'Resilient Villages' Pilot Project Communications Officer

'Resilient Villages' Pilot Project – Recruiting for PT Comms/Media Position.

MCRN is seeking a new Comms/media position, to March 2025, to implement a pilot project of 'Resilient Villages' as part of a three-year Preparing Australian Communities grant, funded by the Federal government.

The project aims to draw together current/planned individual village-based initiatives and to assist each community to develop local, community-led Resilience Action Plans for each village/locality. This pilot project is designed to build on work underway in the Blue Mountains since 2013 to increase the resilience of our communities - street by street, and each village at a time.

The Project is looking to engage a skilled communications/media/community promotions worker (PT SCHADS 3.1) to assist with communications to and between participating communities. The lessons learned in the course of the project will be shared with other villages participating in the pilot, and any others interested in the model (in what we hope will be Stage 2 roll-out across the LGA).

The role will include:

 the development of a dedicated website to share our experience and outcomes with the BM and communities beyond which may be interested in the model and the journey;
 production of regular Newsletters, vlogs, social media and web etc. updates;
 (with permission) filming of participants at each step, for a ‘time-lapse’ recording of progress, challenges and victories;
 enable sharing the outcomes of the project as widely as possible (including assistance as required with an Expo or ‘show & tell’ celebration of successes and lessons learned);
 liaise with 'Get Ready! BM' Coordinator to photograph/film and share images (with permission) and stories of 'Get Ready!' activities.

If you have a background in community communications and media, this role may be for you! Remote working/WFH will be combined with on-ground connection and liaison with participating communities in the Blue Mountains over the course of the project.

Details

Download Position Description

Essential Criteria

• Demonstrated background/expertise in grass-roots community communications.
• Demonstrated skill in working as part of a team to achieve shared outcomes.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills (including clarity, matching message to target audience).
• Demonstrated expertise in community communications eg
o various social media modalities
o website design and maintenance
o graphic design
o regular newsletters/event flyers
o development of case-studies/story-telling
o vlogs/video story-telling
• Proof of up-to-date COVID vaccinations.

Desirable Criteria

• Demonstrated understanding of Blue Mountains community (shared values, unique villages, geography, history, socio-economic factors, experiences with emergencies, etc.).
• Experience with filming & film editing highly regarded.
• Community event management.
• Ability to work from home if required (NB laptop, mobile, etc supplied).

Other Information

Interested applicants MUST address essential and desirable selection criteria (see above); any applications which do not address the Selection Criteria will not be considered.

An Employment Pack (including Position Descriptions & Selection Criteria;  copy also attached here) and a copy of the Detailed Project Plan can be found at: https://www.mcrn.org.au/index.php/our-sector/community-sector-jobs.

Please provide at least two referees, with at least one being a previous employer/supervisor.

All applicants must be willing to provide proof or/undertake criminal record and Working With Children checks.

Enquiries about the position are to be directed to Kris Newton, MCRN Manager, on 0458 626210.

How to Apply

Applications should be addressed to: manager@mcrn.org.au by close of business Friday 10th June, 2022. Late applications will not be considered.

Mountains Community Resource Network (MCRN)

Mountains Community Resource Network (MCRN is the peak body for the community sector in the Blue Mountains, funded by NSW Communities & Justice, and has led the Recovery work for the community services sector since the October 2013 and 2019-20 bushfires).