About Us

At Penrith City Council, we’re passionate about people; in our community and in our workplace. We want you to be able to be your best self and we get that work is just one part of your life, so we’re here to support you in the moments that matter.

As the winner of the 2020 Local Government Excellence in People and Culture Award and an Excellence Award winner in the 2020 Australian HR Awards, you can be confident in joining a workplace that offers truly outstanding benefits, including:

• A range of flexible work arrangements
• 18 weeks paid maternity leave
• Health and wellbeing leave
• 15 days personal leave
• Significant financial and leave support for undertaking further education
• Diverse salary packaging
• And much, much more!

The City Activation, Community and Place department supports a vibrant and inclusive City with thriving, resilient communities. The department sits within Council's City Futures division, which looks at all aspects of planning and delivering a better city for all residents now and into the future.

We are a multidisciplinary team with a wide range of strengths and we work collaboratively to deliver outcomes from community-based events, flagship festivals, place-making and arts initiatives, sector capacity-building, safer communities as well as an evidence-based policy with a focus on delivering measurable impact. We work innovatively with our community to drive positive outcomes that shape the future of our City. In this role, you will join a passionate, outcomes-driven team focused on supporting a thriving City for all.

About the role

We are seeking an individual with strong research skills and a passion for the community to join our Social Strategy team as a Project Officer on a temporary full-time basis for a period up to June 2025. The Project Officer – Social Strategy works to support projects that address challenging social issues, researching, engaging, analysing information and supporting projects that deliver measurable and evidence-based policy and strategy.

This role is generalist in nature and can have multiple and changing portfolios over time. These portfolios include, but are not limited to, supporting arts and cultural planning for our City; improving the health and wellbeing of residents; understanding current social issues such as homelessness, unemployment and problem gambling; understanding the contemporary and future needs of the community and supporting forward planning for growth.

Essential Criteria

• Tertiary qualification (or close to completion) in social science, cultural studies, social policy, community development or a relevant area
• Experience in conducting research and interpreting, analysing and presenting data and information
• Sound knowledge of Microsoft Office suite of applications
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent organisation and time management skills
• Current Class C driver licence

Desirable Criteria

• Qualifications and/or experience in community engagement (e.g. IAP2 Certificate in Public Participation or similar)
• Previous experience working in a government context

Commencing Salary: $73,342 per annum, plus 10% Superannuation.

You may be required to undertake background checks, as relevant to the position for which you have applied.

A position description is attached.

Visit careers.penrith.city to find out more information about employment with Penrith City Council. To submit your application, please apply online using the Apply Now button below.

In addition to a cover letter and resume, applicants are required to submit comprehensive responses to the selection criteria (listed above) as a part of their initial application. Applicants who do not meet the essential criteria will not be considered.

Please allow 4 weeks from the closing date for the processing of your application.

For further information about the position, please contact Melissa McSeveny, Social Strategy Coordinator, on 4732 7943.

Council practices EEO and WHS principles.

Applicants must have the right to live and work in Australia to apply for this position.

Penrith City Council is committed to ensuring the safety of our people and community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many of our employees are currently working remotely or in a way that is different to normal, which may impact our recruitment processes including time to respond to applicants and conducting online interviews instead of in-person. Some roles may also require temporary remote working arrangements; if applicable, this will be discussed with you at the time of the interview.

We thank you for your patience and understanding during this time.