Director, Community Programs

ACON is seeking a mission-driven, strategic individual to lead our newly formed Community Programs Division. The Director, Community Programs provides strategic leadership to a multidisciplinary team delivering place-based community development, peer education, and health promotion initiatives. The Director leads ACON’s engagement with local sexually and gender diverse communities across NSW, including those in metropolitan and rural areas.   About Community Programs The Community Programs Division leads ACON’s community-level programming, bringing together various teams focused on inclusive, health-promoting, and culturally responsive initiatives. The Division plays a central role in engaging communities and delivering programs that support the health and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ people. Community Programs works in partnership with all ACON Divisions, particularly Peer and Client Services and Population Health. The Director serves as the organisational lead for community development and local health promotion practice and coordinates ACON’s offerings across Sydney and regional NSW. Key activities within the Division include:

• Providing leadership in NSW’s HIV and sexual health response, including peer education and community engagement, particularly for gay and bisexual men.
• Implementing programs to improve safety for LGBTQ+ people.
• Conducting community development work focused on culturally and linguistically diverse communities, particularly in Western Sydney.
• Development and delivery of a range of health promotion programs and initiatives for LGBTQA+SB Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
• Delivering support and social connection programs for older LGBTQ+ people, including the Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme.
• Facilitating leadership programs for LGBTQ+ people with disability.
• Operating Needle and Syringe Programs.
• Distributing information across community groups, venues, and services.

  Who are we looking for? We are seeking a mission-driven, values-aligned, strategic leader. You will bring deep experience in community development, health promotion, and stakeholder engagement, with a passion for improving the health and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ communities across NSW. You will have experience in leading and mentoring teams and a track record in delivering inclusive, place-based programs that foster connection, build health knowledge, and promote safety. You will bring ways to understand and respond to the specific and intersectional experience of people within ACON’s identified communities including people living with HIV, rural communities, culturally diverse communities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, older LGBTQ+ people, and people with disability. If you are a community-focused, compassionate and collaborative leader with a strong track record in leading community programs, community engagement and team development, we’d love to hear from you.

Details

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Qualifications

The Director, Community Programs provides strategic leadership to a multidisciplinary team delivering place-based community development, peer education, and health promotion initiatives. The Director leads ACON’s engagement with local sexually and gender diverse communities across NSW, including those in metropolitan and rural areas.

Essential Criteria

1. Demonstrated experience in the design, delivery and evaluation of community development or health promotion programs.
2. Advanced skills in sustaining effective relationships and partnerships with community organisations and other services.
3. Experience managing budgets, developing business cases and overseeing funding submissions for investment in services and programs.
4. Advanced skills in cross cultural communication and practice.
5. Proven ability to build teams and develop the capability of staff and leaders.
6. Understanding of and commitment to ACON’s communities and Impact Strategy, particularly as it applies to rural communities and priority populations.
7. Current Australian Driver's Licence.

Desirable Criteria

1. Demonstrated experience leading programs within a community organisation setting.
2. Previous experience working with LGBTQ+ communities or in HIV and sexual health prevention.
3. Recommended vaccinations against illness that may adversely impact ACON’s communities.

Other Information

What else can we tell you? ACON provides a colourful, nurturing, and fun workplace. Our employees and volunteers are the foundation for our ongoing effectiveness and for our capacity to deliver innovative community engagement and health promotion programs and initiatives for our communities. To support the successful candidate in their new role at ACON we offer:

• Flexible working arrangements.
• Generous learning and development opportunities.
• Potential for tailored mentoring opportunities.
• Supportive working environment with a knowledgeable and friendly team.

What’s the remuneration and working details?  Salary: Commensurate with skills, qualifications, and experience. Location: We are open to candidates within commuting distance of any ACON office, with flexible working options available. ACON offices are:

• Gadigal / Sydney
• Awabakal / Hunter
• Bundjalung / Lismore

Hours: Permanent, Full time, (76 hours per fortnight), on an initial 2-year fixed term. We offer flexible working arrangements and a generous array of benefits and entitlements often above the National Employment Standards (NES) including:

• Salary Packaging up to $35,000 gross up value (i.e., currently up to $15,900 Expenses + $2,650 Meals, tax free).
• Generous pro-rata leave entitlements – including up to an extra week of paid leave for full time employees to be taken during our Christmas and New Year’s shutdown period.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – access to a comprehensive counselling service free to employees.
• Access to discounted unique accommodation experiences to improve employee health and wellbeing.

How to Apply

How can I find out more details and apply?  If this sounds like you, we invite you to apply to join our Senior Leadership Team and lead our Community Programs division. By joining us, you will be part of a mission to create a healthier and more inclusive community. We highly encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from CALD backgrounds, people with disabilities, and people of all genders to apply. For more information on the role, please contact Alex Ehmcke-Kennedy (he/him), Manager, People and Culture, at aehmcke-kennedy@acon.org.au or 02 9206 2000. If you have any questions regarding the role, please reach out to Alex and we can arrange an early conversation with Michael Woodhouse (he/him), Chief Executive Officer, to answer any questions. If this sounds like the position and organisation you’ve been looking for, find out how to apply at www.acon.org.au/jobs. All applications must include:

1. Your completed ACON Employment Application Form – with all the details filled in where requested;
2. Your 1-page Cover Letter outlining how you meet the Selection Criteria; and
3. Your Resume.

ACON Health Limited

ACON is Australia’s largest health promotion organisation specialising in community health, inclusion, and HIV responses for people of diverse sexualities and genders. Established in 1985, ACON works to create opportunities for people in our communities to live their healthiest lives. We are grounded in the belief that diversity is our strength, our differentiator, and at the core of who we are and what we do. As part of our commitment to inclusion, we encourage applications from people living with HIV, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and LGBTQ people from culturally, linguistically and ethnically diverse, migrant and refugee backgrounds, and LGBTQ people of colour. www.acon.org.au