Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged to apply for this opportunity (under section 51 of the Equal Opportunity Act 1984)

About Us

Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia is the national peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing, mental health, and suicide prevention. As a community-controlled organisation, it is governed and controlled by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experts and peak bodies, working in these areas to promote collective excellence in mental health care.

Established in 2020, on the back of extensive work of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership in Mental Health, our work is guided by the tenets of the Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Declaration.

Gayaa Dhuwi works with its members, networks, and partners to achieve the highest attainable standard of social and emotional wellbeing, mental health, and suicide prevention outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Our membership includes Australian Indigenous Doctors Association, Australian Indigenous Psychologists Association, Indigenous Allied Health Australia, and the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation. These Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak bodies collectively represent nearly 300 organisations and more than 2,000 individuals.

Through our Councils and Collaborative Networks, we promote collective excellence by enabling Gayaa Dhuwi to be an inclusive, representative voice, leader, and advocate for system-wide change.

Our Team

Working on-site at our Canberra office, you will enjoy working within a small but dedicated and high performing team who are committed to delivering impactful change and meaningful health and wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. You will appreciate working in a culturally safe, inclusive, harmonious, and highly collaborative environment at Gayaa Dhuwi, which incorporates Indigenous Knowledges, cultural values, and ways of working within policy, strategy, governance, and business operations. You will share our excitement at being an integral part of building an enduring and influential national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak body.

About the Role

The Engagement Officer supports the development and implementation of engagement strategies to foster strong partnerships and collaboration with stakeholders. You will contribute to the effective communication of the organisation’s efforts, ensuring stakeholder alignment with our vision and goals, making sure we’re all moving together in the same direction to achieve the highest attainable standard of social and emotional wellbeing, mental health, and suicide prevention outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

About You

We are seeking motivated and committed people with:

• Experience working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities and within the not-for-profit sector.
• Tertiary qualifications in health and/or relevant professional experience.
• Demonstrated relevant experience developing and implementing strategies that produce tangible and measurable outcomes.
• Demonstrated high level organisational and time management skills, with proven ability to work under pressure.

Key Responsibilities

1. Stakeholder Engagement: Assist in building and maintaining strong working relationships with stakeholders, supporting collaborative initiatives that align with the organisation’s vision.
2. Project Support: Contribute to the planning, execution, and reporting of engagement projects, ensuring they meet organisational goals. Assist with managing project timelines, resources, and stakeholder engagement.
3. Research and Analysis: Support the evaluation of engagement strategies to determine their effectiveness in reaching and impacting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Assist in conducting research to inform improvements in engagement research.
4. Documentation and Reporting: Assist in creating various documents, including minutes, reports, briefs, and presentations, to support project work, ensuring all materials are clear, concise, and culturally appropriate.
5. Community Engagement: Support engagements with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, advocating for their needs, perspectives and aspirations in project developments and initiatives.
6. Secretariat Support: Provide assistance with secretariat duties for councils and collaborative networks, including meeting coordination, agenda preparation, minute-taking, and action item follow-up.
7. Communication: Assist to develop and maintain effective communication channels with all stakeholders, ensuring the organisation’s messages are accessible, respectful, and aligned with our values.
8. Other duties as required.

Benefits

• Competitive salary package, which includes superannuation, four weeks annual leave with leave loading, salary sacrificing options, and a mobile phone allowance.
• Flexible working arrangements of working from home two days per week and the office three days per week.
• Professional development support and mentoring from the CEO and executive leadership team.

Additional Notes

• Work outside of the normal hours of duty may be required which will be compensated through the accrual of TOIL and flexible working agreement.
• Employment will be subject to a Criminal History Check and Working with Vulnerable People Check.
• Travel to other parts of Australia may be required from time to time.

A position description is attached.