About Children's Ground

Children’s Ground is a First Nations organisation. The Children’s Ground Approach is designed and delivered through the leadership of First Nations people. We are committed to systems change to ensure dignity, justice and equity for all children and families. Our work focuses on national reform as well as evidencing a new way of working.

The Children’s Ground Approach is a whole of community, whole of life approach. We privilege First Nations knowledge systems and practice. Over the course of a generation, led by local expertise, we create and deliver an integrated system that is centred on learning, development and wellbeing that responds to the child and their family through the key transition points from pre-birth to young adulthood.

Our approach recognises the cultural, social, and economic strength of our communities. We build on this over a generation to ensure a future for our children and grandchildren that gives them freedom, opportunity and rights to their culture and identity.

Children’s Ground operates in Central Australia and across the Top End, with support provided by a Melbourne-based Shared Services team.

About you

You are a collaborative and detail-oriented professional who thrives in dynamic and complex environments. You bring deep respect and experience working with First Nations communities and are committed to building a culturally safe and inclusive workplace. Your strengths lie in supporting others, managing competing priorities, and contributing positively to both the local Darwin Operations Team and the broader People and Culture Team. With a passion for social justice and a focus on excellence, you are ready to make a meaningful contribution to staff development, wellbeing, and organisational impact.

About the role

This role is ideal for a proactive and experienced HR practitioner with a strong understanding of human resources best practice and a passion for supporting people and communities. Based in Darwin and reporting to the People & Culture Manager in Melbourne, you will play a vital role in supporting the full employee life cycle across the Top End region, with a focus on recruitment, compliance, staff wellbeing, and workforce development. You will work closely with the Regional Director and other team members to ensure that staff and volunteer processes are responsive, culturally respectful, and meet organisational standards.

Key Responsibilities

1.      Recruitment, selection, onboarding & induction

• Implement recruitment and induction strategy, procedures, and practices for the Top End Region, coordinating with and supporting managers.
• Coordinate the process for expressions of interest in work by local First Nations people
• Work with Management in the Top End in identifying volunteer assignments that provide meaningful work for volunteers, and in filling the positions, and inducting volunteers.
• Manage termination and exit activities for the Top End. 

2.      Staff well-being & development

• Support staff, in particular First Nations staff, in relation pre-employment checks, inductions, and training.
• Support all staff in the use of payroll and related systems, including timesheets, and leave applications.
• Support the biannual Quality, Planning, Review & Support (QPRS) process in the Top End
• Work with the volunteer supervisors to ensure effective support is provided to volunteers in the Top end
• Support the development and delivery of staff training and professional development
• Support other staff wellbeing and development processes and initiatives. 

3.      Policies, systems, plans and reports

• Ensure Children’s Ground P&C policies, procedures and processes are implemented across the Top End
• Maintain personnel files, HR data and compliance data for the Top End in the Children’s Ground HR information system
• Ensure HR compliance information is effectively managed in the HR Management system

4.      Team Contributions

• Actively and positively contribute to the People & Culture Team in the implementation of People & Culture strategies and operations, ensuring a consistent and coherent P&C approach.
• Actively and positively contribute as a member of the Top End Operations Team in supporting the delivery of the Children’s Ground Approach in the Top End. 

5.      Workplace Health and Safety

• Support the relevant teams in the coordination and implementation of Workplace Health and Safety procedures and systems

6.      Contribute to Children’s Ground

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key internal and external partners
• Maintain strong joint working relationship across Children’s Ground
• Support and nurture a culture that values all peoples, is inclusive, respectful and supportive, and that demands excellence, quality and accountability
• Participate in available language classes and practice its use in interactions with local people, with a view to developing a basic level of competence over time
• Participate in professional development programs offered by Children’s Ground
• Represent Children’s Ground at meetings when requested

Key Selection Criteria

 The key selection criteria for the position of People & Culture Officer Top End are:

• Qualifications in Human Resources Management or another relevant field and/or equivalent experience
• Hands on experience with recruitment and selection processes
• Knowledge of contemporary HR practices
• Experience working with First Nation communities and/or an understanding of the effects of colonisation, disempowerment, poverty and intergenerational trauma on First Nations people and communities
• Experience in the community sector
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Proven ability in administering HR systems and processes
• Demonstrated computer competency in Microsoft Office applications
• Ability to prioritise and complete projects within deadline
• Ability to work cooperatively and collaboratively as a member of teams
• Willingness to obtain and maintain an OCHRE Working with Children Check and undergo a National Police Check
• Current driver licence

In line with our workforce development strategy, Children's Ground strongly encourages and supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants to apply.