Aboriginal Principal Shared Decision - Making Officer

• Temporary, Full-Time up to 30 June 2028.
• Location: This role is based in Parramatta and offers hybrid working arrangements in line with Departmental policy, with approximately 50% of workdays expected to be onsite.
• Clerk Grade 11/12 Salary ($149,739 - $173,174 pa), plus employer's contribution to superannuation and annual leave loading

This position is open to Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people only.

Your role

The Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) is the lead agency in the Communities and Justice Portfolio. Communities and Justice aims to achieve a safe, just, and inclusive New South Wales (NSW) by operating an effective legal system; increasing access to social and affordable housing; protecting children and families; addressing domestic and family violence; promoting public safety; reducing reoffending; and supporting community harmony and social cohesion.

This is a newly created role under the NSW government’s commitments to Closing the Gap Priority Reform 4 – Shared Access to Data and Information at a Regional level.

Shared access to location specific data will support the other three Priority reforms under the Closing the Gap initiative. Specifically, assisting Aboriginal stakeholders to formally partner with government (Priority Reform 1), driving development of local community-controlled solutions for local issues (Priority Reform 2), and transforming mainstream services to be more culturally responsive to meeting their obligations under Closing the Gap (Priority Reform 3).

Shared decision-making is a vital component of PR4. Shared decision-making fosters a strengths-based approach to shaping and using government-held data, enabling more informed decisions and better outcomes for Aboriginal peoples. It is grounded in deep listening, two-way learning, and the rebuilding of trust between communities and government.

What You’ll Do

The Principal Shared Decision‑Making Officer will work closely with representatives from the NSW Coalition of Aboriginal Peaks (CAPO), the Department of Customer Service (DCS), Data Connectors across DCJ, and policy, program and operational areas within the communities and justice portfolios to establish and support culturally informed, community‑defined shared decision‑making forums. These forums will guide how NSW Government‑held data is accessed, used, interpreted and improved to support shared decision making with Aboriginal communities.

In collaboration with CAPO and DCS, the role will support the establishment of regular shared decision‑making forums across defined data domains, reflecting the breadth of services delivered across the communities and justice portfolios, including child protection, housing, homelessness and justice‑related outcomes. The forums will foster enduring partnerships between Aboriginal communities, Aboriginal Controlled Community Organisations (ACCOs), service delivery partners and government, and will support cross‑government collaboration for practical and system‑level change.

While improving access to government‑held data is a key objective, the role will also support the identification of opportunities to shape data collection and strengthen data quality, interpretation and presentation. This includes providing evidence and analysis to inform system‑level improvements and ensure data is meaningful, relevant and supports Aboriginal communities’ decision‑making priorities.

The role will maintain strong, ongoing liaison and consultation processes with Aboriginal communities, Aboriginal Controlled Community Organisations (ACCOs), and government and non‑government stakeholders to support effective collaboration and trusted partnerships. This includes enabling culturally safe, transparent and respectful engagement, ensuring community voices are actively heard in decision‑making, and supporting shared understanding of data.

This role will sit in the Family and Community Services Insights, Analysis and Research (FACSIAR) Directorate but will support the work of both FACSIAR and the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR). The role also contributes to internal capacity building by preparing briefings and advice, and promoting learning opportunities that embed culturally safe, sensitive and responsive data practices across the agency

What We’re Looking For

• Tertiary qualifications in a related discipline and/or equivalent knowledge, skills, and experience, with demonstrated commitment to ongoing professional development.
• Demonstrated cultural capability, which includes lived experience, knowledge and understanding of contemporary social issues affecting Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate sensitively and effectively with Aboriginal people and understand issues impacting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
• High level communication and negotiation skills with the demonstrated ability to build relationship and work collaboratively across a range of stakeholders including Aboriginal communities and organisations, government, and non-government agencies, and within DCJ.
• Excellent understanding of the challenges related to access, management and use of data and a demonstrated track record in identifying and resolving barriers to facilitate access to data held by government.
• High level project management skills with a demonstrated ability to manage conflicting commitments and priorities, use clear judgement under pressure and deliver on outcomes within budget and resource allocation.
• As an Identified role, this role is open only to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander persons, Australia’s First Nations people (see notes below)

Notes: This is an identified position and only open to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander persons. Where a position is identified, an applicant’s race is a genuine occupational qualification and authorised by Section 14(d) of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977

Role

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.

Appointments are also subject to reference checks. Some roles may also require the following checks/ clearances:

• National Criminal History Record Check in accordance with the Disability Inclusion Act 2014

Please refer to the Role Description for further details about this position.

Download the role description.

If you are viewing this ad in Seek and wish to apply via their portal, you will be required to either set up a profile or login via your existing Seek account.

To apply directly via the DCJ Careers site click here. Search for the job and click the ‘Apply now’ button.

For more information and advice on applying for roles at DCJ, visit Careers for Aboriginal people https://www.dcj.nsw.gov.au/about-us/careers-at-dcj/pathways/careers-for-aboriginal-people.html

What We Offer

We offer a variety of benefits, including:

• 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.

Want more information? Visit our website to see more information on Working for us.

We do work that really matters

Working for the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) provides lots of opportunities to make a real difference. We collaborate with other agencies and community partners, to improve lives and realise the potential of children, adults, families and communities. We're focused on breaking, rather than managing, disadvantage. It’s work that really matters.

Apply now and join Australia’s top public sector employer where we will support you and provide an exciting and flexible working environment!

Are you ready to join us?

Click apply, attach a cover letter (maximum 2 pages) outlining how you meet the requirements of the role as well as an up-to-date résumé (maximum 5 pages).

Applications close

Sunday 28 June 2026 at 11:59 pm AEST

Got a question?

For more information about the role or what it’s like to work for DCJ, please contact the A/Director Fay Timmings on 0499 058 552 or via ***email_hidden*** until 19 June) or Director Peter Reily on 0407 299 293 or at [email protected] (from 22 June)

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 Lisa Smith on 0456 199 105 or via [email protected]

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.

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.