Join our executive leadership team in an organisation that is mission driven, adaptive and creative in responding to the emergent needs and aspirations of children and young people with an experience of out-of-home care.

We’re looking for someone with an intellectual curiosity, creativity, thought leadership and deep experience of the out of home care sector and/or child protection. We are also looking for someone with highly developed interpersonal skills, collaborative and relational leadership style, strong and persuasive communication skills and an interest in social innovation.

CREATE’s National Advocacy Manager is a strategic leadership position, responsible for leading CREATE’s policy and advocacy business unit to develop and implement a range of advocacy strategies and initiatives across all states and territories, and nationally.

At CREATE, we aim to influence system, policy and practice changes by listening to the voices of the people who know most about child protection and care systems – the children and young people who have experienced them first-hand. In this context, the National Advocacy Manager role is focused on ensuring that the voices of children and young people are amplified and elevated to key decision makers across government and sector to improve the care system, and related systems impacting the lives of children and young people.

This role is ongoing, full time (38 hours per week) and offers many benefits, including generous salary sacrifice and additional Board leave on top of the award.

The National Advocacy Manager is responsible for:

• Setting CREATE’s advocacy directions based on young people’s lived and living experience, as well as other forms of evidence.
• Designing, overseeing and implementing effective advocacy strategies, projects and initiatives.
• Developing submissions and providing policy advice to governments in relation to system reform, investment, Inquiries, Reviews and other consultations.
• Raising CREATE’s profile across the sector and government, and establishing strong collaborative relationships with stakeholders.
• Overseeing CREATE’s policy and advocacy efforts, including through media engagement, policy roundtables, design sprints, youth advisory panels, youth forums, lived experience governance, research projects, policy submissions and engagement with senior government officials and sector leaders.

SELECTION CRITERIA

All applicants need to respond to the selection criteria in full. This can embedded in a cover letter. Aptitude testing may be conducted following interview.

The National Advocacy Manager role requires intellectual curiosity, innovative thinking, social policy and advocacy skills, interpersonal leadership skills, strong communication skills, and experience of the out of home care sector and/or child protection. First nations people are highly encouraged to apply.

1. Demonstrated ability to ensure children and young people’s safety and wellbeing, including cultural safety. Ability to work in trauma-informed and child-centred ways. Experience implementing the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations and working in a cross-cultural context.
2. Minimum of a Bachelor Degree in a relevant discipline, such as social policy, humanities, social science, social work or sociology, with post-graduate qualifications being highly desirable. A minimum of 3 years management experience in a senior policy position.
3. Strong policy acumen and awareness of how research informs policy and practice. Experience in social policy, system reform and/or advocacy roles, including translating research into effective policy, advocacy and reform. A commitment to elevating lived experience as an important source of evidence.
4. Demonstrated knowledge of out-of-home care, child protection and related systems, and deep knowledge of social justice issues.
5. Experience working in culturally safe ways with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people, communities and organisations is highly desirable.
6. Highly developed leadership and management skills are essential. Experience leading productive, multi-disciplinary teams to advance strategic goals and advocacy priorities. Highly developed interpersonal skills, collaborative leadership and ability to inspire and support thriving and empowered teams.
7. High proficiency in negotiating, influencing and communication skills (written and verbal). Ability to develop and sustain strong stakeholder relationships with senior government officials and sector leaders.
8. Ability to produce evidence-informed social policy advice and to write or review high quality reports, presentations, briefing papers and correspondence on complex and sensitive issues. Experience analysing information from a variety of sources, including lived experience accounts, and presenting it in meaningful, compelling and effective ways to a variety of audiences, including young people.
9. Highly effective time management skills ,highly organised and ability to delegate effectively, meet targets and manage competing tasks. Ability to work autonomously, proactively and decisively, coupled with an ability to work as a productive member of the team. Ability to identify and pursue emergent strategic opportunities, directions and collaborations.

Other requirements of the role.

• Successful Security Check per state requirements (for example Police Check and Working with Children Check) and must comply with Government and/or health directives in each state jurisdiction.
• All applicants need to be eligible to work in Australia. A copy of Proof of Citizenship or Permanent Residency status will be required.

Interested? Great!

A full job specification and selection criteria is attached or can be found on the jobs page of our website at www.create.org.au/join-our-team/.

Click Apply Now to submit your application.

CREATE is committed to the principles of EEO and we encourage people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background to apply for the position. People with a care experience are also encouraged to apply.