• Opportunity to work at Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment (PLACE), a national not-for-profit organisation that supports the adoption and impact of place-based approaches across Australia.
• Join at an exciting time, as the PLACE team builds its foundational team during its establishment phase, in preparation for its first steps of growth as a new organisation.
• $110,000 - $130,000 (FTE) per annum excluding superannuation.
• Full time (1.0) fixed-term position
• Flexible national location, with hybrid conditions - available in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney or regional Australia.
• The successful candidate will undertake domestic travel regularly as part of this role, and flexibility in working hours may be necessary to accommodate stakeholder schedules.

The Collaborative Solutions Lead plays a critical role in convening stakeholders, place-based initiatives, and subject matter experts to identify shared challenges and co-design strategic solutions. Focused on driving system-level change, the role works to align government funding, data-sharing practices, and commissioning frameworks with the needs and priorities of place-based initiatives.

This outward-facing role is central to PLACE’s mission, ensuring ongoing engagement with community-led initiatives to deeply understand their contexts and develop practical, scalable solutions. Drawing on the expertise of PLACE’s Learn and Share, Enable, and Strengthen Data teams, the Collaborative Solutions Lead builds a strong case for reform and helps shape the conditions for long-term systems change that values and supports place-based work.

Who you are (selection criteria):

• You hold relevant tertiary qualifications in public policy, community development or a related field, or bring equivalent professional experience in government or community sectors.
• You have proven experience in stakeholder engagement and facilitation, with the ability to bring together diverse voices to co-design solutions.
• You bring a strong understanding of place-based approaches and collective impact, with demonstrated experience working with community-led initiatives.
• You have significant experience working alongside First Nations organisations and communities, with a commitment to culturally safe and strengths-based practice.
• You have experience with commissioning, funding agreements, and governance, including managing risk and accountability within government-funded programs.
• You possess excellent communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to identify opportunities, align interests, and influence across sectors.
• You are highly organised, with strong project management skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• You are comfortable in a start-up environment; you manage multiple competing priorities with a proactive and adaptable approach.
• You demonstrate a commitment to PLACE’s vision, values and principles, particularly around community leadership and shared decision-making.

Research indicates that while men apply to jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, women and other marginalised individuals often wait until they fulfil every requirement. If you believe you have the attributes to do the job but don't match every point on the job ad, we welcome and encourage your application.

Key responsibilities:

• Work with stakeholders and PLACE colleagues to identify systemic challenges that hinder place-based work.
• Convene and facilitate conversations between government, community organisations and subject-matter experts to co-design responses to shared challenges.
• Collaborate with PLACE’s internal teams to support ethical, transparent data-sharing across stakeholders.
• Identify ways existing funding and commissioning mechanisms could better support place-based initiatives.
• Support the development and use of learning and evaluation tools that track progress and capture outcomes.
• Provide leadership and guidance to staff and project teams.

Please see the Collaborative Solutions Lead Position Description for more.

Who we are:

Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment (PLACE) is a not-for-profit organisation, committed to collaborative, community-driven approaches to create impactful and lasting change. By leading a national workforce strategy, we support community needs through place-based solutions.

It is our vision to enable communities and governments to jointly decide on matters that are most important to our lives. We lead national initiatives to develop workforce strategies, enhance place-based practices and improve data monitoring and evaluation.

At PLACE, we are dedicated to creating lasting change through understanding, action and empowered governance.

What we offer:

• True flexibility and a strong focus on agility in the workplace; we prioritise making flexible work arrangements possible for all employees.
• Access to Fringe Benefits Tax options, in addition to base salary and superannuation.
• A team of supportive and passionate people committed to maintaining a positive workplace culture and making an impact.
• 5 weeks of Annual Leave for every 12 months of employment.
• Two days volunteering leave for every 12 months of employment.
• A leadership team that truly wants you to flourish and make your mark on the organisation.
• A workplace that prioritises both diversity and inclusion, allowing everyone to bring their authentic selves to work in an environment that ensures psychological and physical safety.
• Hybrid work environment and flexible working arrangements (the opportunity to work where you live).
• Cultural and Ceremonial leave.
• A Learning and Development budget per employee, prioritising professional development for our employees.

How to apply:

To express your interest, submit an online application through this portal and include a professional resume. All applicants must also provide brief responses to the application questions that are included as part of the online application.

Note: we do not accept cover letters as part of our application process.

Applications will be reviewed upon receipt, so don’t delay your application.

If you require additional adjustments, or would like to discuss any access needs as a part of the application and recruitment process, then please contact us via email [email protected] using the subject line: Collaborative Solutions Lead - Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment - Flexible Location enquiry via EthicalJobs.

A position description is attached.

PLACE is an equal opportunity employer and strives to maintain a workplace environment that is fair and free of discrimination, is safe and accessible for all employees, and provides working arrangements that accommodate the diverse needs of our staff. We strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, people from culturally- and linguistically-diverse backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ people and people of every ethnicity, faith, ability, culture, language, gender identity, age, and sex.

Employment in this position is conditional upon reception and maintenance of a Working With Children Check.

As part of our employment screening process, we do run police checks. But don’t worry—having a criminal record doesn’t automatically disqualify you.