• 0.7 FTE, or 3.5 days a week ongoing, additional casual hours as required
• Office of Sarah Mansfield MP

WHO are WE

Sarah Mansfield is the Victorian Greens first regional MP, elected to represent the region of Western Victoria at the 2022 state election. Sarah is Deputy Leader and the spokesperson for Water, Health Services and Reproductive Health, Local Government, Agriculture & Regional Development.

Our office team is small, collaborative, nimble and strategic. We are innovative and driven in order to achieve good results for our community, intersecting with the big issues we care about like climate change, healthy communities and better outcomes for our regions. Positive attitudes, good organisation skills, and great attention to detail help us succeed.

VALUES

You are passionate about Greens’ values of social justice, peace and environmental sustainability. You are organised, driven, reliable, efficient, flexible, innovative, enthusiastic and have the ability to work independently as well as part of a small, fast moving team.

You have an ability to liaise with a diverse range of people and personalities and establish and maintain positive relationships both internally and with external stakeholders. You have an ability to maintain strict confidence on all issues associated with your duties and exercise sound judgement.

EXPERIENCE

Applicants will ideally have a background working in, or with qualifications related to, social or community services, including but not limited to social work, community development, campaigns or advocacy.

However people of all backgrounds and experience are encouraged to apply. Even if you don't meet all requirements of the role, we would love to hear from you.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Constituent support

• Greeting people who contact the office, answering the phone and being helpful, friendly and approachable to all who come to us for help
• Coordinating and overseeing constituent communications to ensure that all constituent contact and requests for support are actioned and responded to in a timely manner.
• Including working with the Parliament & Policy Advisor to manage correspondence for which Sarah is the Victorian Greens spokesperson, including Health Services, Reproductive Health, Water, Local Government, Agriculture and Regional & Rural Communities.
• Advocacy and casework to support constituents with more complex needs or ongoing issues that require ongoing support as needed. This may include drafting letters to Ministers or other entities to raise constituent concerns.
• Working with policy staff across Greens MP offices to identify and escalate broader issues that are impacting constituents.

Community Engagement

• Building and maintaining relationships with local stakeholders to ensure we are connected to community and well informed.
  Developing briefings for Sarah prior to local events.
• Staffing Sarah at local events and meetings with residents and stakeholder groups, and occasionally attending events or meetings on behalf of Sarah.
• Working with Sarah’s Communications Lead to identify and implement opportunities for community engagement, including running social events and issues-based advocacy.
• Working with Sarah’s Communications Lead to engage community members with local issues and advocacy opportunities.
• Briefing Sarah’s Parliament and Policy Advisor regarding emerging community issues and identifying opportunities for these to inform work in parliament.

Additional duties

• Working with other Greens MPs’ offices to ensure our actions are coordinated and effective, to document processes and information and facilitate knowledge sharing and retention.
• Working with colleagues to ensure that data management, constituent contact and communication is targeted, strategic and appropriate.
• Participate in cross office issues-based advocacy that is of key importance to Constituents across Victoria
• Support with the administration of the office, including inbox and diary management where required
• Keeping on top of the events of the day and what Sarah is up to with parliamentary responsibilities
• Managing other miscellaneous projects as needed

ROLE REQUIREMENT

• Values that align with the Greens’ values of social justice, environmental sustainability, peace and non-violence, and grassroots democracy. We’re working for a fair society and sustainable economy and expect you to align with this mission.
• Passion for working one-on-one with members of the community across a range of complex issues, including public housing, healthcare, accessing local services and helping them navigate government departments and agencies.
• An interest in working in a parliamentary environment and getting outcomes on various issues: from global issues like climate change right through to local issues like protecting a local waterway.
• Excellent written communicator, comfortable writing for many different audiences. You’ll be asked to write everything from letter to Ministers and speeches for Parliament, through to writing content for our website and drafting flyers for local community groups.
• Reliable and organised, self directed, able to track and manage competing priorities, and meet tight deadlines. We’re a fast-paced office with lots of competing priorities and it’s important that you’re able to work in this environment.
• Self motivation. Our team is small, so you’ll often have to work by yourself, especially when Sarah is in Melbourne for Parliament or committee hearings, or at events in the community, while still being motivated.
• The ability to maintain a friendly and approachable manner with people of all backgrounds and personalities and develop and maintain strong relationships particularly under pressure.
• The ability to stay positive even under pressure. Sometimes residents have complex needs and we can’t always resolve them, but we need someone who tries to help as much as possible and stays positive even when circumstances are frustrating.
• The capacity to comprehend complex issues and quickly adapt to changing circumstances at short-notice
• The ability to maintain strict confidentiality on all issues associated with the office and their duties.
• The ability to digest a large amount of information and identify what is important.

TERMS & SALARY

• 0.7FTE ongoing (by negotiation)
• Opportunity for working from home days, at least 2 days per week working from our office in Geelong expected. Opportunity for travel to Melbourne for Parliament, other parts of Western Victoria for events and community engagement.
• Family-friendly hours are available, however some out-of-hours work will be required.
• Electorate Officers are employees of the Victorian Parliament, directly accountable to the Member in whose electorate they are employed. Electorate Officers have a main role in supporting the Member, a position which requires a high degree of loyalty, versatility and the ability to maintain confidentiality on behalf of the Member and those who contact the office.
• $81,832 (pro-rata) plus 11.5% superannuation (Grade 2 as per the Parliament of Victoria’s Electorate Officer Salary Scale).
• Please note, to finalise this offer you will be required to provide a Working With Children Check (WWCC), National Police Check (NPC) and participate in a 15 minute confirmation interview with the Parliament of Victoria’s Department of Parliamentary Services.