Regional Housing Officer - Aboriginal Housing Northern Territory
This position is open to Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people only
Who we are:
Aboriginal Housing NT Aboriginal Corporation (AHNT) was officially launched in August 2019 at the National Housing Conference. AHNT is the first Aboriginal housing peak body advocating for the Aboriginal community-controlled housing sector in the NT.
AHNT has a membership of strong leaders and Aboriginal organisations across the NT that represent Town Camps, Homelands and Remote Communities and is the Territory’s leading voice on Aboriginal housing and homelands reform and sector capacity building.
AHNT is governed by a Board of up to 16 Directors who represent the Aboriginal Community-Controlled Housing and Homelands sectors, and the four NT Land Councils.
AHNT is a member of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing Association (NATSIHA) and advocates on behalf of the Northern Territory’s Aboriginal Community-Controlled Housing and Homelands sectors through NATSIHA at the national level.
AHNT currently sits alongside other NT Aboriginal peaks and is a member of the Aboriginal Peak Organisations NT Alliance (APO NT). The alliance was created to provide a more effective response to key issues of joint interest and concern affecting Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory, including through advocating practical policy solutions to government.
The AHNT Board acknowledges NT Shelter as the Peak for NT housing and homelessness and works closely with NT Shelter through an MOU to advocate a shared approach to support advancements in Aboriginal housing and homelessness. AHNT is also an important member of Community Housing Industry NT (CHIA NT).
AHNT is committed to increasing Aboriginal participation in policy development and implementation, and to expanding opportunities for Aboriginal community control. AHNT works with NATSIHA, APO NT, NT Shelter and CHIA NT to strengthen networks between peak Aboriginal organisations and regional Aboriginal community-controlled housing organisations in the NT and nationally.
What we value:
Collaborative
We acknowledge that we can only achieve the change our communities need through strong partnerships with our communities, our sectors, and through key Influencers and decisionmakers.
Culturally informed
We will Include the knowledge, wisdom, and experience of Aboriginal people to deliver our vision. We acknowledge the similarities and differences that define our diverse communities and will deliver programs that ore respectful. responsive and aligned to the protocols that have governed our people for thousands of years.
Outcomes focussed
We focus on the change we want to see and recognise we may need to adopt our outputs along the way. Our goal is to effect change.
Strengths based
Our communities deserve the best strategies and programs that we can offer. We reach beyond existing "deficit-based" frameworks, to capture and leverage the wisdom of our own cultural knowledge and experience.
Accountable and reliable
We operate with integrity. We ore open, honest, and transparent and are accountable to the communities serve and the stakeholders we work with.
Innovative and Agile
We embed new, Innovative development models that work with people to shift underlying attitudes and support new practices and behaviours.
Regional Housing Officers will liaise with and provide advocacy to identify strategies to build capacity across the Aboriginal community-controlled housing sector across the Northern Territory. They will work closely with Land Councils, Australian and Northern Territory Governments, Aboriginal housing, and homelands service providers and AHNT member organisations. They play a vital role in supporting the identification and development of innovative ground up policy approaches to reform, restore and build the Aboriginal community-controlled housing and homelands sector in the Northern Territory.
Duties and Responsibilities
Regional Housing Officers will:
Work as part of a broader integrated team and all stakeholders, including Land Councils, governments, and service providers to build the Aboriginal community-controlled housing sector to improve housing outcomes across Communities, Homelands, Town Camps and Community Living Areas.
Work collaboratively with Land Councils, Australian and Northern Territory Governments, Aboriginal Housing and Homelands Service Sector and AHNT member organisations to deliver strong housing outcomes for Aboriginal communities, through identified and agreed system-level strategies and reforms.
Support AHNT member organisations to become registered Community Housing Providers through the National Regulatory System for Community Housing (NRSCH) and maintain their registration.
Build a shared understanding of the housing systems and resourcing requirements, including the importance of housing program financial viability and the business orientation of the housing and homelands sectors in the Northern Territory. They provide regular internal and external reporting on Government-funded programs and initiatives that impact the sector.
Support the Managing Director to ensure that projects and grants are delivered, monitored, and reported against correctly, as per AHNT policies, NT Government and Australian Government reporting and documentation requirements.
Engage with AHNT stakeholders and member organisations, including Land Councils, to resolve project issues and ensure delivery and completion of projects in accordance with AHNT’s strategic plan and funding requirements.
Required qualifications, skills and experience
Experience in the Aboriginal community-controlled sector and/or working in remote communities in service delivery, business development, social and community development.
Proven ability working across complex policy landscapes and in sensitive cross-cultural contexts where English may not be the primary language.
Experience working with and through federal and NT governments and land councils to maximise outcomes and impact with Aboriginal residents.
Experience in effective community engagement and experience developing program relevant resources.
An awareness and understanding of the NT Aboriginal community-controlled housing sector, including remote and urban housing contexts, Homelands, Town Camps and Community Living Areas and the primary housing issues impacting on Aboriginal people in the NT.
Sound knowledge of the housing policy landscape including national and territory housing and homelands reform agendas.
Well-developed oral and written communication skills with proven ability to engage with a wide stakeholder group, including people who primarily communicate through Aboriginal languages.
Capacity to assess and manage risk, problem solve, resolve disputes, and negotiate successful outcomes in complex environments.
Self-motivated, with influencing skills and the ability to work collaboratively in a team environment in an Aboriginal organisation as a member of an effective and passionate team of housing and homelands practitioners.
Organisational skills with the capacity to work autonomously and manage competing priorities and multiple tasks.
Ability to work effectively in a team environment or autonomously to achieve the objectives of AHNT.
Ability to travel by aircraft and four-wheel drive.
Essential Requirements
Current NT “C” Class driver’s license or equivalent.
Satisfactory Criminal History Check or the ability to gain.
A current Working with Children Card or the ability to gain.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume outlining their qualifications, relevant experience and reasons for applying for the position to Deputy CEO at hr@ahnt.org.au (using the subject line: “Regional Housing Officer enquiry via Seek”).
Only applicants shortlisted for interview will be contacted.