Governance and Communications Officer

About Us:

The West Daly Regional Council covers 14,000 square kilometres and is located about 300 to 420 kilometres south-west of Darwin. The area is mainly rural, with three Indigenous communities at Peppimenarti, Nganmarriyanga and Wadeye which are managed by West Daly Regional Council (Council).

Position Summary:

The Governance and Communications Officer, reporting to the Executive Officer to the CEO, is responsible for developing, monitoring, and maintaining the Council’s governance framework and ensuring compliance with local government legislation.

Additionally, this role involves providing executive support and managing the Council’s communication strategies, including newsletters, social media, and public relations. The position also oversees procurement processes to ensure legislative compliance and promotes a safe working environment.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Governance & Quality Assurance:

• Ensure compliance with the Local Government Act 2019 (and other relevant legislation).Identify emerging issues in corporate governance and assist in developing appropriate actions and recommendations.
• Coordinate the organisation of legislated meetings of Council, including Ordinary Council Meetings, Finance Committee of Council, Local Authority, Audit Risk Management Committee, and others as required.
• Coordinate the assembling of Council, Committee, and Local Authority agendas as directed by the EO to the CEO.
• Attend Council meetings to record minutes and ensure all resolutions and decisions are followed up by responsible officers.
• Provide advice regarding the interpretation of legislation, particularly the Local Government Act 2019.
• Seek guidance from the Compliance and Sustainability Team at the Department of the Chief Minister and Cabinet when required.
• Assist the executive team to coordinate the induction and ongoing training for Elected Members following a Local Government election or Council by-election.
• Author governance related reports for Council, Committee and Local Authority meetings including confirmation of minutes, correspondence and other reports as directed by the EO to the CEO.
• Coordinate training and support for Local Authority members.
• Assist in developing documents required under the Local Government Act 2019.
• Publish governance documentation and publications to the Council’s website within required timeframes, ensuring careful attention to detail and accuracy.
• Arrange newspaper notices for budget amendments, Regional Plan consultations and other notices as required or as directed by the EO to the CEO.Maintain the Council’s registers as per legislative requirements.
• Collaborate with policy authors to review and develop policies and procedures.
• Oversee the Council’s Policy Framework, ensuring that policies are reviewed within the scheduled timeframe.

Executive Support:

• Address inquiries from internal and external stakeholders promptly and professionally.Maintain the Council’s correspondence records.In conjunction with the Business Support Officer and the EO to the CEO, monitor the Council’s ‘info [at] westdaly.nt.gov.au’ inbox, forward correspondence to relevant officers, and file correspondence within the inbox folder structure.
• Generate purchase orders for catering, accommodation, and stationery as required.
• Arrange travel and accommodation for the CEO, Mayor, and Elected Members as required.Collect mail from the Council’s post office box and distribute it to the relevant department promptly.

Communications:

• Develop and manage the Council’s communication strategies, including newsletters, emails, social media (Facebook), and good news stories.Create and disseminate engaging content that promotes the Council’s activities, services, and achievements.
• Ensure consistent and professional branding and messaging across all communication platforms.
• Manage media relations, including drafting and distributing press releases, drafting responses to media inquiries, and arranging interviews with Council representatives.
• Monitor media coverage and provide reports on public perception and engagement.Coordinate the development and distribution of promotional materials and publications.

Procurement:

• Ensure purchasing policies and procedures are current and that Council procurement processes comply with legislation.
• Facilitate, manage, and administer procurement functions to ensure compliance and probity with relevant legislation, policies, and procedures.
• Other: Perform other duties as directed commensurate with skills and experience.

About You

The successful applicant will possess:

• Relevant Tertiary qualification and/or related discipline, and/or work-related experience.
• Experience working in a similar compliance/governance role.
• Experience in reviewing systems, processes and procedures with a focus on making organisational improvements.
• Demonstrated experience interpreting NT Local Government Act 2019, Regulations and Guidelines.
• Be an Australian Resident or provide the current, relevant Visa to work within Australia.
• Current Northern Territory “C” Class Drivers Licence with manual driving capacity.
• Current Working with Children/Ochre Card.
• Ability to travel to Regional Communities by 4WD and light aircraft and stay overnight (only if needed).

What we offer:

• Generous base salary of $85,912.23 to $91,541.06 per annum based on experience and qualifications
• 11.5% SuperannuationAnnual leave loading of 17.5%
• A generous relocation package up to $5000 subject to Council Relocation Assistance Policy
• 6 weeks’ Annual Leave accrued per year;
• 1 additional public holiday for NAIDOC day dedicated to Council staff;
• Flexible working arrangements subject to CEO’s Approval and much more!

We strongly encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander to apply for this role.

WDRC is committed to providing quality services and fostering a prosperous and sustainable future for the region. Join our team and contribute to building strong, safe, and healthy communities.

Please note the following:

Suitable applicants may be interviewed as they apply.Only the shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interviews.

The position may be filled/advertisement may be closed prior to the closing date if the suitable candidate is identified.

Our recruitment process involves a number of checks including, but not limited to, criminal history, as well as verification of qualifications, licences and right-to-work status.

To Apply, please click the “Apply Now” button and follow the process or submit a resume and cover letter via the prompts.