First Nations Culture Assurance & Capability Lead

About AFSA The Australian Financial Security Authority (AFSA) supports confidence in Australia's personal insolvency and personal property securities systems through regulation, service delivery and stewardship. AFSA is a modern national regulator committed to delivering trusted outcomes for government, business and the Australian community.
About the role The First Nations Culture Assurance & Capability Lead plays an important role in strengthening cultural safety, reconciliation and inclusion across AFSA. By providing specialist advice, workforce insights and capability support, the role helps ensure First Nations perspectives are heard and considered in organisational decision making, contributing to a workplace where employees feel respected, supported and have a strong sense of belonging.
The role sits within the Workforce Strategy and Culture team in the Enabling & Capability section and works closely with leaders, RAP action owners, employee networks and stakeholders across AFSA
Established through AFSA's Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), the First Nations Culture Assurance & Capability Lead provides specialist advice, assurance and capability support to strengthen cultural safety, workforce experience and reconciliation outcomes across the organisation. Working under limited direction, you will partner with First Nations employees, leaders and RAP action owners to understand emerging issues, identify opportunities for improvement and support the delivery of AFSA's reconciliation commitments.
Drawing on workforce data, employee feedback and cultural expertise, you will provide evidence based advice that supports organisational learning, capability uplift and continuous improvement. You will collaborate with stakeholders across AFSA to strengthen culturally safe and inclusive workplace practices, coordinate and monitor initiatives, and help ensure First Nations perspectives are appropriately reflected in workforce, culture and inclusion activities. The role offers an opportunity to influence meaningful organisational change while contributing to AFSA's broader diversity, equity and inclusion priorities.
Key Accountabilities Specialist Advice and Assurance

• Provide culturally informed and evidence-based advice to leaders on First Nations cultural safety, workforce experience, reconciliation and inclusion, and contribute to broader diversity and inclusion initiatives.
• Analyse workforce information, employee feedback, policies and practices to identify barriers, emerging issues and opportunities for improvement.
• Apply fair, consistent and transparent approaches when assessing cultural safety issues, workplace practices and organisational initiatives where appropriate.
• Recommend practical improvements, monitor progress against agreed actions and provide assurance on the effectiveness of responses to identified issues, supporting continuous improvement and organisational learning. Escalate significant cultural safety risks through approved governance arrangements where required.

RAP and Governance Coordination

• Coordinate and monitor assigned RAP commitments, including evidence, measures, dependencies and implementation risks, while supporting action owners to deliver and sustain outcomes.
• Prepare concise reports, briefings and recommendations for executives and governance forums.
• Coordinate and provide specialist guidance to AFSA's First Nations advisory arrangements, including supporting the development of evidence-based recommendations.
• Monitor and report on progress, outcomes and emerging risks.

Culture and Capability

• Work with culture leads, business areas and First Nations contributors to identify cultural capability, diversity and inclusion needs and priorities, and guide capability uplift across leaders and teams.
• Co design practical resources, guidance and learning that embed culturally safe, inclusive and respectful workplace practices in leadership, decision making and everyday work.
• Support initiatives that strengthen understanding, inclusion and respectful engagement across AFSA.
• Evaluate initiatives and recommend improvements based on evidence, feedback and outcomes.

Employee Voice and Engagement

• Build trusted relationships with First Nations employees, the Gugurmin Network, other employee networks, leaders and relevant stakeholders.
• Facilitate culturally safe engagement that enables First Nations employees to contribute to workforce and culture decisions.
• Ensure employee feedback is acknowledged, considered and reflected through appropriate governance, decision making and continuous improvement processes.
• Support engagement practices that recognise the diversity of First Nations peoples and experiences.
• Provide information and referral pathways for employees raising cultural safety concerns while maintaining confidentiality and appropriate role boundaries.

All duties will be performed in accordance with:

• the APS Values, Code of Conduct and Employment Principles
• WHS obligations, taking responsibility for own health and safety and that of others
• AFSA's risk management framework and relevant legislation, including guiding others to identify and mitigate foreseeable risks.

The ideal candidate Practices inclusion and values diversity

• Acknowledges and respects a diversity of experiences, perspectives, personal values and beliefs.
• Understands the strength in diversity of opinion and demonstrates openness to the contributions and ideas of others.
• Supports a culture and workplace which is equitable and safe for all and where staff feel they can bring their true selves to work.

Engages people to build productive relationships

• Acts with honesty, integrity and respect in dealings with others.
• Is willing and able to understand others' perspectives.
• Sets and manages expectations to achieve positive outcomes.

Uses information to make evidence based decisions

• Researches, identifies and integrates relevant evidence towards finding solutions to the problem.
• Provides unbiased, comprehensive and accurate advice to others.
• Uses past experience and organisational/environmental awareness to analyse what information is important and how it should be used in the decision making process.

Demonstrates judgement and common sense

• Objectively evaluates all aspects of a situation and weighs all options before making a decision.
• Uses evidence to draw accurate conclusions.
• Engages appropriate escalation procedures when necessary to ensure smooth resolution of issues.

Shapes strategic direction

• Has a macro view and looks beyond the boundaries of own responsibilities to the team, AFSA, the APS, industry and the broader community.
• Represents and advocates the agency's position in a professional and specialist context.
• Keeps the end user in mind to shape program outcomes to meet needs.

Promotes performance excellence

• Holds self and others responsible for achieving results and agreed outcomes.
• Positively contributes to a culture of high performance through effective performance management practices.
• Strives for continuous improvement by identifying better ways of working or opportunities to contribute to the work of others.

Qualifications and experience Relevant qualifications are desirable but not essential.
Working arrangements AFSA supports flexible ways of working and is committed to helping employees balance their work and personal commitments. Flexible, hybrid, part time and job share arrangements may be available, subject to operational requirements.
Why join AFSA? At AFSA, you'll contribute to meaningful work that supports Australians while developing your skills in a collaborative and inclusive environment. AFSA values its people and offers:

• 15.4% employer superannuation contribution
• Flexible working arrangements
• Hybrid and remote work options where operationally appropriate
• Competitive salary and conditions under the Enterprise Agreement
• Paid Christmas and New Year shutdown
• Generous leave provisions
• Learning and development opportunities
• Employee Assistance Program
• A supportive, inclusive and respectful workplace culture

AFSA is committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels welcome, respected and able to succeed. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and strongly encourage applications from First Nations peoples, people with disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community
Eligibility To be eligible for employment with AFSA, you must:

• Be an Australian citizen
• Successfully complete police record and identity checks
• Obtain and maintain the required security clearance
• Meet any probationary requirements applicable to the role

Security clearance: Baseline
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affinity Measure This vacancy is being filled using the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affinity Measure. To be eligible, applicants must be of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent and may be asked to provide confirmation during the recruitment process.
For further information about this employment pathway, refer to Affinity measure for recruiting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians: A guide for applicants I APSC
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