Community Engagement Officer

POSITION DESCRIPTION
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OFFICER

Organisation

Collingwood Basketball Association

Role title

Community Engagement Officer

Location

Collingwood, Victoria. Remote work permitted

Duration

Fixed term, part time (0.8 FTE) until December 2027

Reports to

General Manager

Direct reports

NIL

About the organisation

Collingwood Basketball Association works at the centre of one of the most diverse communities in Victoria. The association engages more than 1,800 participants across Melbourne’s inner north, including young people and families from migrant and refugee backgrounds, First Nations communities, and those experiencing social and economic disadvantage.

CBA is focused on creating culturally safe, inclusive environments where all participants feel they belong. This includes co designed programs, stronger partnerships with local organisations, and clear pathways from participation through to leadership and employment.

Through this work, CBA is building its internal capability to respond to community needs, challenge bias, and embed cultural understanding across all programs, staff, and volunteers.

Purpose of the role

Reporting to the General Manager, this role strengthens connection between Collingwood Basketball Association and multicultural communities by building trust, deepening relationships, and creating clear pathways into basketball. The role works with community to co-design programs that reflect local needs and lived experience, driving participation, belonging, and long term connection. It also works with club staff and volunteers to support cultural safety across the organisation and a new model for inclusive community sport.

Working arrangement

This is a hybrid role based at Collingwood Basketball Stadium. Staff are required to work a minimum of three days per week in the office, with the remaining time able to be worked remotely, subject to operational requirements.

Given the nature of the role, regular evening and weekend work is required. Office based days should align with key operational activity, team collaboration, and peak delivery periods.

Key responsibilities

Community engagement and relationship building

• Build and maintain strong relationships with local multicultural communities, with a focus on young people aged 5 to 25 and their families
• Act as a trusted facilitator between community and CBA
• Engage and support community advisors and leaders to guide decision making and program design

Co-design and program development

• Lead co-design processes with community to help shape inclusive and accessible programs
• Support the development and delivery of culturally safe programs, competitions, and events
• Advise how programs can address barriers such as cost, transport, and access

Participation and pathway development

• Create clear enablers from participation through to volunteering, officiating, and employment
• Identify and support young people into roles such as referees, coaches, and casual staff
• Track engagement across the participant journey and identify gaps

Organisational capacity building

• Work with leadership to support staff, coaches, and volunteers to build cultural understanding and capability
• Coordinate training for staff and volunteers
• Contribute to a review of policies and practices to improve cultural safety and inclusion

Partnerships and collaboration

• Work closely with project partners including community organisations, schools, and service providers
• Support partnership delivery to ensure programs are aligned and responsive to community needs

Monitoring, evaluation, and reporting

• Collect and report on participation data, engagement outcomes, and program impact
• Contribute to evaluation using both quantitative and qualitative methods
• Document learnings to support a scalable model for other associations

Key relationships

Internal

• Key CBA operational staff
• Coaches, referees, and casual workforce
• Volunteers and committee members

External

• Local multicultural community leaders, groups, and organisations
• Community advisors and lived experience representatives
• Schools, including primary and secondary
• Local government and community service providers
• Delivery partners
• Funding bodies and sector stakeholders

Key outcomes

• Increased participation of multicultural young people in CBA programs and competitions
• Stronger sense of belonging and connection within the local community
• Improved cultural safety across CBA programs, staff, and volunteers
• Clear pathways from participation to employment and leadership roles
• A documented model for culturally safe sport that can be replicated

Selection criteria

Essential

• Strong connection to, and understanding of, multicultural communities
• Experience in community engagement, youth work, or community development
• Demonstrated ability to build trust and work with community in a co-design approach
• Proven communication and relationship management skills
• Understanding of barriers to participation in sport and strategies to address them
• Ability to work independently and within a small team

Desirable

• Experience working in sport, recreation, or community programs
• Strong connections to multicultural communities
• Experience working with young people aged 5 to 25
• Understanding of trauma informed and culturally safe practice
• Experience in program design, delivery, and evaluation

Qualifications and requirements

• Relevant qualification or equivalent experience in community development, youth work, sport management, or a related field
• Working With Children Check
• Current police check
• Right to work in Australia

Employment details

• Part time or full time, subject to funding
• Fixed term from July 2026 to December 2027
• Some evening and weekend work required

Working conditions

• Hybrid working arrangement with a minimum of three days per week in the office
• Flexibility to work evenings and weekends as required
• Ability to attend venues and support operations as needed

Success profile

• You build trust quickly
• You listen first and act with community, not on behalf of community
• You challenge existing systems and support positive change by working with diverse stakeholder groups
• You focus on outcomes that matter to young people and their families

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