Manager Aboriginal Strategy

Department of Communities and Justice; Parramatta; Hybrid; AUD 154,000 - 178,000; Full time

Job summary

NSW Department of Communities and Justice seeks a Manager Aboriginal Strategy in Parramatta, Sydney, with hybrid work. You will lead complex policy, strategy and reform initiatives to improve outcomes for Aboriginal people within the social housing and homelessness service system.

You will provide high-level advice to senior leaders, manage resources and staff, drive planning and development, and align priorities with Homes NSW strategic objectives. Aboriginal identification is required.

Qualifications

• Experience leading policy reform in housing/homelessness contexts.
• Deep understanding of Aboriginal communities, cultures and histories.
• Strong ability to analyse policy and system-level impacts.
• Proven track record engaging diverse stakeholders to achieve outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-level authoritative policy advice to senior leaders.
• Lead complex reform initiatives and manage resources and teams.
• Drive work planning, coaching and professional development.
• Align resources with Homes NSW strategic objectives.

Skills

Policy reform

Aboriginal knowledge

Policy analysis

Stakeholder engagement

Job description

Manager Aboriginal Strategy Location – Parramatta / Hybrid Employment type – Ongoing Fulltime, 35 hours per week Salary – Grade 11/12 ($154,231 - $178,369) plus employer's contribution to superannuation and annual leave loading This position is open to Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Your role The Manager Aboriginal Strategy in Homes NSW leads complex policy, strategy and reform initiatives that drive enhanced outcomes for Aboriginal people and communities being supported through the social housing and homelessness service system.

What you’ll do

As part of the Housing, Strategy and policy team you will provide high-level authoritative advice to senior leaders, manages resources and team members, and influences stakeholder outcomes to achieve Homes NSW strategic objectives. You’ll lead and drive team management, work planning, coaching and professional development initiatives to align resources and deliver priorities.

What we’re looking for

• Implement key reform directions under the long-term homelessness and housing strategies, including delivering reform projects to support Homes NSW, DCJ and sector partners to respond better to Aboriginal people and community needs.
• Have a demonstrated strong understanding of Aboriginal people, lived experience, culture, communities, organisations, ways of working and history.
• Strong understanding of, and ability to apply, policy and system-level thinking within housing, homelessness or related service systems, or demonstrated transferable experience in similarly complex policy or reform contexts.
• Demonstrated experience engaging and influencing diverse stakeholders, including government, delivery partners and/or sector representatives, to achieve strategic outcomes.

As an Identified role, this role is open only to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander persons, Australia’s First Nations people. Where a position is identified, an applicant’s race is a genuine occupational qualification under the exception in Section 14(d) of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977.

There are two alternatives to confirming your Aboriginality, one of which must be uploaded to be considered for the role as follows. Either will be accepted: Confirmation of Aboriginality form or Written confirmation from 2-3 Aboriginal organisations within the community in which you live/work, which addresses the three criteria listed below:

• is of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent, and
• identifies as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person, and
• is accepted as a such by the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community.

What We Offer

• A challenging and rewarding career
• Flexible, autonomous work environment
• Competitive pay and conditions
• Training and development opportunities to build and maintain capabilities
• Health & Wellbeing and Employee Assistance Programs.

You will need to attach an up-to-date résumé (maximum five pages) and a cover letter (maximum three pages) with a brief outline on how you meet the requirements of the role and answer the targeted question below:

• Provide an example of a complex issue you have addressed in an Aboriginal strategy, policy, program or community context. How did you analyse the issue, consider different perspectives and broader impacts, and develop a practical solution?

Applications close Tuesday 10 November 2026 at 11:59pm AEDT.

For more information about the role or what it’s like to work for DCJ, please contact the hiring manager Renee Wirth at [e-mail].

If you’ve got a question about applying or would benefit from an adjustment in the recruitment process to help you perform at your best (including an alternate method submission of the application), please call Maren Heldt | Talent Acquisition Officer, via 0447 682 014 or [e-mail]. Visit Recruitment adjustments on the DCJ website to learn more.

Inclusion and Diversity lies at the heart of how we recruit We continue to hire great people with a wide variety of skills, experience, and backgrounds. This includes people with disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, women, people identifying as LGBTIQ+, culturally and linguistically diverse people, carers, and other diversity groups. To find out what DCJ are doing to build an inclusive and diverse workforce, visit Inclusion and diversity on the DCJ website.

Other Information

A talent pool may be created for future ongoing and temporary roles and is valid for a period of up to 18 months. For more information visit Applying for DCJ jobs on the DCJ website (for all roles except Aboriginal Identified). Thank you for your interest in this role. We look forward to receiving your application.

To keep up with recruitment opportunities at DCJ, follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/CareersatDCJ/ The Welcome Experience Thinking about moving to regional NSW? Get free, personalised support with housing, schools, jobs, and settling in. Learn more: www.nsw.gov.au/welcomeexperience The careers site currently promotes this service on the ‘Discover roles with DCJ in regional NSW’ page.