- Full-time, Ongoing, EL2 position
- $140,675 - $153,336 per annum plus 15.4% superannuation
- Australia's leading museum located waterside in beautiful Darling Harbour
The Australian National Maritime Museum is seeking an ongoing Head of First Nations Programs to provide strategic leadership, cultural authority and direction for First Nations engagement across the Museum.
About the Role
This is a rare and exciting opportunity to shape how First Nations voices, knowledges and lived experiences are represented within one of Australia’s leading national cultural institutions.
As the Head of First Nations Programs, you will play a pivotal leadership role, providing cultural authority and strategic direction across the Museum. This is more than a program role it is an opportunity to influence how stories are told, how the organisation engages with communities, and how First Nations perspectives are embedded at every level of the Museum’s work.
You will work alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, Elders, artists, and knowledge holders to build trusted, enduring relationships that sit at the heart of the Museum’s practice. Your leadership will ensure that engagement is meaningful, respectful, and grounded in cultural integrity, creating spaces for connection, truth telling and shared understanding.
Leading the Museum’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), you will drive organisation-wide change influencing senior leaders and teams to strengthen capability, embed cultural perspectives and deliver outcomes that have genuine and lasting impact. Your work will directly shape how the Museum evolves as a place of inclusion, learning, and cultural leadership.
You will guide the delivery of high-impact programs, exhibitions, and initiatives, ensuring they are strategically aligned, well governed and culturally informed. In doing so, you will balance community expectations, organisational priorities, and reputational considerations, while ensuring the integrity of First Nations representation remains central.
This is a unique opportunity to step into a role of influence and purpose to lead meaningful change, amplify community voices and leave a legacy in how First Nations cultures, histories and futures are represented and celebrated.
Important information
This is an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander identified position, available only to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people under section 8(1) of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975.
Selection Criteria
The successful candidate will demonstrate their capacity against the following:
1. Cultural Leadership and Authority - Demonstrated cultural authority and deep understanding of First Nations perspectives, with the ability to lead and embed respectful, authentic representation and engagement across programs, collections, exhibitions and organisational practice.
2. Strategic Program Leadership and Delivery - Proven ability to lead the design and delivery of complex, high-impact cultural programs and initiatives, including Reconciliation Action Plans, achieving outcomes within agreed timeframes, governance frameworks and resource constraints.
3. Stakeholder Engagement and Influence - Exceptional ability to build and sustain trusted relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, Elders, artists, and stakeholders, and to influence outcomes across a diverse and complex stakeholder environment.
4. Governance, Risk and Cultural Protocols - Demonstrated expertise in managing cultural, intellectual property, and compliance obligations, ensuring alignment with legislation, policy, and cultural protocols in the management of Indigenous collections, programs and knowledge.
5. Executive Communication and Organisational Impact - Highly developed communication, analytical and advisory skills, including the ability to provide strategic advice, develop high-quality documentation, and influence decision-making at senior levels to achieve organisational outcomes.
When applying via our online e-recruitment system, please provide a written application addressing each Selection Criteria. Your current resume is also to be included in your application.
In addition to an application and your resume, the assessment process for this position may also include an interview and referee reports.
Applications Close: 11:30pm AEST, Sunday 28 June 2026. No Applications will be accepted by mail or email.
Selection for this position will be made on the basis of relative merit which will be assessed against each item of the selection criteria. Applications that do not address the selection criteria will not be considered for shortlisting by the Selection Panel. As part of the selection process the Selection Panel may invite candidates to undertake online testing, skills-based assessment and provide samples of written work at interview.
This position is open to all eligible members of the community, and we welcome and encourage applications from people with disability, the LGBTIQ+ communities, from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. To be an eligible member of the community, you must be an Australian citizen. All employees will be required to satisfactorily complete an Australian Federal Police National Police Check and obtain and maintain a Working with Children Check registration.
What We Offer You
Working at the Museum offers a stunning office location plus access to a range of benefits including:
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A competitive salary, plus 15.4% superannuation
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Generous leave and flexible working arrangements
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Great training and development opportunities
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Our Employee Assistance Program (EAP - a free counselling service for you and your family).
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Wellbeing initiatives including free flu shots and reimbursement for optical
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Staff Regatta - Sailing on the Harbour
RecruitAbility
RecruitAbility applies to this vacancy. Under the RecruitAbility scheme you be invited to participate in further assessment activity for the vacancy if you choose to apply under the scheme; declare you have a disability; and meet the minimum requirements for the job. For more information see: RecruitAbility Australian Public Service Commission website.
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