About Children"s Ground

Children's Ground is a First Nations organisation. The Children's Ground Approach is designed and delivered through the leadership of First Nations people. We are committed to systems change to ensure dignity, justice and equity for all children and families. Our work focuses on national reform as well as evidencing a new way of working.

The Children's Ground Approach is a whole of community, whole of life approach. We privilege First Nations knowledge systems and practice. Over the course of a generation, led by local expertise, we create and deliver an integrated system that is centred on learning, development and wellbeing that responds to the child and their family through the key transition points from pre-birth to young adulthood.

Our approach recognises the cultural, social, and economic strength of our communities. We build on this over a generation to ensure a future for our children and grandchildren that gives them freedom, opportunity and rights to their culture and identity.

Children's Ground operates in Central Australia and across the Top End, with support provided by a Melbourne-based Shared Services team.

About you

You are a dynamic, creative health professional with experience in community health, wellbeing, and social and emotional wellbeing to be part of the leadership of Children's Ground (CG) Family Health and Wellbeing approach. You will be part of a bold independent not-for-profit organisation creating a different future with children, families, and communities experiencing the greatest levels of disadvantage and inequity in Australia.

We want someone who can play a significant role as a senior member of the Top End team in the development and achievement of the strategy, objectives, and goals of the organisation, as well as someone who can be ‘hands-on' and participate in direct service delivery.

Experience with First Nation communities and a deep understanding of the key challenges facing First Nation Peoples, and the strengths of First Nations Peoples is essential, as is extensive experience in health promotion and delivery.

The successful candidate will have experience as a Program Manager or held a senior organisational role where they have had accountability for a breadth of functions across a health organisation. Strong people management skills and a collaborative facilitator is a must have.

About the role

The Head of Health in the Top End leads a dynamic team that delivers Children's Ground Family Health and Wellbeing Framework, to improve the health outcomes for individuals and families in the communities we work with. Health in the Hands of the People includes the recognition and support of local traditional cultural knowledge systems and practices. It also includes Western approaches to improved health outcomes through health promotion, social/emotional wellbeing, maternal/child health and environment health programs.

The Head of Family Health and Wellbeing is expected to regularly participate in program delivery both on-country and in community settings, ensuring that the programs are responsive to the cultural, social, health, and educational aspirations of the local communities. The role supports the development and implementation of individual and family health plans and is responsive to health needs with each local community.

Alongside the delivery of the Health in the Hands of the People, the role has a strong focus on strength-based staff supervision, reporting, and relationship building. As part of the senior management team, the role actively contributes to the development and achievement of the strategy, objectives and goals of the organisation.

Key Responsibilities

1. Community development and respect for local cultural knowledge and life

Build relationships with First Nations community members.Meet regularly with local community members to discuss local aspirations, to inform the directions and responsibilities.Consult with local community members to ensure that Children's Ground operations do not undermine but actively promote local cultural knowledge and practice.Encourage and support all families, valuing their ideas, strategies and aspirations.Build and develop a local First Nations work force in each community.

2. Children's Ground Family Health Model

Deliver the Children's Ground Family Health and Wellbeing Framework, Health in the Hands of the People, to improve the health and wellbeing outcomes for Top End communities.Ensure health and wellbeing initiatives support local culture.Support and develop health promotion initiatives in Top End communities, working with local community, local health providers and cultural health services.Connect and support First Nations people to the health system so that they receive a service which is more effective, efficient and culturally safe.

3. Leadership, Planning and Strategy

Under direction and support from the Regional Director and First Nation leadership lead the development and implementation of the learning and wellbeing platform.Be a dynamic, visionary, passionate and empathic leader for staff and local users.Ensure community staff and participants are key strategic advisors in program development and delivery.Build and protect the cultural, ethical, and corporate social responsibility of Children's Ground.Contribute to the development and achievement of Children's Ground strategy, objectives and goals of the organisation.

4. Program Design and Implementation

Provide strength-based leadership to support the Family Health Team to design and deliver tailored health promotion programs and activities in each community across Darwin and West Arnhem.Utilise office infrastructure in the Darwin communities to develop and establish a placed based model of program delivery.Contribute to integrated service delivery across all Children's Ground platforms, with a focus on supporting positive health and wellbeing outcomes for children and their families. With the support of the Regional Director, explore the development of a health hub in West Arnhem.Work with the learning team to ensure all children have a comprehensive learning and wellbeing plan that includes their social and emotional wellbeing needs and development support.Develop and share leading practice, referring to national and international practice and research.

5. Operational systems and standards

Ensure documentation, policies, procedures, systems and standards are in place with clear compliance to meet the regulatory and other needs of Children's Ground.Ensure review and monitoring of standards on a regular basis.Ensure all activities are delivered with quality and integrity.Operate within the requirements of Children's Ground philosophies, policies and procedures as well as regulatory requirements.

6. Staff management and support

Provide strength-based leadership and management to the team. Facilitate regular supervision meetings with each individual direct report.Identify training opportunities for staff.Support and mentor the professional development of First Nation staff.

7. Workplace culture

Role model and take responsibility for positive workplace culture.Be supportive and compassionate to everyone in the Children's Ground team.Utilise a strength-based approach to relationships and leadership.

8. Evaluation, monitoring and data systems management

Ensure user data and information are recorded to meet the monitoring and evaluation needs of the Children's Ground, integrating data systems and collection into practice with the Research and Evaluation team and other staff.Train and support local staff and community in community-led monitoring and evaluation, ensuring they are equipped to document and record data effectively.Undertake assessments, conduct relevant research, and contribute to the embedding and integrity of the 25-year longitudinal evaluation in consultation with Children's Ground Senior Leadership and Director of Research and Evaluation.

9. Quality & Risk Management

Ensure all activities are delivered with quality and integrity.Ensure risk management policies and systems for the functions are up to date.Operate within the requirements of Children's Ground philosophies, policies and procedures as well as regulatory requirements.

10. Financial accountability and resource management

Plan, monitor, and manage the budget to comply with Children's Ground financial systems, and prepare reports as requested.

11. Communication and Partnerships

Maintain and develop relationships with key partners including local organisations across Darwin and West Arnhem.Maintain strong joint working relationship across Children's Ground operations.Represent Children's Ground in key meetings as requested.Be flexible to support the broader Children's Ground team and operations to meet strategic and operational goals.

12. Contribute to Children's Ground

Be a positive, innovative and active member of the Children's Ground team.Liaise and collaborate with the health team in Central Australia.Contribute to strategic planning, organisational development, management work plans & policy formation.Support a strong, connected, respectful and supportive organisation.Participate in professional development programs offered by Children's Ground.Undertake other tasks as requested to support the delivery of Children's Ground.

Key Selection Criteria

1. Experience with First Nation communities and a deep understanding of the key challenges facing First Nation Peoples, and the strengths of First Nations Peoples; and demonstrated cultural competency or experience in culturally safe practices, especially in educational settings.

2. Relevant Degree/qualification or substantial equivalent work experience.

3. Significant experience and expertise and demonstrated success in health promotion.

4. Experience as a Program Manager, Senior Organisational Position or in a role where you have held accountability for a breadth of functions across an organisation.

5. Experience in leading and managing a team of people.

6. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, both verbally and written.

7. Strong relationship and networking skills.

8. Strong people management skills and a collaborative worker – teamwork, facilitation, supervision, liaison. Ability to work flexibly and creatively in a demanding NGO environment

9. Have a current Drivers Licence.

10. OCHRE card and National Police Clearance or willingness to obtain.

The pay range for this role is:116,500 - 121,362 AUD per year(Top End - Darwin)

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