Make a Difference and Create Opportunities

If you are looking for a once in a lifetime opportunity to lead transformational change in an organisation that is helping to shape local communities, join us at Community First Step (CFS).

With a history that spans over 50 years, our purpose is empowering the people of Southwest Sydney to overcome disadvantage and barriers to personal, social and economic growth by delivering inclusive and innovative services and supporting capacity building. CFS services include community development, case work, psychosocial and educational programs, disability services and children's services.

We are currently seeking a motivated and experienced Evidence and Impact Lead.

About this opportunity

To ensure the greatest impact and effectiveness of our programs, services, and advocacy. Community First Step is committed to data-driven organisational work and undertakes a rigorous approach to evaluation, research, and using evidence to inform practice and advocacy.

Reporting to the CEO and working collaboratively with the Leadership Team, the Evidence and Impact Lead will manage a range of projects – needs assessments, tool and service development, research, and evaluation.

You will have strong research to practice expertise, ensuring Organisational evidence-informed and evidence-based practice.

About you

You will bring the following attributes and skills to this role:

• A degree in a relevant discipline.
• At least 3 years’ experience in research and evaluation role or similar using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies in health/community/university/not-for-profit setting.
• Demonstrated project management experience, particularly in research and/or monitoring and evaluation projects.
• Strong writing, storytelling and presentation skills when sharing research and evaluation findings with diverse audiences.
• Experience conducting literature reviews.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to deal with a wide range of people and interests.
• Demonstrated experience in designing and delivering monitoring, evaluation, and impact assessment frameworks.
• Hands-on experience in using participatory and co-design methods to collect data and measure impact to make recommendations to improve program delivery and strengthen outcomes for communities.
• Demonstrated ability to work as a team member or independently as required, exercise initiative and judgement, establish priorities amongst competing tasks, and meet deadlines.
• Strongly analytical and research skills to identify areas of need and potential solutions.
• Ability to work collaboratively with other departments and team members to achieve social impact goals.
• Ability to adapt to changing circumstances and priorities.
• Experience writing and securing grant funding.
• Proficient in using SPSS, Qualtrics or similar, and bibliographic databases to analyse quantitative and qualitative data.
• Understanding of how to use research findings for marketing and communications.
• Demonstrate an evidence-based approach to policy and advocacy and ability to transform evidence into policy, advocacy and practice.
• Experience in monitoring policy changes and identifying trends and opportunities to influence policy.
• An ability to produce high quality and persuasive written material such as briefing documents, academic papers, submissions, policy statements.

Applicants must include a cover letter addressing the attributes and skills listed above along with a current resume. Only applicants selected for interview will be contacted. Please note that we will review applications regularly so don’t delay in applying.

For information about this role email [email protected] using the subject line: Evidence and Impact Lead enquiry via EthicalJobs.

Community First Step welcomes everyone, irrespective of their ethnicity, faith or gender identity. We are committed to eliminating all forms of discrimination.

All Community First Step positions are subject to a Working with Children Check (WWCC) and a National Disability Insurance Scheme Worker Screening Check (NDISWC).

A position description is attached.