At the City of Port Phillip we aim to put our community first. Community First is a mindset that we bring to everything we do. It encourages us to look through the eyes of community, work collaboratively across the organisation and with our community, to improve outcomes, value for money and service.

The City of Port Phillip celebrates a vibrant and diverse work environment and community, which includes people of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander background, people of diverse sexual orientation and gender, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and people of varied age, health, socio-economic status, faith and spirituality. Employees are able to develop both professionally and personally whilst planning and delivering a range of important services and programs to the community.
Our ‘Community First’ organisational strategy aims to strengthen our focus on delivering Council’s vision:
• Engaged – A well governed city
• Healthy – A healthy, creative & inclusive city
• Resilient – A strong, innovative and adaptive city
• Vibrant – A liveable and connected city
Community First is a whole of organisation approach that sets out how we deliver the Council Plan and Council’s key strategic priorities. As part of our commitment to being an organisation that puts the community first, we have agreed to focus on the following priorities:
  1. Enterprise Portfolio Management
  2. Great Places and Precincts
  3. Continuous Improvement
  4. Aligned Organisational Culture and Capability
  5. Good Governance

POSITION TITLE:Aboriginal Health and Reconciliation Officer

AWARD CLASSIFICATION:Band 6

DEPARTMENT:Community Health and Service Planning

DIVISION:Community Development

DATE APPROVED:May 2017

APPROVED BYManager Community Health & Service Planning

ORGANISATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:

REPORTS TO:Coordinator, Health Equity and Social Justice

SUPERVISES:N/A

INTERNAL LIAISONS:All Council Staff and Councillors

EXTERNAL LIAISONS:Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members and community groups, local health organisations, and counterparts in other local government authorities

POSITION OBJECTIVES

  • Support the development, implementation, evaluation and promotion of the City of Port Phillip’s Reconciliation Action Plan
  • Lead the planning, delivery and promotion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander significant events in City of Port Phillip
  • Deliver a range of health and wellbeing projects that contribute to improved Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community health and wellbeing

KEY RESPONSIBILITY AND DUTIES

  • Develop and implement health and reconciliation initiatives in delivery of Council’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan (MPHWP)
  • Support IPO in implementing key RAP initiatives including Policy, cultural heritage management, Aboriginal procurement, youth cultural engagement programs and Council’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment
  • Co-facilitate the Reconciliation Action PlanWorking Group and provide administrative and reporting support
  • Organise health and reconciliation activities and events includingNational Reconciliation Week (NRW) and NAIDOC Week
  • Represent Council at relevant network meetings including the Urban South Local Indigenous Network, Koolin Balit working group, Port Phillip Citizens for Reconciliation
  • Support community understanding of matters relevant to Reconciliation such as constitutional recognition and Treaty processes

ACCOUNTABILITY AND EXTENT OF AUTHORITY

  • Report to the Coordinator of Health Equity and Social Justice with guidance from the Indigenous Policy Officer (IPO)
  • The successful applicant will be supervised daily by the IPO including weekly progress updates
  • Represent Council at local and regional health and reconciliation network meetings

JUDGMENT AND DECISION MAKING

  • Monitor relevant emerging local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and reconciliation issues in Port Phillip and provide timely and appropriate advice to the IPO and Coordinator Health Equity and Social Justice

SPECIALIST SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

  • Demonstrated understanding and commitment to reconciliation, social justice, health equity, health promotion and community development practices and principles
  • Demonstrated community engagement skills including facilitation and support for community-controlled governance and program development,
  • Competent communicator in written and verbal presentation
  • Knowledge and experience of research methods, data analysis, strategic planning and reporting

MANAGEMENT SKILLS

  • Effective time management skills and ability to prioritise workload to complete tasks and projects within agreed timelines
  • Ability to work autonomously and manage time effectively

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY

  • Understand and comply with, the Council OHS Policy, procedures and legislative requirements relevant to the position.
  • Take responsibility for individual / own health and safety and that of others in the workplace. This includes the reporting of incidents involving injury and near misses.
  • Communicate with employee health and safety representatives and supervisors about OH&S matters.
  • Proactively report any unsafe workplace practices and/or hazards and suggest injury prevention measures.
  • Participate in regular training programs to improve awareness of risk management and health and safety within the workplace.
  • Perform work in a safe and appropriate manner at all times.

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

  • Capacity to build and maintain effective partnerships with stakeholders
  • Ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team
  • Ability to work as part of a team

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

  • Tertiary qualificationsin Aboriginal healthpromotion, community development, health sciences or related discipline
  • Demonstrated experience of working in Aboriginal health promotion, Aboriginal community development particularly in a local or state government setting

KEY SELECTION CRITERIA

  • Tertiary qualifications relevant to Aboriginal health promotion, public health, Aboriginal community development, public health or related discipline
  • Experience in planning, implementing and evaluating a broad range of targeted Aboriginal health and wellbeing projects
  • Experience in planning, implementing and evaluating of health and reconciliation-related community activities and events
  • Experience in researching, identifying and analysing data trends and preparing reports and recommendations for consideration
  • Demonstrated ability to build effective partnerships with internal and external stakeholders
  • Demonstrated ability to work autonomously and manage time effectively