First Nations Program Support Officer

University of Southern Queensland; Ipswich City; On-site; AUD 97,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) invites applications for a role delivering holistic, culturally informed support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. You will help coordinate initiatives like ITAS, Away from Base and IHEPP, ensuring tutoring, financial assistance and services are accessible while fostering strong, respectful relationships with students and communities.

In this identified position, you will work within UniSQ’s commitment to culturally safe education,

Qualifications

• Experience supporting First Nations students in higher education or similar environment.
• Ability to design and deliver initiatives that support First Nations student success.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills with students, Elders and communities.

Responsibilities

• Support design, coordination and delivery of initiatives that strengthen access, participation and success for First Nations students at UniSQ.
• Assist with ITAS, Away from Base and IHEPP programs, connecting students with tutoring, financial and placement assistance.
• Build respectful, culturally safe relationships with First Nations students, families and key stakeholders to enhance the student experience.
• Help students connect with academic, career and wellbeing services aligned with their goals.

Skills

Cultural knowledge

Communication

Relationship building

Confidentiality

Job description

Guided by our First Nations Strategic Workforce Framework 2026–2030, UniSQ is committed to empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia and custodians of the world’s oldest continuing living cultures. We respect the diversity of more than 200 Nations across this continent, honouring distinct knowledges, languages, cultures, lore/law and spiritual systems. The University recognises First Nations knowledges as vital to all fields of teaching, research and community engagement, and values the scholarship and expertise First Nations staff bring to our institution. By supporting participation in cultural and community life and working in genuine partnership with Elders and communities, UniSQ strives to be a leader in responsive, respectful and culturally safe education and engagement.

Who you are

You are a dedicated First Nations professional who is passionate about supporting First Nations students to thrive in higher education. You bring cultural knowledge, integrity and compassion to your work and understand the importance of respectful engagement with students, Elders and communities. You’re confident providing guidance and support, building trusted relationships and navigating processes with care and confidentiality. Organised and proactive, you take pride in helping students access the programs and opportunities that enable their success, and you’re motivated to contribute to a culturally safe university where First Nations voices, aspirations and achievements are valued and strengthened.

What you'll do

In this role, you’ll be part of a dedicated team providing holistic, culturally informed support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students - ensuring they feel connected, confident, and empowered to thrive both academically and personally. You’ll help deliver initiatives such as the Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme and Away from Base and Indigenous Higher Education Pathways Program (IHEPP) support, ensuring students can access tutoring, financial assistance and the services they need to thrive. Working closely with students, tutors and colleagues, you’ll monitor progress, maintain accurate data and contribute to reporting that strengthens future programs. Every day you’ll engage with students in a culturally respectful way, promote available supports and collaborate across the University to create responsive, innovative approaches that improve participation, retention and success for First Nations learners.

In your first 6-12 months you will:

• Support the design, coordination, and delivery of initiatives that strengthen access, participation, and success for First Nations students at UniSQ;
• Support delivery of ITAS, Away from Base and IHEPP programs, connecting students with tutoring, financial and placement assistance;
• Build strong, respectful, and culturally safe relationships with First Nations students, families, and key stakeholders to enhance the student experience;
• Assist students to connect with academic, career, and wellbeing services that align with their goals and aspirations;
• Enhance university-wide understanding of the unique strengths, needs, and experiences of First Nations students to foster a more culturally responsive learning environment.

What will help you succeed

Alongside your relevant qualifications, you will have hands‑on experience supporting First Nations students in higher education or a comparable environment. You will also bring:

• Experience in contributing to the design and delivery of initiatives that support First Nations student success, grounded in a deep understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, protocols, and ethical considerations.
• A record of supporting programs, projects, and initiatives from concept through to successful delivery.
• A personal alignment with UniSQ’s values of Respect, Integrity, and Excellence.
• Your strengths in communication, relationship building and collaboration will enable you to work confidently with students, Elders, community members and colleagues to achieve meaningful outcomes.

This is an identified position and is open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. For this position, it is a genuine occupational requirement that it be filled by an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person as permitted under section 25 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 (Qld).

This is an identified position in line with UniSQ’s First Nations Strategic Workforce Framework, which aims to increase the representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees in all areas of the University. For this position, it is an equal opportunity measure that applicants must be of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent as per section 105 of the Queensland Anti-Discrimination Act (1991) and section 8(1) of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth).

For further information about this role, please contact Laurie-anne Parsons, Senior Manager (First Nations Student Support and Engagement) via [phone] or [e-mail].

Building on its strengths as Australia’s leading regional university, UniSQ partners closely with its communities to drive innovation and create opportunity through education and research. Guided by our values of respect, integrity, and excellence, UniSQ’s Strategic Plan 2026–2030 sets a clear ambition: to be Australia’s most transformative university by embracing our regional identity, fostering inclusive learning and research environments, and delivering globally relevant outcomes with strong local impact.

The University offers a range of different ways of working and connecting across our physical and virtual spaces to meet the needs of our students, partners and community. We value diversity and strive to foster an inclusive environment that is underpinned by our values and champions, embraces and respects differences.

We support and encourage applications from all diversity groups. With an increasingly diverse workforce, we understand that careers may be placed on hold or limited throughout many life circumstances.

Find out more about UniSQ at www.unisq.edu.au.

Reference Number: 0174_09/26

Location: On the lands of the Jagera, Yuggera and Ugarapul people (Springfield)

Term: Full-time continuing appointment (36 hours/week)

Salary: Total remuneration range $97,423 to $110,491 pa (includes salary range of $82,162 to $93,182 pa, employer super contributions of 17% and annual leave loading)

Closes: Tuesday, 15 September 2026 at 11:30 pm (AEST)

At UniSQ we are united by our core values of Respect, Integrity and Excellence, which guide our daily actions and decision-making. UniSQ is a child safe organisation.

As part of the University of Southern Queensland's commitment to fostering a safe, respectful and rewarding work environment and in compliance with our legal obligations, we require candidates to declare whether they have been investigated for an allegation of Gender Based Violence, or determined to have engaged in conduct that constitutes Gender Based Violence, during the course of their previous employment or in any legal process.

This information helps us meet our legal obligations under the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender Based Violence, and will be considered when determining a candidate's suitability for employment, so that we can keep our University community safe.