Introduction
The Engagement Officer at Homes NSW delivers local communications and community engagement from Coniston in Wollongong. The work includes public information about housing projects and engagement plans that involve stakeholders at an appropriate stage. The temporary appointment runs until 15 December 2026, with a possible extension.
You need a cover letter of no more than two pages and an up-to-date resume of no more than five pages. A useful engagement example can show how you kept people informed and gave them a way to contribute to a project. Explain why you chose the timing and communication approach for that group.
Choose an engagement example that shows how you listened to community needs and used the feedback in your work. Check the current NSW driver’s licence and regional day and overnight travel requirements early. Prepare to submit ahead of 26 October while confirming the closing time in the official application form.
View the official job ad before preparing your documents.
In this guide
Role snapshot
| Detail | Role information |
|---|---|
| Role title | Engagement Officer |
| Organisation | Homes NSW, Department of Communities and Justice |
| Location | Coniston, Wollongong; day and overnight travel within the region |
| Job reference | 86858-44479505 |
| Work type | Temporary full-time until 15 December 2026, with possible extension; 35 hours per week |
| Salary or remuneration | Clerk Grade 7/8, $116,981 to $129,492 plus superannuation and annual leave loading |
| Closing date | Monday 26 October 2026 |
| Official job ad | View the official job ad |
Application requirements
- Cover letter, maximum 2 pages, explaining how you meet the role requirements
- Up-to-date resume, maximum 5 pages
Use the two-page letter to show a local engagement example with the stakeholders, communication choices and resulting participation. Keep the resume within five pages and use it to support the relevant experience. No targeted questions are stated in the captured instructions.
Eligibility and work conditions
- Relevant tertiary qualifications and/or equivalent knowledge, skills and experience, with ongoing professional development
- Current NSW driver’s licence
- Ability to undertake day and overnight travel within the region
Candidate evidence
Use the areas below to choose examples from your experience. They offer practical application guidance; read the role description for the employer’s full requirements and any official focus capabilities.
| Requirement or evidence area | How to demonstrate it |
|---|---|
| Communications tailored to stakeholders | Describe a communication platform or approach that matched the audience and responded to an emerging issue. Explain why you chose that method. |
| Stakeholder relationships | Use an example of building a working relationship with a community group or project partner. Show how you sustained the relationship and involved people in an activity. |
| Community engagement planning | Explain when stakeholders needed information or consultation in a project. Describe the plan you implemented and how it supported their understanding. |
| Public information and briefing materials | Show how you prepared clear information such as a newsletter, update or briefing. Explain the checking and coordination behind its release. |
Application structure
The application requires a cover letter and an up-to-date resume. Keep the letter within two pages and the resume within five pages. The outline below shows how to use the letter for a housing or community engagement example with a clear account of your decisions.
| Cover letter section | What to include |
|---|---|
| Opening | Connect your experience to local communication and engagement around housing or community projects. |
| Stakeholder relationship | Explain who needed to be involved and how you built or maintained the relationship. |
| Engagement and information | Describe the timing and approach you chose, including public information you prepared and checked. |
| Outcome and adjustment | Show what participation or understanding resulted and how you responded when an issue changed. |
| Eligibility and closing | State the relevant qualification or equivalent-experience pathway and confirm the licence and travel conditions accurately. |
What the panel will want to see in your examples
- A specific community or stakeholder group and its information needs.
- Your decisions about consultation timing and communication method.
- Clear public information that supported the project.
- Evidence of maintaining relationships when issues changed.
Before you submit
Check that the letter is within two pages and the resume within five. Confirm the closing time in the official application form because the published timezone wording needs clarification. Review the current NSW licence and regional travel conditions and submit ahead of the 26 October closing date.
Read the official job ad and application instructions again before uploading your documents.
Help with your application
Team 3Thirty can help organise the stakeholder and communication decisions in your engagement example within the two-page letter.
The NSW cover letter template can help if the application includes a cover letter. You can also ask for help preparing your application once you have checked the role and chosen your examples.