Community Connection & Learning Specialist

Community Connection & Learning Specialist

Help Create a More Connected, Inclusive and Engaged Community.

Do you love bringing people together?

Are you passionate about community connection, lifelong learning and creating opportunities for people from all walks of life to thrive?

Wollongong City Libraries is looking for an experienced and enthusiastic Specialist Community Connection & Learning professional to join a welcoming and passionate team.

This is a rewarding opportunity to design and deliver meaningful programs, build strong community partnerships and create positive outcomes for people across our diverse Wollongong community.

If you are a flexible, can-do person who enjoys working with people, building relationships and making things happen, we'd love to hear from you.

Find out more about what we do here -> https://www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/library

At Wollongong City Council, we continuously strive to create an Extraordinary Wollongong for our community. We focus on the delivery of exceptional services, infrastructure and facilities for our community. Our aim is to work toward the community's goals in the Our Wollongong Our Future Community Strategic Plan 2035.

Wollongong is a great place to work, live and play! Together, our responsibility is to create an inclusive community where everyone is welcome, valued and belongs. Our strength is the diversity of our people.

We lead with courage, openness and curiosity and believe our employees are the key to our success. Learn more about us here.

This is a permanent full-time 35 hour per position. Salary from : $92,295.35 - $109,769.89 plus 12% Superannuation. (Salary package will be assessed based on skills, experience and qualifications)

A current paid NSW Working With Children Check and Class C Driver Licence or equivalent is required for this role. You must be physically able to undertake outreach activities, event setup and library desk duties, including participating in a one-in-eight Saturday roster, as well as occasional evening events as per operational requirements

Under Part 2, Section 6 of the Child Protection (Working With Children) Act 2012, this position has been designated as requiring a paid Working With Children Check.

The opportunity

Based primarily at Wollongong Library, this exciting role offers the opportunity to work across our library network and throughout the community, attending outreach activities, programs and community events across the Wollongong Local Government Area. You will build strong relationships with community groups, service providers and stakeholders while planning, delivering and evaluating engaging programs that promote literacy, inclusion, lifelong learning and community connection. Working closely with diverse communities, you will create welcoming and inclusive experiences that encourage people to connect beyond their own groups and participate more broadly in library and community life. You will also coordinate projects, grants, budgets and community partnerships, contributing to innovative and customer-focused library services. As part of a friendly, flexible and hardworking team, you'll bring a positive, can-do attitude, a collaborative approach and a genuine passion for strengthening community participation and belonging.

What you will be doing

• Contribute to reporting and outcomes for key initiatives, including the Disability and Inclusion Action Plan and Reconciliation Action Plan.
• Manage grant-funded projects, including budgets, administration and acquittals.
• Evaluate programs and services to drive continuous improvement.
• Independently manage projects and priorities from planning through to delivery.
• Support Learning Cities and other community learning initiatives.
• Build and maintain partnerships with community groups, stakeholders and external organisations.
• Develop and manage partnership agreements that support inclusion and community engagement.
• Identify opportunities to improve service delivery and community participation.
• Collaborate across Council, libraries and the community sector to deliver shared outcomes.
• Deliver programs and initiatives that promote literacy, inclusion, belonging and lifelong learning.

About you

• You are a passionate, community-minded professional with qualifications in areas such as Library and Information Services, Education, Community Development, Adult Education or a related discipline, backed by extensive experience in a library, community, education, cultural services or related professional environment.
• You are confident developing, delivering and evaluating programs, projects and events that create meaningful outcomes for diverse communities, including people with disability, multicultural communities and other underrepresented groups.
• You have exceptional communication, presentation and reporting skills, are comfortable presenting to community groups and stakeholders, and can build strong, trusted relationships through your friendly, empathetic approach with a high level of emotional intelligence.
• You bring experience coordinating grants, budgets and community partnerships, and are confident managing multiple priorities in a dynamic environment with strong organisational, time management and computer skills, including Microsoft Office and PowerPoint.
• You are adaptable, solutions-focused and able to work independently while contributing positively to a welcoming, flexible and hardworking team. Experience supporting, mentoring or guiding others will be highly regarded, as will a strong understanding of operational compliance and working within established frameworks, including Work Health and Safety requirements.
• To be successful in this role, you will hold a current NSW Working With Children Check and Class C Driver Licence or equivalent, be physically able to undertake outreach activities, event setup and library desk duties, and be available to participate in a one-in-eight Saturday roster, as well as occasional evening events as per operational requirements.
• You have a commitment to Council's values of Respect, Integrity, OneTeam, Sustainability and Courage.

Why you'll love working at Wollongong City Council!

• True work-life balance
  We know you work hard, and we make sure that effort is rewarded with real flexibility. Our hybrid work options, flex-time, and rostered days off mean you can maintain balance while delivering great outcomes.
• Great working conditions
  Enjoy a 35-hour work week or a 9-day fortnight with a regular rostered day off (RDO).
• Career growth and recognition

We are committed to supporting your personal and professional development. Our initiatives include a reward and recognition program, corporate learning opportunities, study assistance, and leadership development programs to help you grow and succeed.

• Generous leave provisions
  Benefit from five weeks of annual leave per year (pro rata) and access long service leave after just five years.
• Health, safety, and wellbeing
  We prioritise a safe workplace for everyone, every day, everywhere. Our wellbeing programs support mental, physical and social wellbeing of our people to be at their best and include an Employee Assistance Program, skin and hearing checks and discounted gym memberships.
• A vibrant social culture
  Join our Social Club for monthly activities, an annual trivia night, and fantastic Christmas events!

Participate and engage in meaningful work, and contribute to our extraordinary community, where together we make a difference.

For more information, click on 'Apply' to be redirected to Wollongong City Council's job vacancy page.

Applications close 11:59pm, Monday 14 September 2026.

We invite everyone to apply no matter your identity, you'll be welcome. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people who are culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD), people with disability and veterans.

Wollongong Council adheres to the principles of a child safe organisation and is committed to the care and protection of all children and young people in the community.

Applicants are required to undergo a rigorous employment screening process which will include Reference, Identity and Medical History Checks, and may also include a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check and Working with Children Check. Employment is subject to clearance of all these checks.