Community Engagement Lead

About Our Council

Georges River Council is a leading, people-focused organisation with approximately 600 staff members. Our people are working to make the Georges River area an accessible, green, diverse and innovative community and economy. We are dedicated to providing vibrant public places, sustaining and developing a thriving creative culture, helping protect our natural environment, and making our suburbs more liveable.

The Team

The Communications and Engagement team delivers internal and external communications, community consultation, public relations and media management services and strategies for Council. The team is filled with talented and passionate individuals who are committed to working together and with the business to achieve our goals and objectives. We are a values driven organisation, and recognise our contributions benefit our people, and more broadly, the community. Our aim is to be the best at what we do and ensure Council is a great place to work.

The Role 

Reporting to the Coordinator Communications and Engagement, the Community Engagement Lead, you'll play a pivotal role in shaping community involvement and decision-making processes. Your responsibilities include developing, implementing, and evaluating strategies and policies to ensure compliance with legislative requirements and community expectations. You'll lead Community Engagement activities, collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, and advocate for increased community participation in projects, policies, and decisions. Additionally, you'll build positive relationships with key stakeholders, grow the Council’s network of community participants, and contribute actively to the broader work of the City Futures team and Georges River Council as a whole.

About the opportunity and what we can offer you

• Permanent, Full-Time- 70 hours per fortnight
• Salary from $98,764.98 - $114,433.98 per annum plus 11% superannuation
• Hybrid working arrangements including a 9-day fortnight, hybrid work arrangement, flexible start and finish times
• Long Service Leave after five years
• Additional Health and Wellbeing paid leave
• Additional three grant days of paid leave over Christmas 
• Fitness Passport Program offering discounted membership for you and your family to selected facilities
• Employee Assistance Program
• Salary Packaging Options
• Sponsored Study Program
• Employee Rewards Program
• Ongoing Education and Resources

Essential Criteria

• Project management. High level understanding and demonstrated ability to a take a project through an entire lifecycle from conceptualisation to evaluation. Demonstrated skills in delivering projects on time, within budget and achieving high quality outcomes.
• Stakeholder management. Demonstrated ability to build strong, credible and authentic relationships that deliver public value.
• Communication skills. Highly developed oral and written communication skills to prepare promotional material, advice reports and correspondence to meet audience needs. Demonstrated capability to prepare and deliver high-quality public presentations on behalf of the organisation. Ability to transform complex concepts into easy-to-understand language that is accessible for all stakeholders.
• Teamwork. Demonstrated ability to work in a united, collaborative environment whilst consistently displaying integrity, accountability, respect and honesty.
• Problem solving. Demonstrated problem solving, lateral and creative thinking skills.
• Organisation skills. Demonstrated ability to set work priorities and meet deadlines. Ability to anticipate workflow and employ innovative responses to high workloads and complex issues.
• Inclusivity. Demonstrated commitment to valuing diversity of thought and enabling equity in the workplace and in community consultations.

Qualifications, Certificates & Licences

• Tertiary qualifications in communications, public policy, public relations and / or equivalent demonstrated capability in effective engagement with local communities.  
• Desirable is IAP2 Public Participation certification or an equivalent Community Engagement qualification.

If you have made a positive commitment to further your career and you possess the attributes located in the Position Description essential criteria, then please submit your application today. Applicants are asked to ensure that they provide responses to the targeted questions, failure to do so may result in your application not being considered.

If you would like further information on this role, please contact Catherine James, Coordinator Communications and Engagement on 02 9330 6***.

Applications must be completed and submitted via our website. Closing Date: Sunday, 2 June 2024 at 11.59 PM AEST.

Offers of employment at Georges River Council are contingent upon satisfactory results of a thorough background check.

Georges River Council aims to be a leading, people-focused organisation delivering outstanding results for our community and city. We foster our values of Accountability, Professionalism, Unity and Honesty and take pride in promoting the image of Council in the community.

We are committed to building a workplace culture that values diversity and inclusion, and welcome applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, workers of all ages, people with disabilities, people who identify as LGBTQIA+ and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

At Georges River Council we are committed to putting children first and championing child safety within our community. We actively advocate for the rights of children and young people and will uphold our commitment as a child safe organisation.

Please note you must be an Australian or New Zealand citizen or a permanent resident or have unlimited working rights (with no Visa restrictions) in Australia to apply for this position.