Aboriginal Field Officer - Clerk Grade 5/6

at  NSW Department of Communities and Justice

Location:Moree, NSW, AU, 2400

Req ID: 72092

• Ongoing – Full Time – 35 hours per week
• Clerk Grade 5/6 (between $97,027 - $107,059) plus super and annual leave loading
• Location – Moree
• Applications close 16 February 2025 at 11:59PM

This vacancy is an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander identified recruitment under Part 5, clause 26 of the Government Sector Employment (General) Rules 2014.
If you are an Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person and are thinking about applying you can contact the Aboriginal Services Branch for a confidential discussion by emailing: aboriginalservices@legalaid.nsw.gov.au.
We may use this recruitment to create a talent pool for similar ongoing or temporary vacancies we have over the next 18 months for regional NSW.

ABOUT US

Legal Aid NSW helps people with their legal problems. We can help people with most areas of criminal law, family law and every day civil law legal issues. We give legal advice, help at court and do family dispute resolution. We can do this over the telephone or at one of our 28 offices.

ABOUT YOU

We are looking for an Aboriginal Field Officer (AFO) to help shape this exciting and important new service to the Moree community and surrounding regions, to ensure the community of Moree and surrounding areas are informed of their legal options and how to access legal aid.
You are passionate about social justice and in helping Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and communities access their legal and non-legal needs needs.
You have experience engaging with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities and working with government and community stakeholders including Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations. You will have experience assisting with or facilitating outreach services, attending and participating in community meetings and community events. An understanding of the lived experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Moree and/or the surrounding regions is highly desirable. .

In this role you will:

• Assist the Solicitor in Charge (SIC), solicitors and other relevant staff to facilitate outreach services and community legal education sessions as required.
• Make connections with relevant Aboriginal community members, Elders, and service providers.
• Provide support to solicitors assisting Aboriginal community members, including communication about and coordination of matters.
• Attend courts/ tribunals to support your clients.
• Provide guidance and feedback to Legal Aid staff on ways to work with Aboriginal clients to improve the workplace by increasing cultural awareness of staff in consultation with the Aboriginal Services Branch.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications MUST be submitted online through the www.iworkfor.nsw.gov.au to be considered. No late applications will be accepted.
Applicants should read the Role Description and consider the Focus Capabilities and Key Accountabilities when preparing their resume (CV) and cover letter.

Applicants are requested to attach:

• current resume / curriculum vitae (CV) (maximum 5 pages)
• cover letter (maximum 2 pages) In your cover letter, please respond to the following 2 targeted questions:

1. What knowledge, skills and experience would you bring to this role that would assist with engaging with Aboriginal communities of Moree and the surrounding regions?
2. Outline your experience co-ordinating, facilitating and implementing outreach services and community education sessions with Aboriginal communities.
   If you require a reasonable adjustment in order to participate in the recruitment process, or you are looking for general information about our reasonable adjustment process, please contact our team via email, and advise your preferred method of communication: erecruitment@legalaid.nsw.gov.au.

DO YOU NEED HELP TO APPLY?

It’s important to properly prepare before you apply for a role. Here is some other information to help you:

• If you have questions about the role, you can contact the Hiring Manager Kimberley Hamer at Kimberley.hamer@legalaid.nsw.gov.au or 02 9219 5933
• If you are an Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and are thinking about applying, you can contact the Aboriginal Services Branch to arrange a confidential conversation about any questions you may have.
• The Role Description sets out the responsibilities of the role.
• The focus capabilities and key accountabilities in the role description indicate what is expected at that level. Being familiar with these will help you understand what the panel will be looking for in the successful candidate.
• Applying for a Role
• Working at Legal Aid NSW

ABOUT THE ROLE

We currently have an ongoing role at our Moree office as an Aboriginal Field Officer.
The primary purpose of the Aboriginal Field Officer (AFO) is to increase access to justice for Aboriginal people through community engagement, outreach, and Community Legal Education. AFOs will also provide support to Aboriginal clients and Legal Aid practitioners to address their unmet underlying social support needs.
AFOs play a critical role in ensuring Aboriginal communities understand how to access Legal Aid, how Legal Aid can assist them, and ensure clients are supported throughout their legal matter. AFOs and lawyers work together to ensure the client’s legal needs are addressed holistically.
Please Note: Legal Aid NSW considers that being Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander is a genuine occupational qualification under s 14 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW).
Applicants for this role must satisfy the Aboriginality criteria. Aboriginality is defined by descent through parentage, identification as being Aboriginal and being accepted in the community as such. In the pre-screening questions you will need to provide information on how you satisfy the Aboriginality criteria.

THE ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS ROLE

You must:

• Identify as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person
• have a current Working with Children Check, or be willing to get one before you start work with us
• have a valid Driver Licence
• be willing to do a Criminal Record Check
• have the ability to travel as this role will require frequent travel to other locations.

In this role you will:

• Assist the Solicitor in Charge (SIC), solicitors and other relevant staff to facilitate outreach services and community legal education sessions as required.
• Make connections with relevant Aboriginal community members, Elders, and service providers.
• Provide support to solicitors assisting Aboriginal community members, including communication about and coordination of matters.
• Attend courts/ tribunals to support your clients.
• Provide guidance and feedback to Legal Aid staff on ways to work with Aboriginal clients to improve the workplace by increasing cultural awareness of staff in consultation with the Aboriginal Services Branch

It’s important to properly prepare before you apply for a role. Here is some other information to help you:

• If you have questions about the role, you can contact the Hiring Manager Kimberley Hamer at Kimberley.hamer@legalaid.nsw.gov.au or 02 9219 5933
• If you are an Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and are thinking about applying, you can contact the Aboriginal Services Branch to arrange a confidential conversation about any questions you may have.
• The Role Description sets out the responsibilities of the role.
• The focus capabilities and key accountabilities in the role description indicate what is expected at that level. Being familiar with these will help you understand what the panel will be looking for in the successful candidate.
• Applying for a Role
• Working at Legal Aid NS