• Casual – on going role I 30 June 2021
• Location: Western Australia – with regular travel between Meekatharra and Maddington  
• Make a meaningful difference to the lives of Australians in need

About Us

Mission Australia is a non-denominational Christian charity that has been helping vulnerable Australians move towards independence for more than 160 years.

Every day we support people nationwide by combatting homelessness, assisting disadvantaged families and children, addressing mental health issues, fighting substance dependencies and much more. We are generously supported by our funders, partners and tens of thousands of everyday Australians, who make the work of our tireless volunteers and staff possible.

Mission Australia is committed to keeping children and young people safe with zero tolerance of harm or abuse, and expect all our employees and volunteers to reflect this commitment. 

Your Opportunity

Mission Australia is searching for a Project Officer to work alongside the MA project working group, Program and Area managers to manage the scoping phase of the Community of Focus program for the Meekatharra and Maddington communities. As the Project officer, you will be accountable for the overall development of the project and reporting on progress and outcomes.

Communities of Focus is a key initiative in the Mission Australia 20-25 strategy. The Project Officer will be guided by a Mission Australia Project Working Group and will work in partnership with staff in Meekatharra and Maddington, the relevant community stakeholders and other key internal stakeholders to explore, design and develop options for implementation within the target communities, should the Community of Focus program be deemed viable. The Communities of Focus program is underpinned by a collective impact approach and as such it will be essential for the position to develop effective working relationships with a large number of key stakeholders

Your key responsibilities will be to:

• Asses if Meekatharra and Maddington are viable options for the CoF
• If there is desire within the communities for change
• Determine if Mission Australia is the right organisation to lead the change
• Lead the Community of Focus scoping project in Meekatharra and Maddington to deliver agreed project requirements
• Work with Mission Australia Project Working Group, Program and Area Managers to participate in the Communities of Focus project
• Design the Communities of Focus scoping plan in partnership with Mission Australia and community stakeholders

Requirements for Success

• Minimum Diploma qualification in community development, social work, human services or equivalent
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in community development, human services,  community services or equivalent
• Well-developed understanding of community development principles and implementation, preferably in an Australian context
• Well-developed project management skills, with the ability to deliver projects to agreed standards and within agreed time frames
• Excellent consultation skills and a proven ability to synthesise and analyse complex information from a range of sources
• Strong written communication skills and proven ability to communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively. Experience in effecting change through influencing others.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with people with a range of specialist skills, different roles and perspectives
• Knowledge and experience working from a Collective Impact framework is preferable

Before starting work with us, you will need to undertake a national police history check, qualifications and referee checks, and have a clearance to work with children/vulnerable people. 

Culture & Benefits  

A career with Mission Australia will offer you rewarding experiences to make a difference to the lives of Australians in need. We have an innovative and supportive culture guided by our values of compassion, integrity, respect, perseverance and celebration.

To ensure our employees feel valued, empowered and celebrated we provide a range of employee benefits including:

• NFP salary packaging benefits reducing taxable income (details via Advantage)
• Generous discounts with hotels, travel insurance and major retailers
• Free, confidential counselling services via our EAP
• Discounted health care with Medibank Private

Diversity & Inclusion

Mission Australia is an inclusive employer. We celebrate our diversity and strive to reflect contemporary Australian society and all the communities in which we work, in order to better serve our clients. We welcome and encourage applications from Women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse people, People with Disability, Sexually and Gender Diverse people, people with lived experience of adversity and from people of all ages.

As such, if you require any adjustments to submit your application, we invite you to get in touch via email [email protected] using the subject line: Communities of Focus Project Officer enquiry via EthicalJobs.

Next Steps

To be considered for this opportunity, please click ‘apply’ and send your cover letter and resume today.

For more information, feel free to view the Position Description via  PD Strengthening Communities Project Officer_WA .pdf . For further information regarding working with us visit Working for Mission Australia.

Applications close midnight, Tuesday 23 February 2021. Please send through your application as soon as possible as shortlisting will commence before the closing date.