Community Health Promotion Officer – Testing Services

What’s ACON Testing Services you say?

Working with our partners, a[TEST] provides rapid HIV testing, sexual health screening and health promotion to gay, bi+ and queer men. As part of a diverse and multidisciplinary team of health promotion professionals you’ll provide peer and community-based rapid HIV testing and other testing services.

Ok, so what’s the role?

As a Community Health Promotion Officer – Testing Services your role is to plan and deliver health promotion and community development responses to meet the testing needs of gay men and other men who have sex with men in NSW. This includes the provision of rapid HIV testing through the a[TEST] services as well other testing activities that the organisation supports. This role also delivers health promotion to community on HIV combination prevention strategies including condoms, PrEP, PEP, and undetectable viral load. You will:

• Explain, administer, read & provide results of rapid HIV tests to gay men and other same sex attracted men.
• Provide community health promotion on HIV combination prevention strategies.
• Assist with the coordinating, staffing, planning, scheduling and supporting all a[TEST] activities, including delivery and collection of materials, rostering of staff, and client communications.
• Assess, develop and market testing services that meet prevention goals and the needs of gay men.
• Liaise with partner bodies to ensure leading practice clinical delivery of community-based HIV & STI testing.
• Continually build and enhance partnerships with agencies and external service providers to ensure effective responses to community issues.

Who are we looking for?:

Someone with:

• Demonstrated understanding of the sexual and other health issues and information needs of gay and same sex attracted men and the ability to discuss these topics with diverse groups of gay men.
• A well-developed understanding of HIV prevention strategies relevant to gay, bi and queer men in NSW; as well as demonstrated experience with peer based education, client service delivery and/or experience in a training or workshop environments.
• Understanding of the needs of, and commitment to ACON’s communities, particularly people living with HIV and demonstrated knowledge of health promotion and community development processes; as well as a minimum of two years relevant work experience in a similar role.
• Good networking and communication skills, including written and verbal presentation skills, and the capacity to cooperate with stakeholders; as well as demonstrated organisational skills and ability to meet deadlines, and to work individually as part of a team.
• Ability to work varied hours from week-to-week, including evenings and weekends on an ongoing basis.
• Applicants must provide evidence of Covid 19, MMR, Hep-A, Hep-B and other vaccinations required to perform the role and work in this clinical setting, including a TB assessment.

What else can we tell you?

ACON provides a colourful, nurturing, and fun workplace. Our employees and volunteers are the foundation for our ongoing effectiveness and for our capacity to deliver innovative community engagement and health promotion programs and initiatives for our communities.

To support the successful candidate in their new role at ACON we offer:

• Generous learning and development opportunities.
• Potential for tailored mentoring opportunities.
• Supportive working environment with a knowledgeable and friendly team.

What’s the remuneration and working details?:

Salary: $72,000 to $75,000 (Gross per-annum, PLUS Superannuation and Leave Loading) – commensurate with skills, qualifications, and experience.

Location: ACON’s Gadigal / Sydney Office, and numerous clinical sites in the inner city.

Hours: Permanent, Full-Time (70 hours per fortnight) on an ongoing contract. The role may also require working evenings up until 8pm, at least weekly, and some Saturdays.

We offer a generous array of entitlements often above the National Employment Standards (NES) including:

• Salary Packaging up to $35,000 gross up value (i.e., currently up to $15,900 Expenses + $2,650 Meals, tax free).
• Generous pro-rata leave entitlements – including up to an extra week of paid leave for full time employees to be taken during our Christmas and New Year’s shutdown period.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – access to a comprehensive counselling service free to employees.