Indigenous Engagement & Design Integration Lead

The Indigenous Engagement & Design Integration Lead will drive Balarinji’s Indigenous engagement and co-design delivery. It’s a specialised role working across major design projects, to establish and translate Indigenous narrative for co-designed interpretation throughout project life cycles. The objective is to facilitate design thinking informed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander worldviews.

The Ideal Candidate

A creative thinker with the knowledge and understanding of community and cultural protocols of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. You thrive on building and fostering relationships whilst using your analytical and problem-solving skills to achieve design outcomes. You are a dynamic communicator, who is committed to Indigenous design excellence and able to translate information and ideas clearly and concisely to clients and across a range of stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide specialist advice regarding Indigenous community engagement for design.
• Build positive relationships with key stakeholders from a diverse range of community groups and assist with engagement required across projects.
• Work closely with relevant community groups and other stakeholders to discuss project design opportunities, as well as develop and implement engagement strategies.
• Draft Indigenous stakeholder communications, relevant to the project design delivery requirements.
• Plan and facilitate Indigenous community consultations and workshops to support design outcomes.
• Facilitate design translation brainstorming sessions with the Project Team.
• Ideate cultural design thinking and key themes for design translation based on client briefing and community consultation feedback.
• Contribute to written reports summarising project consultations and design translation themes and ideas.
• Attend and present at client meetings and design integration workshops.
• Attend and present at project review meetings such as PWGs, SDRPs and meetings with GANSW.
• Provide community engagement and design integration advice to Project Managers on project issues, project strategy and aligning delivery with client requirements.

Experience

• Tertiary qualified, in Art, Design, Architecture, Urban Design, Landscape Design or other relevant design field.
• Experience in a commercial design studio/agency environment and or facilitating community engagement activities.
• A creative thinker who can analyse community feedback for design outcomes.
• Well-developed stakeholder management and presentation skills with the ability to build and influence successful partnerships.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal.
• A proactive and flexible attitude, with the desire to achieve.

Benefits

• Flexible working, 3 days in the office 2 days working remotely at home.
• Birthday day off at full pay.
• Competitive salary on offer.
• An opportunity to be at the forefront of a rapidly growing Indigenous design agency.
• Variety of projects for a range of diverse clients.
• A comfortable and social office in Crows Nest, close to transport.
• A small team where like-minded people enjoy great work, and where your career is supported and developed.

A positive team culture is the driver of all we do at Balarinji, where authenticity and respect are central. If you meet some but not all of the criteria, please get in touch as we would love to talk to you.