• JOB TYPE: Permanent full-time (35-38 negotiable)
• CLASSIFICATION: SCHCADS Level 5 (starting at $41.8 per hour)
• LOCATION: 414 Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills, NSW 2010; other locations as specified 
• REPORTS TO: Communications Lead (SCHCADS Level 7) 

Join NUAA’s staff of committed and passionate workers and further the health, human rights and dignity of people who use drugs. We are currently looking for a Communications Specialist to take a key role within the small, agile team responsible for the NUAA Communications Strategy. The Comms team ensures information and advice central to NUAA’s aims and objectives gets out to our diverse set of audiences in a way that suits their needs.

The successful applicant will be able to manage projects including producing NUAA publications, consult with community members, produce accessible and targeted harm reduction resources and articles through synthesizing comm community views, evidence and professional advice into effective resources.

Most importantly, you will be from the community of people who use drugs or have a history of drug use and will be prepared to take a leadership role in promoting NUAA’s a harm reduction, strengths-based approach to drug use and people who use drugs. If you have demonstrated some of these skills in professional settings, we will undertake to further train the successful candidate.

About NUAA

NUAA is a peer-led organisation aimed at promoting the health, human rights and dignity of people who use or have used drugs. NUAA’s core funding comes from the NSW Ministry of Health and our primary funding is to work within the NSW Hepatitis C Strategy (currently under review). We also have a strong partnership with the Alcohol and Other Drugs Directorate.

NUAA’s work focuses on health promotion, community engagement and Needle and Syringe Program service delivery and is based on Ottowa charter principles of building healthy public policy, creating supportive environments for health, strengthening community action for health, developing personal skills, and re-orienting health services. We aim to build healthier communities of skilled peers through capacity development and advocacy.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan, co-ordinate, implement and administer moderately complex projects within (work area) or minor phases of more complex projects
• Undertake consultations with the community of people who use drugs to support NUAA publications, resources and advocacy
• Write a range of documents including accessible harm reduction articles and resources, submissions and other NUAA documents
• Undertake research and evaluation activities related to the work of the Communications Team
• Working with the comms lead and the CEO, work across the organisation to ensure a coordinated approach to communication and advocacy
• Exercise a high level of interpersonal skills in dealing with the public and other organisations
• Oversight of NUAA social media and websites
• This role may supervise other staff and volunteers

Qualifications:

Formal qualifications relevant to the role may include:

• Degree related to the area of work or demonstrated equivalent experience

Experience:

• Expertise in community consultation in the context of advocacy and communications

Selection Criteria:

• Demonstrated experience in managing projects and working with multiple stakeholders
• Experience in consultation with community as well as health professionals and other organisations.
• Excellent written communication skills across a variety of formats
• Ability to reduce the stress of getting information for people with low literacy and limited resources.
• Lived experience of illicit drug use including the experience of stigma and discrimination and the ability to connect with a diversity of peers who use illicit drugs
• Advanced computer literacy including the ability to effectively learn new software packages
• Ability to develop and manage social media according to organisational strategy and processes Ability to work effectively as a member of a small, agile team

Desirable

• Driver’s license
• Experience in optimising social media content
• Strong aesthetic sense

If you have any questions, give the Communications Lead McLeod a call on (02) 8354 7300 or 0401 739 676.