Inclusive Employment Advocate – Canberra

ABOUT JIGSAW:

Jigsaw is a not-for-profit organisation designed to break the cycle so many people with disability face of never gaining entry to the workforce.

At Jigsaw we believe people prepare best for work through work and our mission is to build an Australia in which people with disability are fully included in the workforce.

At the heart of the Jigsaw model is a thriving document and data management social enterprise providing a range of high-quality commercial services to corporate and government clients. This social enterprise enables us to provide a training pathway for people with disabilities to prepare for employment at their own pace and undertake award wage employment before transitioning to open employment. Our proven model has resulted in an average 12 month employment retention rate that is more than double the average national retention rate for the current Commonwealth Government Disability Employment Services (DES) program.

Were building something new!

After over 11 years of delivering solid lasting employment outcomes under our work-integrated social enterprise and NDIS-funded model Jigsaw Australia has been selected to deliver the new Inclusive Employment Australia (IEA) Commonwealth Government program in the Canberra/Queanbeyan Employment Services Area. Replacing the existing DES model from 1 November IEA aims to support specialist cohort providers like Jigsaw with deep experience in providing tailored services. Jigsaw will deliver services to a specialist cohort of youth with disability under the age of 25 years and we aim to remain true to our proven disability employment model within the IEA framework; helping to shape national disability employment services for the better.

Learn more about Jigsaw at THE ROLE:

We are seeking an energetic business development professional to join our team now with the aim to start building strong and lasting employer relationships in the Canberra region ahead of our go-live date of 1 November 2025.

The Inclusive Employment Advocate (IEA) will be the face of Jigsaw in the local community. The IEA will work closely with Inclusive Employment Consultants and their job seekers to deeply understand their employment goals and aspirations and use their strong local labour market knowledge and employer networks to identify and create suitable sustainable employment placements.

Key areas of accountability include:

• Engage directly with employers across the local community to identify and carve suitable sustainable employment opportunities for job seekers with disability
• Actively reverse-market specific job seekers to employers promoting their individual strengths and capabilities
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with local organisations with an Account Management approach
• Develop and implement structured employer engagement plans that aims to build a solid leads pipeline to meet placement targets
• Engage in and represent Jigsaw Australia at various networking opportunities (e.g. Business Chamber business networking breakfasts etc) to build new partnerships
• Advocate for inclusive employment practices and educate employers on the benefits of hiring people with disability
• Provide disability awareness training and disability confidence training to employers as required
• Proactively maintain local labour market knowledge to keep afloat of changing and emerging labour demands
• Partner with Inclusive Employment Consultants to engage directly with job seekers to understand their motivators employment goals and aspirations to understand where to focus efforts in engaging with employers

Qualifications and experience required:

Essential

• Demonstrated experience in reverse marketing and placing vulnerable cohorts of job seekers into employment; preferably within Disability Employment Services
• Business development/sales experience
• Knowledge of inclusive employment practices and barriers faced by people with disability
• Possess a working knowledge of occupational health and safety practices
• Have the right to work in Australia
• Willingness to travel intrastate based on employer and job seeker support needs
• Willingness to work outside of standard business hours as required based on employer and job seeker needs
• Possess a current satisfactory NDIS Worker Screening and Working With Children Check
• Completion of NDIS Worker Orientation Module
• Possess and maintain current First Aid and CPR certifications
• Other checks and certifications may be required based on customer needs

Desirable

• Solid existing employer networks
• Knowledge of the NDIS sector
• Knowledge of Work Integrated Social Enterprises (WISE)

What makes Jigsaw an unbeatable workforce:

• Competitive above award rate Super Salary packaging
• A quarterly Wellness Day to pursue wellness initiatives or activities of importance to you!
• Jigsaw employees receive tax-effective salary packaging opportunities meaning you can increase the value of your take-home income (including novated car leasing).
• An opportunity to be part of a passionate team helping to build a fantastic workplace culture whilst carrying out purposeful work.

If you are interested in joining a dynamic organisation at a time of exciting change in the disability sector apply with your current resume and a cover letter addressing the above criteria.

For more information regarding the role or to obtain a copy of the position description please email

As a values-based organisation supporting marginalised communities across Australia we value lived experience and cultural diversity. We encourage applications from people with disability and from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. If you require adjustments to our recruitment process please reach out for a confidential discussion.