1. Position Details

•    Position title:       Community Recovery Resilience Officer 

•    Directorate:         Community and Business Development

•    Position status:   Full-time fixed-term contract

•    Classification:     Organisational level 4

•    Reports to:          Director Community and Business Development

•    Leads:                 N/A

•    Contract start:     As soon as possible

•    Contract end:      31 March 2027

In addition to the principles and responsibilities applicable to all Queensland local government employees, everything Quilpie Shire Council does is underpinned by its values. These define the culture of the organisation and the behaviours that shape our interaction with the community and each other. Our values are Respect; Communication; Fun and Humour; Pride; Trust and Teamwork.

2. Objectives of the position

The Community Recovery and Resilience Officer (CRRO) initiative is part of the Community Health and Wellbeing package (the Package) which has been included within the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) Category C exceptional circumstances funding. The role will support long-term recovery and resilience of disaster affected communities following the Western Queensland Surface Trough and Associated Rainfall and Flooding, 21 March – 19 May 2025.

The objective is to embed Community Recovery and Resilience Officers (CRROs) within eligible LGAs to work at the community level in addressing the immediate to medium/long-term needs of the event impacted communities, and ensuring a locally informed response and long-term sustainability

The CRRO will achieve this objective through:

• supporting community‐informed initiatives, by facilitating linkages, collaboration and partnerships between and across groups, supporting and enabling the development and achievement of the objectives in medium to longer term recovery and resilience planning and having a focus on building upon local strengths and capabilities of the affected communities.
• establishing a local face-to-face presence with community organisations and key community stakeholders across the affected communities to engage and identify community strengths, needs, aspirations and developmental opportunities, facilitate community planning days and to support and nurture prioritised community recovery and resilience projects.
• engaging and establishing strong working relationships with key stakeholders involved in community recovery at the local and district levels, including working with these stakeholders to ensure they can effectively plan for the long‐term sustainability of their communities and are best placed to build capacity in preparedness for, and resilience to, future disasters and establish consultation processes and structures.
• supporting the development of local recovery plans that are informed by local recovery needs and implemented through community informed recovery actions.
• identifying and implementing community informed local recovery that supports and aligns with the relevant Local Recovery Plan.
• promoting disaster recovery and resilience information and sharing ideas/projects from other locations.
• engaging with other key workers involved in community recovery at a local level and establishing improved connections with local government and joint recovery planning by maintaining a focus on improving the relationship between community organisations, local government, local disaster management groups.
• identifying and implementing local community informed activities aligned with the purpose of the CRRO initiative. This will ensure that communities develop the capability to manage their own recovery, reducing reliance on government disaster-related assistance.

3. Key accountabilities - Individual

Activities

• Undertake widespread community engagement activities to discuss the recovery process and to identify the needs and aspirations of diverse groups within the affected area
• Arrange community training and education programs that facilitate the outcomes of the CRRO program
• Support and enable capacity and skills development of individuals and groups, businesses and service providers within the affected areas
• Support and enable the development of recovery and resilience plans for the affected areas
• Raise awareness of, and assist community groups to develop their capacity to submit recovery and/or resilience project proposals under the Flexible Funding Program and other grants that become available during the officer’s tenure
• Promote disaster recovery and resilience information and share ideas/projects from other locations
• Engage with other key workers involved in community recovery at a local level and establish links with workers funded under other Package initiatives.
• Participate in the LDMG and Local Human and Social Group activities and planning
• Contribute to planning and needs for food security during events and recovery.

Coordinate funded activities

• Coordinate an allowance of up to $200,000 (excluding GST) per year for local activities to:
  o    respond to needs identified during planning.
  o    enable recovery outcomes through the delivery of community engagement activities, education sessions, resilience activities, community events, workshops and responses.

Reporting

• Develop a Recovery and Resilience Action Plan (within one month of engagement) for the employment term that covers:

  o    the Disaster recovery outcomes that will be achieved
  o    the Council local recovery and resilience objectives to be met
  o    the eligible activities that will support achieving the outcomes
  o    the milestones and activities that are planned
  o    targeted communities and stakeholder benefits
  o    anticipated timeframe for delivery of activities
  o    an exit strategy, including transition, communication, handover and finalisation.

• Prepare quarterly milestone reports (within 28 days of the financial quarter) on a template provided by the Department of Families, Seniors, Disability Services and Child Safety (the Department).
• Support Council with monthly financial reporting, including compiling evidence of expenditure. 
• Prepare an End of CRRO Initiative Report that summarises the delivery of the project, locations, acitivites, learnings, achievements and delivery of outcomes.

