Project Officer-Home Strong Foundations

A little bit about us:

Barunga Village is an innovative and ever-growing organisation offering retirement, community and residential services.

As one of the largest employers in the Mid-North, our services reach the wider Mid-North and Yorke Peninsula.

Our purpose is to support our consumers live the best life possible.

About the role:

We have an exciting opportunity for a Project Officer to join our dynamic team for 24 hours a week on a Part-Time fixed-term contract from 14 September 2026 to 28 March 2027.Funded by Rural Health Innovation Fund (RHIF).

The Project Officer will independently plan and coordinate consultation activities within the approved project scope; build and maintain collaborative stakeholder relationships; manage schedules, invitations, logistics, contact lists and consultation records; and keep participants informed and engaged throughout the project. The position is expected to complete the routine administrative work associated with these activities, drawing on in-kind administrative support only where additional assistance is required.  The role will gather, validate, document and organise qualitative and quantitative consultation information, prepare progress updates and consultation summaries, and work closely with the external consultant to ensure stakeholder perspectives are accurately captured and information is complete, well organised and suitable for analysis.  The Project Officer will also monitor assigned activities and timeframes and promptly escalate emerging risks, delays, participation gaps or matters requiring a decision. Overall project governance, approval of deliverables and development of the Home Strong Framework remain the responsibility of Barunga Village and the external consultant.

Summary of position

The Project Officer is responsible for coordinating and progressing the stakeholder engagement, consultation, project administration and reporting activities required to support delivery of the Home Strong Foundations Project across the Yorke and Northern region. The role will identify and engage consumers, carers, clinicians, health services, aged care providers and community organisations to ensure their knowledge, experience and perspectives inform the project.

 Key responsibilities

Stakeholder Engagement (Primary Focus)

• Develop, maintain and strengthen relationships with key stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle.
• Identify and engage consumers, carers, health professionals, aged care providers and community organisations.
• Coordinate stakeholder participation in interviews, workshops, focus groups and consultation activities.
• Maintain regular communication with participants, ensuring they remain informed, engaged and connected to the project.
• Encourage ongoing participation and respond appropriately to stakeholder enquiries and feedback.
• Monitor participation across stakeholder groups and locations, ensure consultation activities achieve broad and representative regional participation, and escalate material engagement gaps or barriers.

Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with project stakeholders including participants, mentors, internal staff, community organisations, and training providers.
• Deliver presentations and reports to the Steering Committee and Executive team.
• Manage internal and external communications, including updates to staff, newsletters, community sessions, and website/socials in collaboration with the Communications Officer.

Consultation and Information Collection

• Facilitate and document consultation activities in a professional and consistent manner.
• Accurately capture stakeholder feedback and maintain complete, current and secure consultation records.
• Prepare clear consultation summaries and descriptive information, including participation data and emerging themes, without undertaking formal analysis.
• Provide complete, organised and accurate consultation information to the external consultant.
• Work collaboratively with the external consultant to clarify stakeholder feedback and ensure consultation findings accurately reflect participant perspectives.

Project Coordination and Administration

• Plan and coordinate consultation schedules, venues, invitations, participant communications and meeting logistics.
• Maintain stakeholder contact lists, attendance and participation data, action registers, project records and consultation documentation.
• Monitor assigned activities, milestones and timeframes, and provide regular progress updates and well-organised consultation summaries to support project reporting, governance and decision-making.
• Identify and promptly escalate emerging risks, delays, stakeholder concerns, privacy or consent issues, scope uncertainty and matters outside the role’s authority.
• Attend and contribute to Project Control Group meetings, prepare or coordinate relevant papers and updates, record and follow up assigned actions, and provide routine meeting administration.
• Seek supplementary in-kind administrative support only where workload, timing or project requirements make this necessary.

Communications

• Coordinate with the Marketing and Communications team to prepare and progress project communications within agreed requirements.
• Collect and organise participant stories, photographs and quotes, ensuring appropriate consent and record-keeping requirements are met.
• Coordinate timely information and materials required to meet RHIF communication, branding and acknowledgement requirements.

 Person specifications

Essential qualifications and experience

• Demonstrated experience coordinating stakeholder engagement, community consultation, community development or a comparable project workstream.
• Demonstrated ability to build and sustain collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Excellent facilitation, communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong written communication, documentation, data collation and record-keeping skills, including the ability to prepare clear progress updates and consultation summaries.
• Demonstrated ability to collect, validate, organise and present qualitative and quantitative information, including basic use of Excel to monitor participation, activities and project progress.
• Competence using Microsoft Office or comparable systems, particularly Word, Excel and Outlook, together with electronic document-management or project-tracking tools.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently within defined authority, manage competing priorities, complete routine project administration and exercise judgement about when matters require clarification, support or escalation.
• Current driver’s licence and commitment to travel across the Yorke and Northern region.

 Desirable qualifications and experience

• Experience in dementia, aged care, disability, health or community services.
• Knowledge of co-design or consumer engagement methodologies.
• Experience working with older people and carers.
• Experience engaging with and supporting people living with dementia and their informal caregivers (family members and carers), with an understanding of person-centred and dementia-inclusive approaches.
• Relevant tertiary qualification.

  Core competencies

• Strong organisational, administrative, and ICT skills, including proficiency in Smartsheet, Microsoft Office, and CRM/data platforms.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders, including vulnerable participants.
• Ability to work methodically and proactively to meet deadlines and achieve agreed outcomes.
• Positive, solution-focused mindset
• Proven ability to work independently and take initiative.

 Conditions

Must provide a NDIS worker screening clearance that is dated not more than five years old to enable the assessment of whether the employee is suitable to provide care under the Aged Care Act. This clearance must remain updated by the employee during the contract period.  Must comply with Barunga Village’s immunisation policies and procedures at all times.

Must sign a statutory declaration to identify that have never committed any serious criminal activity outside of Australia.  Must not be included on the aged care banning order register.  Must comply with Barunga Village’s Code of Conduct.

Special conditions

Full driver licence.

Some of the work perks:

• Maximise your take home pay with Not – For – Profit Salary Packaging up to $15,900 p/a;
• EAP – Employee Assistance Program;
• Social Club (conditions apply);
• Ongoing training;
• Opportunities to upskill;
• Flexible working arrangements (Manager discretion).
• Short term Accommodation available

How to apply:

To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter by Friday 11th of September 2026

Each application will be reviewed as it is received and if suitable, offered an interview for further consideration. The position will be filled if the right candidate is selected. Therefore, Barunga Village reserves the right to close this job offer before this date. We encourage you to apply at your earliest convenience to be considered.