Position Description

ORGANISATIONAL BACKGROUND

Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) is an international Catholic organisation with a mission to accompany, serve and advocate for the rights of refugees and forcibly displaced people. JRS works in situations of greatest need, where people are most vulnerable, where there are gaps in services and where partnerships can be formed to better serve people seeking safety.

In Australia, JRS works to uphold the rights of refugees, people who are in the process of seeking asylum and migrants in vulnerable situations and aims to support people to empower themselves, to live meaningful and dignified lives while feeling welcomed and connected to a more fair and just community.

As an independent, not-for-profit, non-government organisation JRS Australia undertakes the following activities:

• Supports and accompanies community-based people seeking asylum, refugees and migrants in vulnerable situations through a holistic programme of casework, financial assistance, community activities, food bank, English classes, an employment program, a women’s program, workshops and drop-in programs provided through our drop-in centre in Westmead and JRS’s Community Centre in Parramatta.

• Supports women seeking asylum and migrant women on temporary visas to increase their understanding of domestic and family violence and sexual and gender based violence, its drivers and their rights, as well supporting women to access support and referral pathways.

• Supports and accompanies people seeking asylum who are held at detention facilities across Australia and those who have been in detention in the past or who have been transferred from Manus Island or Nauru. 

• Raises awareness with young people and others in the community through schools, community centres, parishes and other stakeholders about forced displacement, social justice, human rights, the situation of people seeking asylum in Australia, the barriers that they face, and ways to get involved. 

• Undertakes research and advocacy with and on behalf of people seeking asylum and refugees in Australia in order to advise government and non-government organisations (NGOs) on policy and program responses. 

• Supports JRS projects and activities overseas, for example, through regional and international advocacy and campaigns.

POSITION OVERVIEW

JRS Australia requires an experienced Employment Coordinator with a passion for and a commitment to breaking down barriers to work for marginalised peoples.  The Employment Coordinator will oversee the day-to-day running of an innovative employment support program to meet the needs of people seeking asylum and other temporary migrants in vulnerable situations. The JRS Employment Coordinator position is responsible for building relationships with and engaging with employers, social enterprises, and other recruitment programs in order to secure employment and/or training opportunities for JRS clients. 

The Employment Coordinator will supervise the Employment Support Worker and will work together with other JRS programs/teams to ensure that JRS clients become job ready, find training opportunities, and secure pathways to sustainable employment. The JRS Employment Coordinator will also need to take a strategic view of the project and be able to advocate for the rights of the people served by JRS in close collaboration with the Advocacy and Policy team through appropriate forums.

KEY TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Program & Staff Management

• Responsible for the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the JRS Employment Program.
• Line manages the Employment Support Worker, who assists clients to access employment opportunities
• Supervises volunteers to assist clients to review skills, access training and develop job plans and goals.
• Assists clients with preparing a resume, job seeking and interview techniques, as needed.
• Embodies JRS’ mission of accompaniment in all dealings with clients.
• Other tasks as determined in consultation with your line manager.

Relationship Building & Stakeholder Engagement

• Builds and maintains strong relationships with employers in the local area who are willing to train and hire people seeking asylum for paid work and for voluntary positons.
• Builds and maintains strong relationships with industry specific training providers, TAFE, and other stakeholders.

Volunteers and Community Centre Activities

• Assists with the day-to-day running of drop-in activities at JRS.
• Assists with community development projects and other support services as needed.
• Works with the Volunteer Coordinator to source and train mentors and volunteers, specifically in relation to job skills identification, pre-employment preparation, and job seeking.

Reporting

• Keeps confidential client records and data stored in the JRS database.
• Provides quarterly stats and reports based on funders reporting guidelines.
• Provides quarterly stats and reports to the JRS Board.

Networking and Advocacy

• Establishes productive working relationships and liaises with other service providers in the sector and relevant stakeholders.
• Advocates for the rights and support needs of refugees, people seeking asylum and migrants in vulnerable situations through the appropriate channels, including by gathering statistics, case studies and any other data requested by JRS staff, JRS partners, our funders or others as directed by the Direct Services Manager and the Policy, Advocacy and Communications Manager.  
• Works closely with the advocacy and communications team to advance the rights of refugees, people seeking asylum and migrants in vulnerable situations.

Philosophy, Mission and Values

• Understand and demonstrate the Mission and Values of JRS on a day-to-day basis; respect, hope, dignity, solidarity, hospitality, justice and participation.
• Adhere to the policies and procedures of JRS. 
• Adhere to the JRS and the Australian Jesuit Province Code of Conduct. 
• Work closely with the relevant people in all of the Jesuit ministries to ensure that Ignatian spirituality is fostered. 
• Behave in a culturally and linguistically sensitive manner that respects everyone regardless of their background, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, migration status, religion, ability or any other ground. 
• Provide and promote an environment of mutual respect, dignity and fairness – free from discrimination, harassment, victimisation, bullying and violence – to ensure that acceptable standards of conduct are maintained at all times and take appropriate action if unacceptable conduct is observed. 

Occupational Health and Safety

• Comply with the requirements of relevant Work, Health and Safety (or Occupational, Health and Safety) Acts and related procedures developed by the JRS. 
• Work in a manner that considers duty of care for self and others and be safety conscious at all times. 
• Report inappropriate behaviours which endanger self or others including bullying and other harassing behaviours / incidents.

Quality Assurance and Continuous Improvement

• Attend relevant meetings, workshops, conferences and training, as required. 
• Become familiar with, and follow JRS and the Jesuit Province’s quality and standard policies, procedures and management instructions. 
• Be open to new ways of doing things that enhance working in an environment that is inclusive and that subscribes to the Ignatian way. 
• Strive for continuous improvement in the quality system and work practices by being alert to opportunities for improvement. 
• Maintain confidentiality in relation to clients, staff and volunteer issues and all JRS’ programs. 

SELECTION CRITERIA

Essential Requirements:

• Tertiary qualifications in business, marketing, human services, welfare/community work or another relevant discipline.
• Demonstrated project coordination experience.
• Ability to build strong relationships with a variety of stakeholders, including potential employers.
• Experiencing supervising staff and volunteers.
• A strong understanding of the Australian employment context, including the Australian job market and recruiting practices.
• Demonstrated understanding of the issues faced by people seeking asylum and refugees living in Australia, particularly in relation to barriers to employment.
• Capacity to manage competing deadlines, prioritise workload appropriately and work in a flexible manner.
• Excellent oral, written, interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills. 
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• High level computer literacy skills, including the use of MS Office, Google Suite, and online database/reporting systems.
• Commitment to working within current EEO, WH&S, and child protection legislation.

Desirable:

• Direct experience working with asylum seekers or refugees.
• Proficiency in a relevant community language.
• People with lived refugee experience are strongly encouraged to apply.

Application Process:

If you would like further information about the Employment Support Worker position, please contact:  Maeve Brown, maeve.brown@jrs.org.au or 9098 9336

To apply, please address all of the selection criteria and send your response, along with your resume and a cover letter to:  info@jrs.org.au by 5pm, Wednesday 25^th November 2020.

Thank you for your interest in working with Jesuit Refugee Service Australia.