, advocacy and community regeneration.

Stepping Stones Small Business program is a micro-enterprise program for women from disadvantaged migrant, refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds in Victoria. The program is being extended to women over 50 years of age and those from regional and rural areas. Stepping Stones builds upon the women’s existing strengths by providing education and training about small business in Australia. The program is part of the Brotherhood’s work to achieve the full social and economic inclusion of refugees in Victoria and funded by the state government. The program’s key objectives are to support eligible women to increase their:

• Business skills and knowledge of business in Australia
• Financial capabilities
• Economic participation and participation in the wider community

Main responsibilities of the role:   

The Stepping Stones Program Coordinator will run a micro-business facilitation program which recruits, trains and supports eligible women wanting to start a business. This position will also foster a supportive and inclusive environment for eligible women particularly, women of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds to achieve the program outcomes.

To meet the selection criteria, candidates will require:

• Relevant tertiary qualifications in community development, gender studies or similar field
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience of refugee settlement issues faced by woman of CALD background as well as community development and/or leadership initiatives that demonstrate a commitment to the principles of women’s empowerment that result in increased levels of participation
• Well-developed interpersonal and communications skills with the ability to build and maintain effective relationships, networks and partnerships with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders in the refugee/CALD/mature age/regional Victorian sectors
• Experience in group facilitation and well developed public speaking skills
• Well-developed organisational and time management skills with the ability to plan workload, prioritise and meet deadlines as well as prepare project documentation and reports
• Understanding of and empathy with the values and ideals of the Brotherhood. 

This is a part time position working 22.8 hours per week.

Salary will be in the range of $71,278.18 to $77,388.31 - (pro rata per annum), based on skills and experience plus superannuation. Attractive salary packaging provisions are available to increase take home pay.

As part of the Brotherhood’s recruitment and selection process, applicants will be required to undergo pre-employment checks as required, applicants will be subject to, but not limited to, the following checks: National (and International if applicable) Police Check, Victorian Employee Working with Children Check, Right to Work in Australia, Disability Worker Exclusion Scheme Check and current professional registration.

The Brotherhood of St Laurence has a vision of an Australia free of Poverty. We embrace, and value, diversity of culture, working arrangements, sexual orientation and gender identity to ensure our workforce is representative of the community that we work within. We promote a workplace that actively seeks to include and welcome unique contributions of all people. We embrace and celebrate the value of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, their skills and contribution to our organisation.   

To view the position description for this position, please click here.