Youth Development Officer

Family, Youth & Children Services

Permanent Full Time

Band 5 – $80,410.06 - $93,163.49 + super + RDO (RDO applicable for full-time 38 hours per week only)

Why You’ll Want to Join Us

- Supportive and friendly team workplace where we value growth and development

- Award-winning organisation-wide Health and Wellbeing initiatives

- Excellent employee benefits and competitive hourly rates

Benefits Package

- Exceptional Leave Entitlements: 16 days personal leave, 18 weeks parental leave, plus cultural leave and compassionate leave.

- Health and Wellbeing: Free EAP counselling, discounted leisure membership (40% off for Staff and 25% off for Managers), salary sacrifice childcare options.

- Professional Development: Leadership courses and learning workshops, Education Assistance Program featuring study and exam leave and up to 50% course fee reimbursement.

About the Role This is an exciting opportunity to lead the design and delivery of dynamic, evidence-based workshops, programs, and activities for young people aged 8 to 25 across the municipality. In this role, you will champion contemporary co-design practices and youth participation, giving young people an authentic voice in shaping the programs and services built for them. You will also oversee and activate specialised creative assets at the Yarra Youth Centre (including our Music/Recording Studio and Art Studio), integrating these valuable resources into broad youth engagement initiatives.

Immediate Priorities for the Successful Candidate:

1. DJ Skills Program Review: Lead the popular DJ Skills program, designed specifically for female and gender-diverse young people. Currently paused for Term 3, you will evaluate its current framework and review its ongoing viability to plan its next steps.

2. Girls Club / Females Program Co-Design: Plan, develop, and co-design a dedicated weekly Girls Club/Females program to be delivered directly from the Yarra Youth Centre in Fitzroy.

We are proud to offer flexible working arrangements,



strong internal development pathways, and a culture that prioritises wellbeing and connection. This is a great opportunity for a dedicated youth work professional to step into an impactful role with hands-on creative delivery, mentorship, and clear career progression opportunities within local government.

What We’re Looking For We are looking for a candidate with a tertiary qualification in Social Sciences, Youth Work, or a related field (or equivalent experience) who brings a proven track record in youth program design, co-design methodologies, and group facilitation.

Key focus areas and responsibilities include:

- Program and Workshop Design: Designing, delivering, and evaluating responsive, outcome-focused workshops and holiday programs across community spaces and schools.

- Co-Design and Youth Voice: Embedding robust participation frameworks that support young people to take on leadership, advocacy, and peer-facilitation roles.

- Creative Studio Activation: Managing and promoting the Yarra Youth Centre’s music/recording and art studios, connecting young people with creative mentors and tools.

- Stakeholder and Project Management: Building collaborative partnerships with local schools, agencies, and Council teams while working within program budgets, risk assessments, and data tracking.

Yarra City Council is a progressive organisation, proud of our inclusive culture, diversity, and continuous development of staff. We strive to make a positive difference in people’s lives and continually improve services to the community.

Need More Info?

For further information,



please refer to the Position Description or contact Chris Cogger, Team Leader Youth Programs and Engagement] at [email protected]

Youth Development Officer.pdf

Applications close on: Sunday 30th August 2026, at 11:55 pm.

How to Apply

In your application, please include your Resume and a 1-page Cover Letter. In your cover letter, provide a brief overview addressing the Key Selection Criteria as outlined in the Position Description. A separate document addressing KSC is not required.

Additional Information

This position is subject to satisfactory Police Check, Working with Children Check prior to commencement. Pre-employment checks are not used by Yarra City Council to prevent any applicant from applying for this position. Each application will be considered on its merits.

At Yarra Every Job is a Climate Job! Acting on the climate emergency requires that we change the way we think, make decisions, and prioritise action. We must embed proactive climate responses in the ways we govern, live our lives, and conduct our work. Every choice we make today and into the future will have an impact; this is true for Council and the community.

Acknowledging the scale of this crisis, at Yarra we are committed to ensuring that every job is a climate job meaning that each staff member will play a key role in shaping our climate response.

Yarra's Commitment to Diversity

Yarra City Council is committed to being a child safe organisation and supports flexible and accessible working arrangements for all. This includes people with a disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, culturally, religiously and linguistically diverse people, young people, older people, women, and people who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex or queer.

We draw pride and strength from our diversity, remain open to new approaches and actively foster an inclusive workplace that celebrates the contribution made by all our people.

📌 Youth Development Officer (Richmond)
🏢 City Of Yarra
📍 Richmond