Wayside Chapel is seeking a Senior First Nations and Stakeholder Relations Manager to lead cultural partnerships, strengthen community connections, and embed cultural safety across our organisation. This is a unique leadership opportunity to shape Mob Space, our dedicated First Nations program, and help ensure our work truly reflects the voices, wisdom and strength of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
This role is an identified position and is open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants only.
About the Role
This is a senior, community-facing role grounded in cultural integrity, advocacy, and relational leadership. You’ll work across teams and communities to co-design culturally safe programs, represent Wayside in key networks, and ensure that cultural knowledge and healing principles are embedded in everything we do.
You will support Mob Space and help Wayside grow stronger in its commitment to self-determination, equity and respect.
Key Duties
- Lead community engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations, Elders and stakeholders across Sydney
- Co-design and guide Mob Space activities to reflect local wisdom, cultural safety and community priorities
- Represent Wayside at cultural events, forums, and gatherings as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander spokesperson
- Provide high-level cultural and strategic advice to senior leadership to influence policy, programs and organisational direction
- Support internal teams to strengthen culturally responsive practice for First Nations visitors
- Contribute to culturally safe policies, healing-centred frameworks, and ongoing program development
- Champion the inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices across governance, service design, and evaluation
- Build and nurture long-term partnerships rooted in trust, reciprocity and shared impact
About You
You bring strong leadership and the ability to build genuine relationships across diverse spaces.
You’ll also bring:
- Minimum 5 years’ experience in community engagement, partnerships, or stakeholder management
- Strong cultural authority and understanding of issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- Experience leading co-designed programs or influencing organisational change
- Excellent relationship-building and communication skills
- Knowledge of trauma-informed, healing-centred or harm reduction approaches
- Confidence to work across teams and represent Wayside in external forums
- A collaborative mindset and commitment to Wayside’s mission of creating community with no ‘us and them’
Relevant qualifications in community development, social work, public health or similar are welcomed.
Why Wayside?
- Five weeks’ Annual Leave
- $15,900 of your annual salary tax-free through generous NFP salary packaging
- 3x Flex Leave days
- Paid Cultural and Ceremonial Leave
- Access to monthly External Clinical Supervision
- Access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
This is an identified position for an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person. Wayside considers being Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander to be a genuine occupational qualification specified under section 14 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW).
Prior to an offer of employment, candidates will be required to complete pre-employment checks, including a Police check, reference checks and Working With Children Check.
