Ngurra Kayanta IPA Coordinator

About Desert Support Services:

Desert Support Services has a decade-long history of supporting Traditional Owner groups to achieve environmental, economic, social and cultural outcomes on their country within the Central Desert region of Western Australia. DSS works to support their clients to establish, develop and maintain their land management programs and are actively working to build corporation capacity to run their own programs into the future.

DSS has supported Ngurra Kayanta Aboriginal Corporation (NKAC) since 2019 to help people get back out on their country and to secure ongoing funding for the Ngurra Kayanta Indigenous Protected Area (IPA). Through project management, employment provision and other services and guidance, DSS continues to support NKAC to deliver its land management aspirations for all Ngurra Kayanta people.

About Ngurra Kayanta

Our people live in communities across the Kimberley and the desert, from Broome, Fitzroy Crossing, Wangkajungka to Balgo, Mulan, and Kiwirrkurra, and belong to Walmajarri, Wangkajunga and Manyjilyjarra language groups. We are spread out across a far distance but come together in Balgo before heading out on country for ranger work.

Our Indigenous Protected Area was recognised by the Federal Government in August 2024, and our ranger work and IPA Coordinator role is funded ongoing through the IPA Program. We have both IPA and Indigenous Ranger Program (IRP) funding to support our emerging ranger team to work on country, and to employ both IPA and Ranger Team Coordinators.

Our country is very remote desert country. Our work will include putting in new tracks to access important places by vehicle and working with partners like IDA to continue to access country by helicopter. We are working on building up our on country infrastructure in the north of our IPA as well as establishing a ranger office in community. We are strong in our culture and identity, and our cultural principles of looking out for one another, following our knowledge holders, and fostering belonging to country and family, will guide our ranger program.

We have long standing partnerships within the Indigenous Land Management sector, and are looking to build new relationships to help us achieve our goals for our people, country, plants and animals

What does an IPA Coordinator do?

As the Ngurra Kayanta IPA Coordinator you will work alongside our emerging ranger team and the Ranger Team Coordinator from the first official year of implementation of our IPA program, delivering varied work to positively impact our waterholes, people, fire regime, animals, bushfoods and plants according to our IPA Plan of Management. Coordinators work in an inter-cultural space and need to have great interpersonal skills and cross-cultural communication skills.

A Coordinator role can be dynamic, demanding and highly rewarding. It can range from: supporting team development and Ngurra Kayanta leadership; organising remote field trips; managing safety and logistics to support rangers to do their work on country; supporting the intergenerational transfer and recording of cultural knowledge; right way burning of country; facilitating connection between ranger teams and industry specialists, partners and funders; assisting to establish species and biodiversity surveys and monitoring; regular communication with rangers and Traditional Owners; recording cultural, GIS, threatened species, and other data through apps and reports; facilitating IPA Management Team meetings and feedback sessions, camping under the stars and much more.

This is the first time we are hiring an IPA Coordinator for our newly established IPA Program. You will be responsible for:

Oversight and coordination of IPA projects and work that delivers on the outcomes and goals outlined in our IPA Plan of Management, both through the IPA Program and any other projects on the IPA.

• Supporting the IPA Management Team to make decisions for country, create workplans, and build the capacity of the Management Team
• Co-creating foundational systems and structures that will set up our ranger team for success and build confidence and capacity to deliver work autonomously
• Leading IPA program budgeting, monitoring and reporting to funders and NKAC Directors
• Working in ways that support our cultural and IPA governence principles

You will be supported and guided by the IPA Management Team, Elders, DSS Staff and sector support organisations from Broome and Perth.

This is an incredible opportunity to be part of something special as Ngurra Kayanta begin their IPA journey, to work and build relationships with an incredibly motivated and enthusiastic emerging team, and to get to know the beautiful desert landscape of our IPA.

About you:

We want someone who:

• Is curious and kind – you are willing to listen and learn from us as the experts of our country and our culture
• Is reliable – you work with integrity and do what you say you will do
• Has experience working with Indigenous communities in culturally respectful ways and is interested in learning our languages and culture
• Will empower us – you will work with us to establish our ranger team and our processes in a way that is owned and lead by us
• Is experienced – you can bring your flexible mindset, problem-solving, team building and communication skills to the table
• Is adventurous – ideally you have experience working, navigating and camping in remote desert locations or fieldwork and enjoy being out bush
• Is looking to develop or continue a career in the Indigenous Land Management sector, and build long lasting connections

We look to hire based on quality of character as well as specialised background.

The role will require you to work both in Balgo community and remotely in the field for extended periods of time during the field season (roughly March to November). DSS has a Broome office where you will work alongside Coordinators of programs for other DSS clients within the Northern region.

An attractive salary package with significant benefits including paid Christmas shutdown, relocation assistance, leave loading, regional allowance (if relevant), TOIL system and salary sacrifice will be offered to the successful candidate.

Apply:

1. Download the Duty Statement (with salary) and Selection Criteria (or email to dsshr@dabs.net.au to request)

2. Complete a Cover Letter and address the Selection Criteria; and

3. Submit your Resume, Selection Criteria responses and Cover Letter to dsshr@dabs.net.au

To understand this opportunity in more detail, contact Aaron Eulenstein on 0427 757 894. Or for questions on the application process please contact HR at dsshr@dabs.net.au

Applications close 9.00am (WST) Monday the 10th February 2025. All applications will be treated strictly confidential. Only applicants who have progressed to shortlisting will be contacted.

Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged to apply.