• Full Time, 12-month fixed term contract
• Position located in Albury, NSW with flexible work arrangements negotiable
• $71,000 per annum, plus superannuation
• Work vehicle provided

MLDRIN represents Sovereign First Nations along the Southern part of the Murray Darling Basin. It includes 25 First Nations, who have a unique connection to the rivers and waterways of the region. MLDRIN is focussed on caring for the rivers and the recognition of Aboriginal water rights.

MLDRIN is committed to supporting First Nations’ involvement in developing new water strategies and policies in NSW. We seek to engage an enthusiastic person to plan and run consultation and engagement activities and to provide research input into those documents. In addition, the person will need to be able to review and draft documents as well as ensure that all project timelines are met.

This is a newly created position to work with MLDRIN, and the person will need to be able to work independently as well as collaboratively.

The role includes:

1. Developing communication and engagement plans to ensure that MLDRIN First Nation Members are aware of their opportunity to participate in and express their views in regard to Regional Water Strategies, an Aboriginal Water Policy, and engagement and partnership agreements
2. The implementation of these communication and engagement plans, to ensure the voice of the MLDRIN First Nation members are heard and documented and thus included in the NSW water strategies and policies and engagement and partnership agreements
3. Researching, reviewing, explaining, drafting and providing advice on NSW water strategies and policies and engagement and partnership agreements

Required skills:

1. A passion for enabling Aboriginal people to have a voice
2. Excellent verbal communication skills and the ability to connect with MLDRIN’s First Nation members and to respect those Nation’s individual protocols
3. Excellent written skills
4. Experience in developing and implementing communication and engagement plans with First Nations groups, and the ability to demonstrate that those plans have effectively achieved their goals
5. Experience in community engagement, including planning and running workshops and collating feedback
6. Excellent research skills, and the ability to critically analyse policy and related documents
7. Experience and/or knowledge of water management and planning sector or related natural resource management sectors
8. Able to show evidence of effective working relationships with third party stakeholders, such as government departments
9. Appropriate computer skills and willingness to learns new ones as required

Desirable skills:

1. Familiarity with Traditional Owner organisations and groups in the Murray Darling region
2. An understanding of the NSW water allocation and planning framework
3. The ability to prepare grant applications, complete projects and acquit funding
4. Be able to either show knowledge of the activities and objectives of MLDRIN or have the ability to quickly learn about the organisation and hit the ground running

Eligibility:

1. This position is open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants only, as MLDRIN considers that being Aboriginal or a Torres Strait Islander is a genuine occupational requirement for the position under the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW).
2. The role has a strong involvement in issues relating to Aboriginal people, and the successful applicant must have an understanding of issues affecting Aboriginal people and must be able to communicate sensitively and effectively with Aboriginal people;
3. The filling of this vacancy is intended to constitute an affirmative measure under 8(1) of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975;
4. The successful applicant must have a current full Australian driver’s licence;

Key Selection Criteria:

1. Demonstrated capacity to develop and implement communication strategies that connect with Traditional Owner organisations and/or groups and those strategies that have led to increased and effective consultation.
2. Demonstrated capacity to develop and run engagement and consultation sessions which have led to the voices of Traditional Owners being documented.
3. Demonstrated capacity to conduct research, critically analyse policy and make recommendations on changes or improvements to benefit the members of an organisation or a community group.
4. Demonstrated understanding of water management and planning sector or related natural resource management sectors;
5. Demonstrated capacity to work independently but collaboratively, to respond to others with cultural respect, and to take responsibility for the outcomes and timelines of projects so that they meet the organisation’s requirements.

A copy of the detailed position description is attached or can be obtained by following this link.