Advocacy and Community Engagement Coordinator

3/7/2026

The coordinator will support advocacy initiatives promoting the rights and dignity of people who use drugs, and coordinate community engagement activities and forums to elevate community voices. This includes working collaboratively with lived experience representatives and assisting with advocacy campaigns and partnership building.

Working Hours

40 hours/week

Company Size

201-500 employees

Language

English

Visa Sponsorship

About The Company

North Richmond Community Health began supporting the Richmond community on Wurundjeri land in 1974. Then called the North Richmond Family Care Centre, it was an organisation built to support the diverse needs of the 4,000 strong community members of the Langdon Park Ministry of Housing estate. A group of progressive doctors approached the estate’s community-led Tenants Union in the early 1970s, and together they came up with the idea of a health centre that didn’t just provide vital medical services, but also fostered and supported the community. Since it was opened, North Richmond Community Health has been a place for people of all linguistic backgrounds, physical, emotional and mental abilities, faiths and cultures. For 40 years, the community has come to our centre to meet, receive care, seek advice, socialise and celebrate. In 1994, we received funding from the Victorian Department of Human Services to share its knowledge across the state, and the Centre for Culture, Ethnicity and Health (CEH) was formed. In the last 21 years, CEH has continued to develop their expertise in health and wellbeing, human rights, cultural competence and health literacy. North Richmond Community Health’s current building opened in late 2012. At that time, North Richmond Community Health was given the honour of an Aboriginal name by Wurundjeri Senior Elder Doreen Garvey-Wandin: Wulempuri-Kertheba, which translates from Woi wurrung as ‘staying healthy together’. As an organisation, we pride ourselves on our commitment to working with refugees, asylum seekers, newly-arrived migrants, people of different cultural and linguistic backgrounds, people who inject drugs and people of all socio-economic backgrounds. We are constantly reiterating that commitment and developing it. North Richmond Community Health has a long history, with many relationships in the community going back 40 years. We look forward to many more years of learning, working and building healthier communities.

About the Role

At North Richmond Community Health (NRCH) we are proud to deliver courageous health and community services that collaboratively address health inequity. We nurture a workforce that is passionate and diverse, with shared values and a strong commitment to making positive health impacts within the heart of North Richmond. With access to a variety of flexible work arrangements, health and wellbeing activities and a rich learning environment, our team members are consistently able to deepen their expertise by being part of impactful and world recognised community health solutions.

• Generous salary packaging options
• Part Time up to 0.8 FTE (0.4 ongoing and 0.4 fixed term until 30 June 2026)
• Strong connection to community and innovation

About the program

The Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Program at NRCH delivers a range of harm reduction, treatment, and community engagement initiatives that support people who use drugs and those affected by drug use. The program works closely with community members, partner organisations, and government to promote dignity, reduce stigma, and improve health outcomes.

About the role

The Advocacy and Community Engagement Coordinator plays an important role in strengthening relationships between NRCH, people with lived and living experience, and the broader community. The role supports advocacy initiatives, community participation, and engagement activities that elevate community voices and contribute to meaningful systems change.

This role is available up to 0.8 FTE, made up of 0.4 FTE ongoing and 0.4 FTE fixed term until 30 June 2026. We anticipate confirmation in May 2026 regarding the potential for the additional 0.4 FTE to become ongoing.

Key responsibilities include:

• Supporting advocacy initiatives that promote the rights, dignity, and wellbeing of people who use drugs
• Coordinating community engagement activities and forums that encourage participation and dialogue
• Working collaboratively with lived and living experience representatives and community members
• Assisting with the development and delivery of advocacy campaigns and community projects
• Building and maintaining partnerships with local organisations, services, and stakeholders
• Supporting the documentation and communication of community insights and program outcomes

Please see the complete position description here: Advocacy and Community Engagement Position Description

About you

You are passionate about community development, advocacy, and social justice, and enjoy working collaboratively with diverse communities to create positive change.

• Qualifications in Health, AOD, Welfare or Social Sciences, Psychology, Public Health or equivalent
• Minimum 3 years’ experience in clinical education or developing and implementing health promotion activities with community members.
• Understanding of harm reduction principles and the issues affecting people who use drugs
• Strong communication and facilitation skills
• Ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team
• Experience working in the community health, AOD, or social services sector will be highly regarded

Why join us?

At NRCH, you’ll be part of a team that’s making a tangible difference in people’s lives. You’ll enjoy:

A supportive, values driven culture that embraces diversity and inclusion
Generous salary packaging and flexible working arrangements
Flexible Working Conditions
Free On Site Car Parking
The chance to help shape the future of a respected community health organisation.

Closing Date: 25 March 2026

Key Skills

AdvocacyCommunity EngagementHealth PromotionHarm ReductionFacilitationPartnership BuildingCommunicationCollaborationSystems ChangeStigma ReductionDocumentationProject Development