Indigenous Partnerships Officer

About us

Acting to combat climate change is one of the world’s most pressing challenges. Climate Friendly was founded in 2003 as a profit-for-purpose business. Our growing team is passionate about active land management, and we are focused on finding economically viable solutions to maximise our impact on climate change. 

We are one of Australia’s largest and most experienced carbon farming project developers. This includes more than 160 projects with farmers, plantation managers, agribusiness, and Indigenous groups on carbon farming projects.

Climate Friendly has delivered over 20Mt in carbon abatement as at the end of 2020. Our immediate mission is to establish partnerships, by 2025, that will store or reduce 150Mt of CO2-e, while repairing nature and supporting reconciliation. Join our team and you will be helping to build A productive, sustainable land sector that contributes to a zero net emissions & nature positive Australia by 2050.

We have a genuinely friendly and supportive culture where everyone has a voice and opportunity to help shape our future and to fulfil our purpose.

The role

Our Indigenous Partnerships team plays a pivotal role in fostering and maintaining meaningful relationships with Traditional Owner partners. The team works to build strong and long-lasting partnerships with Traditional Owner groups ensuring that the voices and aspirations of Indigenous communities are honoured and valued across our operations.

Our partnerships extend to Native Title groups, Traditional Owner groups engaged in carbon farming initiatives, and other Indigenous organisations that share our strategic vision and values. Through collaborative efforts, we strive to unlock the full potential of these partnerships, leveraging collective expertise and resources to achieve tangible and impactful outcomes for Traditional Owners and their communities.

Key responsibilities of the Indigenous Partnerships team include:

• Serving as a bridge between Climate Friendly and Indigenous partners, facilitating open and constructive dialogue to co-create sustainable solutions that benefit both parties.
• Actively engaging with Traditional Owners to understand their cultural perspectives, aspirations, and priorities, and ensure their voices are heard and respected as we develop and deliver carbon farming initiatives.
• Supporting Traditional Owner groups in pursuing their carbon farming goals and other carbon and nature-related initiatives, including providing technical expertise and helping to identify opportunities, navigate regulatory processes, and access to relevant support networks.
• Facilitating knowledge exchange and capacity-building initiatives to empower Indigenous communities with the skills, resources, and tools needed to effectively participate in carbon farming and nature repair economies.

As Indigenous Partnerships Officer you will effectively coordinate and implement initiatives aimed at strengthening the relationship between Climate Friendly and our Traditional Owner partners. These partners include Native Title PBCs, Traditional Owner groups pursuing carbon farming projects, and other Indigenous organisations with whom we have strategic alignment.

Key responsibilities include:

• Strengthening relationships with Traditional Owner partners by ensuring consistent delivery on agreed-upon outcomes;
• Arranging and participating in field work and site visits with Indigenous partners and other Climate Friendly staff and land manager partners.
• Project managing the implementation of Climate Friendly’s Annual Engagement Plan with each Traditional Owner partner, including facilitation through other Climate Friendly teams to support with delivery of expert products.
• Liaising with cross-team stakeholders to ensure the accuracy of up-to-date information in systems, such as the Native Title Payments Tracker & Reports
• Updating relevant internal systems (e.g. customer relations and project management among others) in real time with relevant information relating to Traditional Owner partner relationships
• Working with Traditional Owners to assist them to remove obstacles to fully utilising partnership benefits, including by providing comprehensive support and to help them achieve their goals and addressing logistical, administrative, or procedural barriers.
• Collaborating with other relationship manager staff in Climate Friendly to develop three-way partnerships and build a culture of engagement.
• Monitoring and reporting on our project agreements with Indigenous partners to ensure our compliance with contractual obligations and more broadly with the intent of the agreement
• Creating and presenting reports for NTPBCs summarising carbon project performance and other key engagement with Climate Friendly

Identifying and coordinating support opportunities (within CF or externally) that align with the aspirations and goals of CF’s Traditional Owner partners.

This opportunity is open to both full- and part-time working hours.

About you

• The ability to solve problems, prioritise workload and provide clear advice to senior managers.
• Strong project management skills including reviewing data, writing and preparing reports and presentations
• Strong communication and negotiation skills sensitive to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of thinking.
• A passion for fostering two-way learning and genuine, respectful partnerships.
• Strong writing skills, including development of work plans and budgets for work programs.
• Exposure to Customer Relationship Management Databases and project management tools (e.g. Asana) and/or willingness and capacity to quickly upskill in this space.
• Comfort with Microsoft suite.
• Capacity to undertake regular travel for fieldwork and team meetings, and experience working / travelling in isolated areas.
• Ability to work remotely and independently with minimal supervision.

Desirable that the position holder is fully vaccinated with an approved Covid-19 vaccination in line with the ATAGI guidelines which include booster shots. We do however have a medical exemption process and we would be happy to discuss your application should this be applicable to you.

Note: This position is only open to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander applicants. We encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from different cultural backgrounds and with disabilities to apply.

Why join our team?

Our goal is to be seen as an organisation that supports wholeness, lifestyle and wellbeing whilst rewarding individual and collective performance. In addition to competitive salary and transparent career progression opportunities, our benefits include:

• Work with purpose, contributing to a productive, sustainable land sector that contributes to a zero net emissions and nature positive Australia by 2050
• A fully hybrid workplace – work to your own rhythm and balance connection and productivity
• A supportive and inclusive environment that promotes diversity
• 2 all staff events a year to connect with your friends and colleagues
• Christmas holiday – 3 days of additional leave each year
• Floating public holidays
• Gender neutral paid parental leave
• 2 days each year for training / development / study leave
• Home office setup and refresh allowance
• Company performance bonus and shared equity