Just Transitions Policy Lead

CPD is looking to hire an outstanding Just Transitions Lead in Canberra.

This role will suit someone already working on climate and/or energy policy with your own established networks and ideas, and who is looking to work in an environment where you get to set the agenda. This role will cover just transition issues in both Australia and Indonesia. Prior knowledge or experience of both contexts would be ideal.

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of an organisation working on some of the most critical issues facing our economy and society. Our team enjoys frequent interaction with government policymakers, private sector, media, and the wider policy world. You'll be joining a close-knit team that delivers real impact.

We believe our people are our key asset and we are committed to recruiting and retaining talented and dedicated individuals. The successful candidate will be based in Canberra. Currently CPD has offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Jakarta. This position will currently be the only person permanently based in Canberra, though we intend to grow CPD’s presence in Canberra and other team members travel to Canberra regularly. We support flexible work and will consider either full-time or part-time work for the right candidate.

Diversity and Equal Employment Opportunity

We encourage First Nations people, people of colour, people with lived experience of forced migration, people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQI+ community, and people without a family history of tertiary education to apply for this role.

Salary

Starting at $107,000 + 11.5% superannuation, with higher salary available depending on experience, skills, and fairness and equity across the team.

Location:

This position is based in Canberra.

Some Additional Benefits

• Hybrid work and flexible hours
• Annual Salary Increase: 4% increase to the employee's base salary on 1 January each year
• Additional annual leave entitlement after 3 years employment, and sabbatical leave after 5 years employment
• Additional end of year leave (between Christmas and New Year), study leave, birthday leave and wellbeing leave for all staff
• Parental leave: 14 weeks’ paid parental leave (after one year of service at the expected due date) + 12 months of unpaid parental leave
• Floating Public Holidays
• Collaborative culture that will foster your skills, build your career and broaden your horizons

Here’s a taste of what you’ll do

• Drive the implementation of CPD’s new three-year strategy focusing on just transitions in Australia and Indonesia, in partnership with the CEO and policy directors.
• Develop existing and new streams of work, identifying strategic opportunities for positive impact.
• Orchestrate and facilitate high-level discussions (eg. roundtables, workshops, and meetings) to crystallise policy action with top leaders in Australia and Indonesia. This will include some domestic and international travel.
• Work with our Communications Lead, speak to the media about CPD’s policy recommendations, communicating complex ideas clearly.
• Strengthen and grow influential stakeholder networks in Australia and Indonesia working on just transition issues.
• Represent CPD at public and external events.
• Support Policy Directors with strategic management and execution of the Just Transitions workstream, while leading specific projects and activities.
• Consider how the work links across CPD’s wellbeing, social services and forced migration portfolios and work collaboratively across teams where useful.

About you

You’ll be the right person for the job if you have the following skills:

• You have experience working on policy issues relating to climate change, community transition, industrial decarbonisation, or social justice.
• You have an existing network of climate policymakers and stakeholders in Australia or Indonesia, and the ability to identify and engage new stakeholders.
• You can develop your own vision and take the initiative in developing projects, methodologies, and ideas, and then turning conceptual discussions into concrete actions.

• You have a proven track record of achieving policy impact by creating practical solutions, connecting relevant stakeholders, and convincing decision-makers.
• You have excellent political judgement/nous and understanding of how policy is made.
• You have strong analytical rigour, with an ability to perform and communicate complex analysis clearly

• You have sound judgment working on sensitive topics, often with senior members of other organisations, with the ability to know when to act on your initiative and when to seek advice
• You are able to work at pace on several different projects and different teams at once

About CPD

The Centre for Policy Development (CPD) is an independent, not-for-profit policy institute with staff in Sydney, Melbourne, and Jakarta. Our vision is a fair, sustainable society and wellbeing economy that serves current and future generations in Australia and Southeast Asia.

Our mission is to help create transformative systems change through practical solutions to complex policy challenges. We tackle the hard questions, working towards change that is systemic and long-term.

Through our work, we aim to contribute to governments that are coordinated, collaborative, and effective, with an eye to both the near and longer term. We strive to build a social services system that helps people and communities to thrive now and in the future, and drive shifts in policy making practice with a focus on wellbeing and sustainability rather than primarily economic growth.

CPD uses a distinctive Create-Connect-Convince method to influence government policy making.

We acknowledge and celebrate Australia's First Peoples.

To learn more about our work check out our latest Impact Report.

How to Apply

Candidates are invited to apply via Google Form, via the Apply Now link.

If you have any questions, please contact Luana Viana on [email protected], using the subject line: Just Transitions Policy Lead enquiry via EthicalJobs.

For more information on CPD please visit cpd.org.au.

How we Shortlist

We will ask you to answer three questions (< 250 words) as part of your application, and to submit your CV. The initial shortlist will be based on the panel’s assessment of your three answers. Your CV will be reviewed only if you progress beyond this first stage.

We are reviewing applications and shortlisting candidates on a rolling basis, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

We welcome talented individuals from all backgrounds to apply and be a part of our mission to make a positive impact on public policies.

Please note:

• To be considered for this role, you must have the right to live and work in Australia.
• Only Canberra-based applicants will be considered.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. We aim to reach out to all shortlisted candidates by 21 October. (Please be aware that while we are working to stick to this timeline, recruitment can be unpredictable and changes might occur).

We look forward to receiving your application!