COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR

This opportunity offers:

- Ongoing employment
- Full time role & 35 hour working week
- RFS Level 8/9
- Attractive annual salary $118,562 - $131,233 p.a. plus 12% superannuation
- Location: Sydney Olympic Park (hybrid working arrangements considered)

Looking for more information?

Why not reach out to our role expert, Catherine James, Manager Community Engagement for a confidential chat on ***************@rfs.nsw.gov.au.

Join Our Team: Protect, Serve, and Make a Difference!

We are the Rural Fire Service (RFS), a dedicated community of volunteers providing fire and emergency services to approximately 95% of NSW. When you work with the RFS, you join a passionate team committed to protecting our neighbours, the wider community, and the environment from the threat of bushfires and other emergencies. With over 70,000 volunteer members and staff, we embody the spirit of mutual respect, support, friendship, and camaraderie. We are one team with many players, united by a single purpose. If you share our passion for community service and environmental protection, we want to hear from you! Become a part of our mission to safeguard lives and our cherished NSW landscapes.

What you’ll be doing:

As Community Engagement Coordinator, you'll work to strengthen community engagement capability across the Service. You'll develop practical resources, tools, initiatives and training that help volunteers and staff build the skills, confidence and knowledge needed to support preparedness and operational engagement activities.

Working closely with community engagement practitioners, volunteers and subject matter experts, you'll identify capability needs and turn them into practical solutions. This could include developing guidance materials, capability pathways, career development opportunities, toolkits and other resources that help create a more consistent and effective approach to community engagement across the organisation.

While capability development will be a major focus, you'll also contribute to the design, improvement and evaluation of community engagement and preparedness programs, helping ensure our work remains practical, relevant and aligned to the needs of members and communities.

This is a role for someone who enjoys improving systems behind the scenes, developing practical solutions and helping others succeed. If you're motivated by building capability, creating useful resources and influencing practice at a Statewide level, this could be the role for you.

Our Ideal Candidate:

At its core, this role is about capability development and improving practice across the Service. You have experience developing capability through practical resources, programs, tools and initiatives. You can identify gaps, understand what people need to succeed and translate that into solutions that build confidence, capability and consistency across a large and diverse organisation.
You're interested in how people learn, you enjoy developing a new resources, improving an existing program or and creating opportunities for peer learning with a focus on practical outcomes rather than simply producing products.




You have an appreciation of the principles of behaviour change and a solid understanding of the role community engagement plays in improving community preparedness and safety. You recognise the importance of developing resources and programs that support these outcomes.

You have experience working in emergency services, volunteer-based organisations, or similar environments where relationships, collaboration and practical solutions are critical to success. You understand the opportunities and challenges that come with serving the diverse communities across NSW and can develop approaches that work in the real world, not just on paper.
You're a strong communicator who can build productive relationships with a wide range of people. Whether you're working with volunteers, operational staff, subject matter experts or senior stakeholders, you're able to listen, collaborate and bring people together to achieve a common outcome.

You'll be organised, adaptable and comfortable managing multiple projects and competing priorities. You're equally comfortable improving existing resources and developing new approaches, and can take ideas from concept through to delivery, balancing innovation with practical implementation.

Most importantly, you'll value service to the community and understand the vital role volunteers play in helping keep communities safe. While this role isn't on the front line of community engagement, it plays an important part in ensuring our people have the tools, resources and support they need to make a real difference before, during and after emergencies.

If you are interested in finding out more about this opportunity, please access the Role Description and our organisation structure.

Note: As per the role description, candidates are required to meet minimum essential requirements. If you do not meet the essential requirements for this role, your application may not progress to shortlisting.

Why work for us?

- Operational/Corporate uniform available
- Attractive leave entitlements including 4 weeks annual leave per year, plus more
- Free access to our Member Assistance Program (MAP) for all RFS members, and their immediate family
- Salary packaging options available
- One ‘Agreed Absence’ leave day per calendar month
- Ongoing learning and professional development programs (RFS is a Registered Training Organisation giving you access to various internal courses)
- Partnership with Fitness Passport for eligible RFS staff and their families to access more than 845 gyms and pools!

You'll also get to enjoy:

- Easy access to Sydney Olympic Park Train Station, bus services and parking facilities
- Local eateries and childcare facilities
- Sydney Olympic Park Entertainment and Sports Precinct,



including Accor Stadium, Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Showgrounds, and Bicentennial Park
- Eligible staff are invited to join the local Sydney Olympic Park Connected Membership program, at an additional cost

To embark on your RFS journey:

To be considered for this opportunity, you must submit your application by clicking 'Apply Now' through the relevant advertisement on RFS Careers, and attach:

- A cover letter in PDF format, addressing how you meet the essential requirements of the role, outlining your suitability and why you are interested in this opportunity;
- A resume in PDF format, including two current/recent professional referees (please include email address and contact number)
- Respond to two targeted questions within the online application process (maximum 500 words each):
- Tell us about a time when you identified a gap in knowledge, skills, confidence or practice within a team, workforce or volunteer group. How did you determine what was needed, what solution did you implement, and what was the outcome?
- The RFS operates in diverse communities across NSW, including rural, remote and multicultural areas with varying levels of risk awareness, service access and trust in government institutions. Describe a time when you adapted communication, engagement or learning approaches to meet the needs of a specific community or audience. What did you change and what did you learn?

Candidates are encouraged to prepare their applications independently to ensure they accurately reflect their skills and experience. The Rural Fire Service values authentic, original responses that reflect individual perspectives and alignment with its values and priorities. Skills, knowledge, and capability will be assessed and verified through the capability assessment process.

Please submit your application no later than 11:55pm Sunday 8 November 2026.

Significant recruitment Information

- A recruitment (talent) pool may be created through this recruitment process to fill future ongoing, temporary, casual and term, full time or part time opportunities.
- We value a diverse and inclusive workplace and are committed to ensuring our employees represent the diversity of communities that we serve.
- If you require an adjustment during the recruitment process, please include any details that you are comfortable sharing during the application process, alternatively, you can reach out to the role expert to discuss.
- The recruitment process may involve a range of assessment activities to determine your capabilities for the role (aligning to the NSW PSC Capability Framework). The Capability application tool is designed to help job applicants understand and use the NSW Public Sector Capability Framework when applying for jobs with the NSW government. Additional checks for successful applicants will include referee checks and criminal history checks.

Vacancy Reference: R26-357

This may not be the role for you, however you can check out other vacancies in the RFS here, or consider volunteering with your local Brigade.

Learn more about how RFS members support communities across NSW below

📌 Community Engagement Coordinator (Sydney Olympic Park)
🏢 NSW Rural Fire Service
📍 Sydney Olympic Park