Assistant Director Development & Membership (Affirmative Measures)

About the Group

The Ngurra Transformation Group brings together the Ngurra Project, Property and Security, Strategic Partnerships and Commercialisation, Research Ethics and Information and Communications Technology functions under one umbrella to support AIATSIS through a period of significant transformation.

Ngurra represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for AIATSIS, not only as a major capital works project, but as a catalyst for whole-of-organisation change. The Group ensures that the physical, operational and strategic foundations of AIATSIS evolve in readiness for Ngurra’s completion and operation. 

About the Program Area

The Partnerships and Commercialisation team (PaC) sits within the Ngurra Transformation Group. PaC furthers the impact and reach of AIATSIS activities through strategic partnerships and commercialisation of AIATSIS products, creating opportunities for people to encounter, engage with and be transformed by the story of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia.

Role Summary

The Assistant Director Development & Membership leads the strategic delivery of fundraising and membership initiatives to drive sustainable revenue and strengthen stakeholder engagement. This role oversees fundraising campaigns, content development, and relationship management ensuring a coordinated approach to donor and member acquisition, retention, and growth. The position is responsible for cultivating strong relationships with donors and members through tailored engagement, stewardship, and high-quality experiences. It also delivers impactful events that enhance connection to AIATSIS’ mission.

• lead the planning, delivery and evaluation of fundraising programs and campaigns to support organisational priorities, revenue targets and strategic development objectives.
• develop and maintain strong relationships with donors, sponsors, partners and stakeholders, ensuring effective stewardship and long-term engagement.
• oversee the development of compelling fundraising, membership and communications content across a range of channels, including campaigns, proposals, appeals, reports and digital platforms.
• identify, cultivate and steward prospective and existing donors, implementing strategies to grow philanthropic support and donor retention.
• manage the organisation's membership program, including membership acquisition, retention, renewal and engagement initiatives.
• develop and implement strategies to attract, engage and retain members, fostering a strong and active membership community.
• lead the planning and delivery of member and donor events, ensuring high-quality experiences that strengthen relationships, encourage engagement and support fundraising outcomes.
• monitor and report on fundraising, membership and engagement performance, providing insights and recommendations to inform continuous improvement.
• maintain accurate donor and membership records, ensuring compliance with organisational policies, privacy requirements and fundraising best practice.
• work collaboratively across the Institute to identify development opportunities, coordinate stakeholder engagement activities and support the achievement of strategic objectives.

Cultural capability - essential

Roles at AIATSIS require candidates to have an understanding of the issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and proven culturally appropriate engagement and communications skills. The nature of this role requires the candidate to consistently demonstrate the following specific cultural capabilities:

• understand Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business within the agency and the outcomes the agency is responsible for delivering.
• has an authentic and respectful interest in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, policy, and implementation matters.
• actively learns from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples about their culture and supports others to do so.
• works in genuine partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to achieve shared outcomes.

AIATSIS embodies Yindyamarra in everything we do.

Skills, knowledge and personal attributes

To be successful in this role, you will be a strategic, relationship-driven professional who thrives in a fast-paced, outcomes-focused environment and is motivated by building meaningful connections and delivering measurable impact.

You will come with the following skills, experience and attributes:

• highly organised, adaptable and collaborative, with the ability to balance strategic thinking and hands-on delivery.
• strong judgement, stakeholder awareness and a proactive mindset, enabling you to navigate competing priorities while continuously seeking opportunities to enhance engagement, grow revenue and strengthen the overall donor and member experience.
• demonstrated experience of fundraising principles, donor cultivation and stewardship practices.
• demonstrated experience of membership program design, acquisition and retention strategies.
• demonstrated experience in stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills, with the ability to influence and build trust.
• excellent written and verbal communication, including content development for diverse audiences.
• high level knowledge of engagement and communications approaches across digital and traditional channels.
• event planning and delivery, with a focus on high-quality participant experience.
• highly collaborative, with a strong team and stakeholder focus.
• proactive and solutions-oriented, with sound judgement and initiative.
• strong attention to detail combined with a strategic perspective.

Applications close 11.30pm Thursday 08 October 2026.

The successful candidate/s will need to undergo:

• Police check
• 6 month probation
• Medical clearance

Affirmative Measures positions

Jobs in the APS are open to all Australian citizens. There are some jobs, though, that are open only to specific members of the Australian population. This practice is known as an Affirmative measure and is a targeted strategy to ensure the diversity of the APS workforce reflects the diversity of the Australian population.  

Any job can be restricted to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people only, and it doesn't necessarily have to involve working on Indigenous issues. If a position has been advertised as an Affirmative measure, it will be clearly marked as such.

The use of the Indigenous Affirmative Measures provision at AIATSIS allows for targeted recruitment of Indigenous Australians into the organisation. If you are applying for an Affirmative Measures position, you will need to indicate your Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander heritage on our application form and provide confirmation if required. 

What is Cultural Capability? 

As all positions at AIATSIS are ‘Identified’ each position will have various elements of involvement with the delivery of Indigenous specific services, programs, and policies as part of AIATSIS core functions. AIATSIS therefore needs to also identify the cultural knowledge; skills and personal attributes needed to deliver the required outcomes.

Every part of how we work, who we work with and for, requires varying levels of knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, protocols and an understanding of issues that enable effective communication and ultimately effective performance in the role. To assist you in determining the required cultural capabilities of this role, you can refer to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Capability – A Framework for Commonwealth Agencies.