About Us

Children’s Ground is working to create an environment where families realise their aspirations for the next generation of children to be free from trauma and suffering, enjoy equity and safety, be able to grow into adulthood happy and healthy, and have agency over their social, cultural, political and economic life.  To learn more about Children’s Ground and the work we do, visit our website.

About the Job

Placemaking is a collaborative process of designing, developing, and managing spaces to enhance community well-being, social interaction, and a sense of belonging.

The Placemaking and Skills Officer plays a key role in fostering community engagement, supporting local capacity and skills building, and ensuring effective management and maintenance of assets, infrastructure, and operational systems. You will work with people in community sharing skills across different trade areas to build their skills to create community spaces and infrastructure such as shelters, gardens, sheds, plus preparation of activity areas and car maintenance and care.

This role is responsible for supporting skills developments for the purposes of building and physical labour work, demonstrating best practice in manual labour and risk assessing, overseeing the use of tools and equipment and preparing spaces for community programs and activities. The role is physically demanding and requires experience of trade skills and ability to do basic running repairs on vehicles and other equipment.

The role requires self-motivation with the ability to work independently, making sound judgment calls and decisions with minimal supervision. Across all areas of responsibility, it is important to recognise when issues require escalation and take appropriate action to ensure timely resolution.

About You

You are a highly motivated human who is looking to roll together all your amazing people and community skills with your practical and know how skills. You have spent time working alongside First Nations people and in communities across the Top End, or in Australia. A 4WD trip into community is one that you would relish as a chance to see our amazing landscapes and more importantly to connect with community.

We are seeking an innovative, organised and suitably skilled person to deliver placemaking initiatives and activities in Marlkawo.  With relevant practical and hands on skills, you are open to learning new ways of doing things to deliver the best service for Marlkawo community. You are engaged, enthusiastic, can work autonomously, are responsive to community need and keen to be part of a team.

You bring a passion for social justice and improving outcomes for First Nations Communities as well as being a self-starter who thinks systematically and thrives in an environment that is ambiguous and complex.

To be successful in this position, you need to be creative and flexible with the ability to engage and empower First Nations communities to identify their strengths and needs and to respond accordingly.

Essential selection criteria

1. Understanding of the impacts of colonisation, loss of power, and trauma across generations, with the ability to work respectfully and collaboratively with First Nations communities.
2. Ability to live, work, and communicate well with First Nations people in remote communities.
3. Experience in a trade (e.g., construction, carpentry, automotive) and/or significant experience in caretaking or handyperson work.
4. Knowledge and experience in workplace safety, managing vehicles, and maintaining assets, ideally in a community or cross-cultural setting.
5. Ability to support and build on people’s strengths.
6. Strong teamwork, and training skills, with experience working in culturally diverse and changing environments.
7. Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with different people, with excellent communication skills (spoken and written).
8. Well-developed people skills, including negotiation and communication, with the ability to engage various stakeholders in cross-cultural settings.
9. Ability to work independently, make confident decisions, and recognise when to escalate issues appropriately.
10. Ability to work flexibly and creatively in a demanding NGO environment
11. A current Working with Children Clearance Notice (Ochre Card) or ability to obtain. And a willingness to undergo a National Police Check.
12. Drivers licence with manual driving experience, and preferably 4WD experience.

How to Apply

We invite you to walk with us on this unique journey…

The full position description can be found on the Children’s Ground website – Work With Us (childrensground.org.au).

Please apply via SEEK upload your current resume and 2-page pitch. Your pitch should tell us more about who you are, what you are passionate about, what interests you about the role and why you may be a good fit for Children’s Ground and this position

Applications will remain open until the position has been filled.