Project Lead – Industry Development (Disability Sector)

The position will primarily be involved in delivery of the Industry Development project. This project has two streams of work to strengthen workforce (attraction and retention) including opportunities for people with disability, and to develop and strengthen the BuyAbility website.

The project targets specific metropolitan and regional settings in NSW and will require travel to these locations. The project lead will work with local disability service providers and develop strategies to increase workforce attraction and retention to the disability workforce.

The work will include a focus on specific groups including First nations people, people with disability and people from culturally and linguistically diverse groups (dependent on need in each region). Supported and open employment opportunities will be included. The project will include cross-sector engagement e.g. health, aged care, and Local Councils. Additionally, the project will encompass strategies to strengthen inclusion of people with disability in service provider governance.

The second stream of work relates to the BuyAbility website which is a website that provides government and private individuals or organizations with information to identify and source Social Enterprises. The work will identify and implement opportunities to strengthen the website and will occur in concert with national work occurring. Additionally, the project will identify opportunities to promote the website services to customers across NSW including Local and state government social procurement. The project will leverage other NDS work in Australia. It will have a focus on outcomes for specific geographical areas and implement activities to spread learnings and strategies across the broader disability provider sector in NSW and Australia.

The Project Lead may also contribute to a range of activities to support general NDS services. The work may also include contributing to other projects, writing News Updates on disability related topics, preparing policy papers, facilitating workshops, and meetings and engaging with providers to provide support and sector development.

This work will occur during a significant period of disability reform in Australia and provides an important opportunity to support disability service providers and make positive impact for people with disability.

Key Responsibilities

The Project Lead plays a critical role in delivering the industry development project and other NDS sector development and support activities. The role works to the State Manager NSW and works collaboratively and in close liaison with NDS Workforce and Employment staff.

• Lead and manage the project to deliver effective, high-quality planning and delivery against objectives and to meet the project key performance indicators.

• Develop and maintain strong positive relationships with external stakeholders and NDS team members. • Provide high level development and support to disability providers, broader stakeholders through advice, forums, meetings, presentations, articles, news updates and individual consultation.

• Develop and maintain strong up to date knowledge of the disability sector, current issues, reforms, and strategies being implemented both nationally and in NSW.

• Prepare high quality written materials including policy submissions, reports, and workshop materials.

• Represent NDS by providing high quality advice including responding to enquiries, attending meetings, forums, workshops, and conferences.

• Complete an array of project management activities to high quality, timely and within budget as determined through the NDS deliverables using contemporary good practice project management skills.

• Contribute, where appropriate, to broader NDS policy work. 

• Perform other duties and responsibilities as required by manager/supervisor from time to time.

• Comply with NDS’s policies and procedures at all times, including (but not limited to) HR, Quality, Work Health & Safety (WHS), IT, Security, and Data Privacy

• Demonstrate the NDS values of Build respectful relationships, Lead change, deliver clarity & impact, Support and develop others, Embrace diversity.