This role will play a pivotal role in preparing VACCHO Executives to contribute to a number of strategic governance and partnership forums as well as attending and contributing to the forums as appropriate. This role will prepare strategic briefings, take notes on meeting outcomes and circulate them in a timely fashion and collaborate with other units to support VACCHO and its Members’ objectives and strategic priorities. Similar support, engagement, attendance, strategic briefs and papers will be required for forum Koori caucus meetings, working groups and related activity.

This includes, but is not limited to:

• Closing the Gap Partnership Forum and associated meetings/ events
• Dhelk Dja Partnership Forum and associated meetings / events
• Aboriginal Justice Forum and associated meetings/ events
• Aboriginal Sector Governance Forum and associated meetings/ events
• Aboriginal Housing and Homelessness Forum and associated meetings/ events
• Marrung Central Governance Committee and associated meetings/ events.

VACCHO promotes substantive equality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This is an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander designated position, classified under Section 12 Special Measures of the Equal Opportunity Act (2010). This employment opportunity is only available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Benefits

• Working for Community in a culturally safe Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation.
• Access to generous Not for Profit salary packaging entitlements and leave loading.
• Access to additional leave entitlements including cultural leave, purchased leave and bonus Christmas leave if employed at VACCHO into the following year.
• Organisational early finish Fridays and flexible working arrangements considered.
• Work in inner-city Collingwood with wellness spaces and end of trip facilities available.

Key responsibilities include:

• Produce high quality and relevant meeting papers and briefs and review and add value to briefs prepared by other stakeholders, to ensure decision makers are provided with relevant and timely information to enable effective and strategic decision making.
• Liaise with internals and externals to ensure that Executive Directors receive, in a timely fashion, agendas and relevant papers for Forum meetings (and like events) and are effectively briefed in advance of forum meetings, workshops, and other engagements.
• Liaise with Directors, Executive Managers and staff within relevant units to ensure that internal requests, briefs, and meeting requests are prepared in order to support VACCHO attendance at governance and sector forums, working groups and associated meetings.
• Support the delivery of the Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Partnership Forum
• Build and maintain effective working relationships
• Proactively identify and escalate issues and opportunities to improve outcomes and identify potential practical solutions to problems.

Knowledge and Experience

• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain effective working relationships
• Demonstrated ability to proactively identify and escalate issues and opportunities to improve outcomes and identify potential practical solutions to problems.
• A flexible approach, with strong organisational and planning skills, including the ability to effectively manage time and workload, prioritise tasks, and meet changing circumstances, competing demands, interruptions, and deadlines.
• Demonstrated knowledge, understanding, and commitment to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, cultures, and health within the Victorian context
• Demonstrated understanding of the philosophy and practice of Aboriginal Community Control.
• Demonstrated ability to work with Aboriginal peoples, Communities, and organisations, in a culturally safe, and appropriate, manner.
• Excellent written communication skills and demonstrated experience preparing complex briefs and reports using clear, concise and grammatically correct language to ensure they contain the information necessary to achieve their purpose and meet audience needs while ensuring appropriate style and formats are used.
• Demonstrated proficiency and experience using Microsoft applications (e.g., Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Project Management) combined with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.

Highly Regarded

• Tertiary degree in public policy, public health or similar, or equivalent work experience
• Proven experience in advocacy and influencing systematic change
• Demonstrated understanding of LGBTQIASB+ issues and experience with LGBTQIASB+ people via professional engagement, employment or lived experience.
• Ability to support strategic planning, policy development and implementation for VACCHO.

Personal Attributes

• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work with a wide range of people to develop and maintain effective working relationships at all levels.
• Demonstrated capacity to manage sensitive information, maintain confidentiality and always remain impartial.
• Self-motivated and demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision, and as an effective team member, promoting cooperation and commitment to achieve goals.
• A flexible approach, with strong organisational and planning skills, including the ability to effectively manage time and workload, prioritise tasks, and meet changing circumstances, competing demands, interruptions, and deadlines.
• Personal alignment with VACCHO’s Values (see below).

Key selection criteria specific to the role

• At least three years experience in a similar role.
• Demonstrated knowledge, understanding, and commitment to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, cultures, and health within the Victorian context
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain effective working relationships
• Demonstrated consultation, influencing and negotiation skills
• Demonstrated ability to proactively identify and escalate issues and opportunities to improve outcomes and identify potential practical solutions to problems.
• Demonstrated other knowledge and experience relevant to this role as described above.

Get in touch

For more information regarding this role including requesting the full position description, please contact [email protected] using the subject line: Principal Policy Officer enquiry via EthicalJobs.

Other employment related information

Employment is subject to satisfactory and ongoing police records check (international where relevant) and Working with Children Check.

About Us

We are a centre of expertise, policy advice, training, innovation and leadership in Aboriginal health and wellbeing.

Visit us here for more info: https://www.vaccho.org.au/

VACCHO is committed to welcoming and embracing the diversity of cultures,
identities, gender, sex, and sexually diverse identities and expressions, experiences, beliefs, and values of all people.

We believe in the right for all people to be treated with the respect and dignity at all times, and that all people who work for, govern or undertake work at or visit us should at all times feel safe and included.

About Salary Packaging

As a Public Benevolent Institute (PBI), we are able to offer generous tax concessions to our staff. For further information, please click here:
https://www.salarypackagingplus.com.au/EmployeeServices/CategoriesAndBenefits#!/PBI&charities

To submit your application please click 'Apply Now' by the closing date.

A position description is attached.