• Reports to: Director, Collaboration For Impact
• Location: Gladstone
• Capacity: Full-time, six months
• Salary: Up to $110,000 p.a. + Super

BACKGROUND

Stronger Places, Stronger People is a new, national initiative from the Commonwealth Department of Social Services (DSS) and the Queensland State Government.

It tests whether collaboration between communities, governments, services and investors delivering on a locally designed and led plan of action can interrupt disadvantage and create better futures for children and their families. 

To do this, a Collective Impact approach is used to shift power and decision-making to community and sector leaders, trusting them to use their collective wisdom to organise and act in the best interests of local children and their families.

To progress Gladstone Region’s early stage initiative, Collaboration For Impact (CFI) and the Gladstone community are recruiting a Backbone Start-up Lead. CFI will manage the post for six months. Thereafter, a local auspicing agency may host the work going forward.

The Backbone Start-up Lead will work closely with the founding Community Engagement Team in Gladstone and will be supported by CFI and Price Waterhouse Cooper’s Indigenous Consulting (PIC).

ROLE PURPOSE

The purpose of the Backbone Start-up Lead role is to develop the structures, processes and ways of working needed for communities in the Gladstone Region to formally partner with DSS and the QLD Government to implement Stronger Places Stronger People.

The work will pivot from the locally identified need to address community resilience to Gladstone’s boom-bust cycle.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

The successful candidate will undertake the core activities common to a collective impact backbone start-up lead role. These will include facilitating local relationships and beginning to build the mindsets, structures, systems and processes foundational to collaborative systems change:

Build the Leadership Table

• Support the Community Engagement Team to define the role, membership and processes for the Governance/Leadership Team;
• Support the Community Engagement Team to recruit and induct a diverse, cross-sectoral Governance/Leadership Team while reinforcing new ways of working in line with a Collective Impact approach;
• Support the newly recruited Leadership Team to define and develop the capabilities they need to collaborate to improve outcomes in communities;
• Co-design with the community the Backbone functions needed to progress the initiative beyond start-up phase.

Information Gathering and Learning

• Support the Community Engagement Team to design meaningful and diverse community engagement processes;
• Ensure that those leading the work are supported to explore and understand the issues exacerbated by the boom and bust cycle;
• Ensure previous work in data and community engagement is consolidated into readily communicable formats to support the community to effectively engage with the initiative;
• Design the structures and processes for collating and understanding data about issues exacerbated by the boom and bust cycle in Gladstone;
• Explore ways to start systems analysis and mapping, exploring relationships and the conditions that support the current system;  
• Develop a shared understanding on the existing strengths in collaborating for systems/social change in Gladstone and the readiness to partner with Government for Stronger Places Stronger People;
• Engage expertise as required to deliver on the purpose.

Operational Management

• Manage the budget transparently and effectively;
• Secure a long-term, local auspicing agency to host the future Backbone Team;
• Communicate the progress and challenges in the work in a timely manner. 

OFFICE LOCATION

Gladstone, with as-needed attendance in surrounding communities.

SPECIALIST REQUIREMENTS 

Essential Qualifications, Experience, Knowledge, Skills

• Relevant degree or equivalent in social change, change management, business, preventative health, communications, management or any other relevant discipline.
• 5-10 years of relevant work experience in cross sector partnerships or collaborations.
• Experience in leading in a start-up environment.
• Experience in leading projects with high levels of complexity and diverse stakeholder management.
• Existing relationships with, or ability to build relationships with, a cross-sectoral range of stakeholders in the Gladstone local or regional area, including senior executives.
• Demonstrated ability to work productively with a range of opinions and approaches.
• Proven ability to adapt excellent communication skills to different audience’s needs. 

Desired Experience, Knowledge and Skills

• Familiarity with the local Gladstone area.
• Familiarity with the Gladstone initiative.
• Expertise and experience in community led collective impact.

Personal attributes

• Self-motivated, ready and able to work autonomously and plan with minimal day-to-day supervision.
• Comfort with ambiguity and ability to thrive in a fluid, entrepreneurial environment.
• Willingness to extend beyond formal responsibilities based on the needs of the work.
• Approachable with demonstrated ability to work productively with people from a range of cultural and social backgrounds.
• Be comfortable with and curious about uncertainty.
• Be ready for personal and professional growth and exploration.
• Excellent, adaptable communication skills. 

Compensation

Compensation for the position is competitive and commensurate with experience.

Further information

For enquiries about the role, please contact [email protected], using the subject line: Backbone Start-up Lead - Gladstone enquiry via EthicalJobs / 0410 133 699.

Interviews will be held by video call on Mon 24th or Tues 25th August 2020.

The desired start date is 14th September 2020 or sooner.