Collaboration

• Collaborate with other CRROs across South West and Central West Queensland appointed to support recovery for the Western Queensland Surface Trough and Associated Rainfall and Flooding, 21 March – 19 May 2025 event.

Governance

• Comply with the eligibility requirements of:

  o    the Supplier Guidelines
  o    the DRFA.

• Participate in meetings initiated by the Department.
• Support Council with record keeping, procurement, variations, and extensions of time where required.
• Support Council with audit tasks requested by the Australian Government via the Queensland Reconstruction Authority.

Acknowledgements

• Acknowledge DRFA funding contribution in public materials, e.g. “jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements”.
• Seek agreement with the Department prior to release of any public materials.

4.    Key accountabilities – All employees    

4.1    Workplace health and safety
All Queensland employees have a duty under the Workplace Health and Safety Act 2011.
(Section 28)

While at work, therefore, all Quilpie Shire Council workers must:

• Take reasonable care for their own health and safety.
• Take reasonable care that their acts (actions) or omissions (failure to act) do not adversely affect the health and safety of other persons.
• Comply, so far as the worker (employee) is reasonably able, with any reasonable instruction to allow compliance with the Act.
• Co-operate with any reasonable policy or procedure relating to health or safety that has been notified to workers (employees).

4.2    Ethics principles, values and code of conduct
(Section 13 (2)(h) of the Local Government Act 2009 and Section 4 of the Public Sector Ethics Act 1994)

All Queensland local government employees are responsible for observing the ethics principles of:

• integrity and impartiality
• promoting the public good
• commitment to the system of government
• accountability and transparency.

Quilpie Shire Council’s Employee Code of Conduct has been developed in accordance with the Public Sector Ethics Act 1994. All employees are responsible for complying with their Council’s Code of Conduct. Local Government Act 2009 Section 13 (2)(i)

The Local Government Act 2009 also emphasises an employee’s responsibility to:

• carry out their duties impartially and with integrity. (Section 13(2)(d))
• ensure the employee’s personal conduct does not reflect adversely on the reputation of Council. (Section 13(2)(e)

4.3    Other local government responsibilities

All Queensland local government employees have the following responsibilities (Section 13)
broadly summarised under the following headings:

•    Council plans, policies and decisions (advice and implementation)
-    providing sound and impartial advice to Council. (Section 13(2)(c))
-    implementing the policies and priorities of Council in a way that promotes:
(Section 13(2)(a))

• the effective, efficient and economical management of public resources
• excellence in service delivery
• continual improvement.
• carrying out duties in a way that ensures Council achieves its corporate plan.
  (Section 13(2)(b)(iii))

•    Compliance
-    carrying out duties in a way that ensures Council can fulfil its responsibilities under the Local Government Act 2009 and all laws applicable to local governments. (Section 13(2)(b) (i), (ii))

-    observing all laws relating to their employment. (Section 13(2)(g))

•    Performance
-    continuing to improve all aspects of an employee’s work performance. (Section 13(2)(f))

•    Local government principles

All Queensland local government employees, in performing their responsibilities must also do so in accordance with the local government principles (where within the control of the employee). (Section 4 Local Government Act 2009)

The principles are:
-    transparent and effective processes, and decision-making in the public interest.
-    sustainable development and management of assets and infrastructure, and delivery of effective services.
-    democratic representation, social inclusion and meaningful community engagement.
-    good governance of, and by, local government.
-    ethical and legal behaviour of councillors, local government employees and councillor advisors.

5.    Work environment and physical demands    

Work duties are primarily performed in an outdoors environment and regularly exposed to changing weather conditions. Accordingly, the position requires the capability to work outdoors particularly in the hot and humid local climate. The employee may be required to carry out some low-level physical tasks which may include manual handling, bending, kneeling, twisting, squatting and lifting.

This position will be required to travel throughout South West Queensland to assist in managing applicants located in the Local Government Areas of Balonne, Bulloo, Murweh, Paroo and Quilpie.

6.    Other responsibilities    

This position description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to the role.

While this position description covers the key areas of responsibilities, day to day tasks and responsibilities may vary and be in addition to those listed above (reasonably within the limits of the employee’s skills, competence and training).

7.    Sub-delegations and authorised person powers    

According to the Chief Executive Officer’s approved register.