We are unique

Essential Energy is an organisation that values your voice, empowers your autonomy, recognises the strength in diversity, and prioritises your well‑being while offering attractive remuneration and benefits. Take pride in having a meaningful impact on regional, rural and remote communities while playing a pivotal role in delivering the energy infrastructure of the future.

About the role

As the First Nations Engagement Senior Specialist, you will play a key role in championing meaningful, respectful and culturally safe engagement with First Nations stakeholders across Essential Energy’s footprint. You will lead and support engagement activities across major projects and organisational initiatives, building strong relationships with communities, Traditional Owners, government and representative bodies. This is a senior, influential role where your expertise will help shape project outcomes, safeguard Essential Energy’s reputation, and ensure First Nations voices are genuinely embedded in decision-making.

This is a permanent role and can be based anywhere within Essential Energy’s operational footprint with some travel required.

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead and implement First Nations and stakeholder engagement strategies across capital works and organisational projects

• Build and maintain trusted relationships with First Nations communities, Traditional Owners, government and key external stakeholders

• Deliver culturally appropriate, respectful and meaningful engagement activities aligned to local protocols and community priorities

• Provide high-quality briefings, reports and advice that accurately represent First Nations perspectives and stakeholder outcomes

• Act as a senior cultural leader, mentoring others and building internal capability across the business

About You

You are an experienced First Nations engagement professional who brings deep cultural awareness, strong relationship-building skills and the confidence to operate in complex, sensitive environments. You thrive in senior advisory roles, can balance competing stakeholder interests, and are passionate about achieving positive outcomes for communities while supporting business objectives. You communicate with influence, lead with integrity, and are committed to fostering inclusion and cultural safety.

You will bring:

• Demonstrated experience in senior or specialist First Nations stakeholder engagement roles, ideally within utilities or regulated environments

• Proven ability to establish and maintain respectful, effective relationships across diverse stakeholder groups, including regional and remote communities

• Strong communication, negotiation and influencing skills, with experience navigating politically and culturally sensitive issues

• A thorough understanding of First Nations interests, issues, legislation and engagement frameworks

• A genuine commitment to cultural respect, inclusion and positive social outcomes

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor Degree in Communications or a similar Social Science [SA1]or demonstrated capability through past employment experience and/or relevant qualifications

Why Essential Energy

Essential Energy provides employees with a broad range of employee benefits through our corporate partnerships with organisations such as Qantas, Optus, nib and Mildura Health Fund. You will also gain access to our Health and Wellbeing programs including fitness passport. Visit our employee benefits page for more information.

We are proud to be recognised as a WORK180 Endorsed Employer for All Women.

An energy network doesn’t just keep the lights on… it’s a living network that needs to adapt to new and emerging energy generation technologies while still meeting the energy needs of customers.

It requires innovation, commitment, and collaboration to bring people together to solve the energy delivery challenges of the modern world.

Your potential will be realised, and you’ll feel a real sense of purpose and satisfaction knowing you have a pivot role to play in delivering the energy of the future to the people who need it today.

For further information please contact Sherrie Anderson – First Nations Engagement Manager on 0408 252 618.

Applications close on 19 April 2026 at midnight.

Passionate people. Global thinking. Regional heart.
Building a better energy future.

Essential Energy is committed to building a culturally diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourages applicants to apply regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.  

As an organisation, our aim is to champion inclusivity in the workplace and celebrate the difference in all our employees. 

At Essential Energy, we are committed to supporting adjustments throughout the recruitment and selection process, as well as during employment. We actively support and encourage people with disability to apply to Essential Energy (including alternate formats of application forms or alternate ways for accessibility). To discuss adjustment requirements, please contact careers@essentialenergy.com.au or call us on 1800 255 777.