About the Commission

The Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission is an independent statutory body with responsibilities under Victoria's key human rights laws - the Equal Opportunity Act 2010, the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 and the Change and Suppression Practice Prohibition Act 2021.      

Our vision is for a fair, safe, and inclusive Victoria where every person is respected and treated with dignity. We work with others to eliminate inequality and build a community that respects and promotes human rights and equal opportunity.      

We are a small and buzzing organisation that embraces the VPS values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights.  

Our teams are filled with highly motivated, conscientious, and collaborative people who love what they do and uphold our values.  We know that our work has the greatest impact when it is informed by diverse experiences and perspectives.        

For more information on working with us please visit https://www.humanrights.vic.gov.au

About the role

The role of a conciliator guides parties of a dispute towards a mutually acceptable settlement within a legislative framework.  A conciliator helps parties to identify their interests, clarify misunderstandings and adeptly manages complex and challenging matters.  The conciliator is an impartial third party, promoting a cooperative environment where parties can freely express their concerns and interests.  The role designs a resolution process which is most suitable for each dispute to optimize the potential for resolution and in a timely manner. 

A conciliator provides easily understood and accessible information to parties about the relevant legislation and case law that may apply to a dispute during intakes and facilitated negotiations. 

A key component of this role is to assist with the Commission's responsibilities to provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with individualised assistance to access the Dispute Resolution Service.  Assistance is tailored and culturally appropriate and empowers them to exercise their rights when experiencing discrimination, vilification, sexual harassment or victimisation.  Mentoring and training in the principles of providing dispute resolution under the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 will be provided. 

The role is an opportunity to:

• Deliver a high-level dispute resolution service under the Victorian Equal Opportunity Act 2010 and Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001.
• Support culturally safe engagement with Aboriginal communities and organisations to strengthen referral pathways to the Commission.
• Provide advice to internal teams to ensure Commission activities, messaging and resources are culturally appropriate.
• Manage a caseload of disputes in a timely manner undertaking pre-conciliation discussions with parties and exploring resolution at an early stage of the dispute.
• Undertake conciliation and facilitated negotiation of disputes which may be complex, challenging and of a sensitive nature using specialist knowledge of the law.
• Participate in project activities related to the quality provision of the dispute resolution service and contribute to various working groups to advance the Commission's strategic objectives as required.
• Keep accurate and complete records of work activities in accordance with legislative requirements and the Commission's records, information security and privacy policies and obligations.

To learn more about this role before applying, please read the attached position description.

About you

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Knowledge and understanding of Victoria's key human rights laws or demonstrated ability to obtain this quickly.
• Experience conducting conciliation within a legislative framework will be highly desirable. 
• First Nations Cultural Capability: Understands Aboriginal cultural contexts, engages respectfully and appropriately with Aboriginal community members and stakeholders, applies this understanding to support program delivery and stakeholder relationships
• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: Resolves issues through deep understanding or interpretation of existing guidelines. Where guidelines are not available, analyses ideas available and takes action through self, or in consultation with others to resolve problems. If required, determine additional information needed to make informed decisions. Applies critical thinking and problem-solving concepts in the right context
• Influence and Persuasion: Consistently adapts the content, style, message, or tone of a presentation to suit the audience and plans how to tackle objections; applies own ideas by linking them to others' values, needs, and goals.
• Interpersonal Skills: Sees things from another's point of view and confirms understanding; understand motivations, needs and wants of stakeholders and their impact on service delivery; tailor communications according to audience and/or audience preference.
• Managing Difficult Conversations: Listens to and acknowledges that the concerns of others have been heard; clarifies problems; seeks options to resolve conflict.

Qualification:

Accredited under AMDRAS (the Australian Mediator and Dispute Resolution Accreditation Standards) - Desirable and as part of the role, you will be supported by the Commission to obtain this accreditation

Successful candidates will be required to undergo a National Police Records Check prior to commencing employment with the Commission. For further information on the position, please refer to the attached position description.

If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process, or require an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the contact person listed on this ad.

How to Apply

Please click the ‘Apply Now' button. To be considered for this role, please provide a resume and cover letter.

In your cover letter, we want to hear your story. Tell us why you want to work with the Commission and what draws you to this role. We're interested in understanding how your experiences, whether from community, culture, or professional settings, have shaped your experience.

Applications close at 23:59pm on 13 August 2026.