This vital role will ensure that RSTO’s programs, projects, and activities are delivering meaningful benefits to early years services. You’ll be responsible for driving the development and implementation of our monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) frameworks, helping us measure progress and impact and support our ongoing learning and continuous improvement.

As part of the RSTO team, you’ll work closely with colleagues across Implementation and Practice, Research, Strategy, and Policy teams to ensure our initiatives have maximum impact. The ideal candidate will have experience in participatory evaluation, and knowledge translation, developing frameworks, tools, and practices to support learning and continuous improvement, and a passion for improving outcomes for children.

About Restacking the Odds (RSTO):

At RSTO, we are dedicated to promoting more equitable outcomes in the early years by ensuring all children and families have access to high-quality, evidence-informed early childhood services. Research shows that these services are most effective if available when and where they are needed, but for many children and families this is not the case, especially in communities facing greater disadvantage. Through innovative tools, training and partnerships to enable local data-informed decision-making, we aim to improve access to quality early childhood services and help children thrive.

Your responsibilities include:

• Lead the review and refinement of the RSTO theory of change.
• Develop and implement MEL frameworks across RSTO programs and projects.
• Coordinate monitoring tools to track progress in line with program goals.
• Conduct qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis.
• Produce MEL reports to support ongoing learning and improvement.
• Facilitate participatory reflection sessions to foster continuous improvement.
• Contribute to reports, publications, and conference materials.
• Identify and manage opportunities for translating evidence into practice resources.

What we need from you:

• A degree, Honours, or Master’s qualification in evaluation, social research, public health, social policy, or a related field.
• Expertise in participatory evaluation or evidence-based action methodologies such as systems thinking or implementation science.
• Experience developing program logic, theory of change, and MEL frameworks.
• Strong skills in data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Experience facilitating learning processes and promoting a culture of continuous improvement.
• A deep commitment to improving early childhood outcomes and advancing health equity.

For full viewing of responsibilities and requirements please refer to the position description.

Any specific questions related to this position should be directed to Julia Mayes at [email protected] using the subject line: Senior Project Officer - Restacking the Odds Evaluation Lead enquiry via EthicalJobs.

What’s in it for you?

• Maximise Your Pay: Benefit from salary packaging, including entertainment and novated leases
• Flexible Working Options: Enjoy a variety of flexible work arrangements.
• Grow Professionally: Access continuous learning, training, and career development opportunities to expand your expertise in evaluation and early childhood development.
• Innovate & Lead Change: Be at the forefront of developing new evaluation frameworks and methodologies that will drive change and expand RSTO's impact in the sector.
• Join a Reputable Organisation: Take advantage of a unique opportunity to be part of a respected research institute
• Make a Difference: Collaborate with a team passionate about making a positive impact

Who we are

Murdoch Children’s Research Institute envisions a transformative future for child health. Our institute is a hub of impactful scientific breakthroughs, particularly in early interventions, enhanced diagnosis, prevention, and potential cures. We thrive on collaborative, multidisciplinary problem-solving to address challenging queries in child health. Committed to inclusivity and respect, we foster a positive working environment that values diverse backgrounds and experiences. As a proud member of the Australian Network on Disability and a dedicated supporter of Science Australia Gender Equity (SAGE), we uphold principles of equal opportunity and diverse representation.

We are committed to the safety of children and young people and takes a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of child abuse, exploitation and harm. Child safety is prioritised in our decision-making at all levels of the Institute.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic team committed to making a lasting difference in the lives of children and families. Help us grow the impact of Restacking the Odds and support the next phase of our mission.. Join Us!

If you believe this role is a good fit for you, please apply by submitting:

• Your resume
• A cover letter addressing the selection criteria

Ensure these documents are combined into a single PDF file.

We welcome individuals of diverse genders, ages, ethnicities, cultural backgrounds, abilities, religions, and sexual orientations in our workplace. We actively encourage talented individuals from all walks of life to apply for our job openings. Our commitment lies in fostering a workplace that is barrier-free and inclusive, aiming to attract the most skilled candidates.

For any questions related to the recruitment process, feel free to reach out to our Recruitment team at [email protected]. Ensure that you include the position number and job title in the subject line. Please refrain from sharing your application to this email address.
Please note, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the closing date once a sufficient number of applications have been received.
No recruitment agencies please.

A position description is attached.