ABOUT YOUR ORGANISATION

Yarra Riverkeeper Association (YRKA) is an independent community-based organisation advocating for the health and protection of the Yarra, Birrarung river, its tributaries and its lands. We recognise and celebrate the river as a living entity and understand that what is good for the river is good for all - Burndap Birrarung burndap umarkoo.

We are a not-for-profit organisation with paid staff and a volunteer Board. We are independent of government.

We seek to understand and partner with Traditional Owners to re-energise Melbourne’s rivers ecologically and culturally, bringing back biodiversity and health. Every day we work to make this possible, through advocacy, learning programs, community engagement, on-the-ground litter and regeneration programs. We sustain our activities through grants, partnerships and fundraising.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The RHO role is a fixed term 12 month part time (0.8 FTE) position.

The River Health Officer (RHO) plays a critical role in helping YRKA achieve the vision of healthy, loved and protected waterways. The RHO leads YRKA’s work connecting and building working relationships with diverse communities to better steward and advocate for river health and protection.

The RHO’s mission is to activate individuals, communities, businesses and other stakeholders to speak and act for the health of the river.

The RHO will:

• Deliver YRKA’s corporate volunteering program
• Support the EO to recruit businesses to YRKA’s Business Partners Program
• Support YRKA’s engagement and education program, coordinating with other members of the team
• Develop and deliver engaging communications about river health issues and participate in advocacy campaigns to improve river health.

Key Responsibilities

• Work plan development – in collaboration with the EO to implement the agreed priorities listed in About the Role
• Project development and management: Be responsible for implementing the agreed work plan to meet Water4Good (funder) and YRKA priority deliverables
• Organise engaging events and experiences to deliver improved stormwater and water literacy; collaborate with groups; conduct outreach campaigns.
• Relationships: build relationships with external stakeholders, including community groups, councils, and government agencies. Ensure that the relationships developed as part of the role become strong YRKA relationships
• Riverfest: Provide support to Birrarung Riverfest – YRKA’s annual 3-week festival celebrating the Birrarung.
• Communication and marketing: Provide/create content for various platforms (newsletter, socials, marketing materials, campaigns to reach diverse audiences
• Data collection and evaluation: Design surveys to gather relevant data; analyse and use data to support reporting. Ensure all data collected is stored centrally and securely in YRKA CRM or other data holding platform
• Budget and financial management: Work with the Executive Officer to track and manage expenditure; prepare financial acquittal and report; support fundraising activities where necessary.
• Volunteer coordination, including corporate volunteering activity delivery
• Other activities as agreed

ABOUT YOU

If you have a passion for environmental conservation, particularly around river health, we want to hear from you. Below is a list of skills and experience you would bring to the role.

• A passion for community engagement, environmental conservation and a base understanding of ecological and river health issues
• Advanced communication and relationship-building skills, the ability to connect with diverse community members.
• Proficiency in using various communication and marketing tools
• A base level of river literacy and desire to expand knowledge as part of the role
• Experience with event logistics, safety and risk management, planning and implementation
• Ability to manage projects, work independently, and meet deadlines
• A bachelor’s degree in environmental science, Sustainability, Education, or a related field. Relevant experience in related academic or employment activities will also be considered
• A working knowledge of MS Office, Google Drive, Monday.com, Raisley, Xero, and other platforms as required (training to be provided where needed)
• Experience in volunteer management and coordination (desirable).
• Demonstrated ability to write impactful reports and successful grant / funding submissions

personal attributes

• Energetic, positive and proactive
• Active listener and learner
• Collaborative
• A natural relationship builder and leader with integrity, reliability, maturity, initiative and passion
• Excellent communication, presentation and influencing
• Strong communication skills and the ability to build relationships with both internal and external stakeholders
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects at a time while paying strict attention to detail
• Always looking to improve processes to achieve efficiencies

Additional Important Information about you

We candidates to have the following:

• Working with Children card or VIT registration
• Current First Aid certification
• Victorian Driver’s License and own transport
• Commitment to First Nations’ cultural knowledge
• BYOD - mobile phone and laptop

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

As a Yarra Riverkeeper Association employee, you will be provided access to collaborative networks, learning, training and personal development opportunities. You will work with a diverse range of supporters, partners, and stakeholders. In doing so, you will gain knowledge and experience in a broad range of conservation and sustainability activities. You will also have the opportunity to build valuable connections in the environment sector and form deep connections with Country and culture.