Rohan Marks, Director Community Services
With diverse experience within council, Rohan Marks has a focus on long-term solutions and the importance of developing Indigenous staff.
MacDonnell Regional Council incorporates thirteen remote Northern Territory communities, plus numerous outstations and outback enterprises. It covers an area roughly the same size of Victoria (268,784 km2).
As the Council’s Director Community Services, Rohan Marks is responsible for overseeing a lengthy list of departments, including: Children’s Services, Community Safety, Home Care Services (Aged and Disability), and Youth Services.
Marks was nominated as a High Achiever by Chief Executive Officer Jeff Macleod, who told Local Government Focus: “Rohan is a great product of Council. He started as a youth team leader, progressed to service coordinator, then tech services, and now community services.
“He has progressed through the whole organisation and he’s a great up and coming executive, to have experience in three directorates has prepared him well.”
Marks said his team provides numerous important services to the communities within the MacDonnell local government area.
“I work with a team of highly dedicated managers and coordinators. Our departments deliver such a wide range of services, from early learning programs for infants and parents, right through to supporting the elderly to be able to age at home on their Country.
“These programs are delivered across twelve of our remote communities, by our team of 232 dedicated staff, of which 192 (83 percent) are Indigenous.
“Community Services strives to deliver culturally sensitive programs that meet the needs of community residents, through innovative and sustainable service delivery models. We are committed to investing in our local Indigenous staff.
“The opportunities we have to improve resident’s lives through the quality of our services are enormous. Seeing our local Indigenous staff take on this responsibility for their communities is the highlight for all of us.”
Originally from Alstonville, NSW, Marks started out in youth development and social work, and also spent five years in the Australian Army Reserves. He made the move to remote NT after his wife accepted a position as a nurse.
Whilst living in remote Indigenous communities, Marks worked with Council’s Youth Development program and then took on the role of Shire Service Manager in Titjikala community (overseeing all Council services in Titjikala).
When he relocated to Alice Springs, Marks continued to work with Council.
He took on the role of Acting Director Community Services in December 2014, and was appointed to the role in July 2015.
“My diverse experience within Council across multiple locations and multiple areas of Council service delivery, gives me a very unique insight into the organisation and the communities we serve. I have a passion for sustainable development and long-term change (not the quick fix).”
The introduction of the Indigenous Advancement Strategy meant Council had to re-apply for over 50 percent of Community Services program funding. Council re-secured 100 percent of its funding, which Marks considers one of his greatest successes. Many other service providers were not so lucky.
“Our Council has set clear goals for our organisation around developing our local Indigenous staff into senior roles within the organisation. We are currently developing a work force development plan to support this,” Marks said.
“Within Community Services we are revising our organisational structure to develop clear pathways for staff progression to senior roles.”
Marks said he is proud of the ability to implement social progress, which his position in Council enables.
“Local Government is important because it allows community leaders to affect the change they want to see in their community.
“Our Council is the largest service provider in our thirteen remote Indigenous communities and the impact of how those services are delivered is immense. The potential to have a positive impact is why I want to be where I am.”
