• Opportunity to work at Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment (PLACE), a national not-for-profit organisation that supports the adoption and impact of place-based approaches across Australia.
• Join at an exciting time, as the PLACE team builds its foundational team during its establishment phase, in preparation for its first steps of growth as a new organisation.
• $110,000 - $130,000 (FTE) per annum excluding superannuation.
• Full time (1.0) fixed-term position
• Flexible national location, with hybrid conditions - available in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney or regional Australia.
• The successful candidate will undertake domestic travel regularly as part of this role.

The Evaluation and Impact Specialist will lead PLACE’s efforts to embed robust monitoring, evaluation, and learning practices. This role ensures that PLACE’s impact is measurable, and that evidence informs continuous improvement, both within PLACE and across the sector.

Reporting to the Chief of Staff, the Evaluation and Impact Specialist will work closely with PLACE’s functional teams and stakeholders to develop frameworks, tools, and practices that enable data-driven decision-making and foster a culture of learning. The Evaluation and Impact Specialist will also provide technical leadership in evaluating the outcomes of place-based initiatives and promoting the use of evidence to drive change.

Who you are (selection criteria):

• You hold relevant tertiary qualifications in evaluation, social research, data science, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• You can demonstrate proven experience in monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) within not-for-profits, government, or similar sectors.
• You possess strong expertise in designing and implementing evaluation frameworks and methodologies.
• You have experience in facilitating learning processes and promoting a culture of continuous improvement.
• You possess proficiency in data analysis and visualisation tools, such as Excel, Power BI or Tableau.
• You have strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.
• You possess excellent communication skills, including the ability to present complex data in accessible and engaging ways.
• You are comfortable in a start-up environment; you manage multiple competing priorities with a proactive and adaptable approach.
• You demonstrate a commitment to PLACE’s vision, values and principles, particularly around community leadership and shared decision-making.

Research indicates that while men apply to jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, women and other marginalised individuals often wait until they fulfil every requirement. If you believe you have the attributes to do the job but don't match every point on the job ad, we welcome and encourage your application.

Key responsibilities:

• Support the design and implementation a comprehensive UMEL framework for PLACE, aligning with the organisation’s strategic objectives.
• Develop evaluation tools and methodologies to assess the impact of PLACE’s programs and services, as well as broader place-based initiatives.
• Facilitate learning processes across PLACE to ensure insights from monitoring and evaluation inform decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Work with communities, funders, and government partners to co-design evaluation frameworks that reflect their needs and priorities.
• Collaborate with the Strengthen Data team to integrate data governance and utilisation practices into UMEL frameworks.

Please see the Evaluation and Impact Specialist Job Description for more.

Establishment Phase Priorities:

• Support our external evaluation partner to develop PLACE’s foundational UMEL framework, ensuring it reflects the organisation’s vision and priorities.
• Establish tools and processes for collecting baseline data to measure PLACE’s growth and impact over time.
• Engage with key stakeholders to build trust and buy-in for PLACE’s monitoring and evaluation practices.

Who we are:

Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment (PLACE) is a not-for-profit organisation, committed to collaborative, community-driven approaches to create impactful and lasting change. By leading a national workforce strategy, we support community needs through place-based solutions.

It is our vision to enable communities and governments to jointly decide on matters that are most important to our lives. We lead national initiatives to develop workforce strategies, enhance place-based practices and improve data monitoring and evaluation.

At PLACE, we are dedicated to creating lasting change through understanding, action and empowered governance.

What we offer:

• True flexibility and a strong focus on agility in the workplace; we prioritise making flexible work arrangements possible for all employees.
• Access to Fringe Benefits Tax options, in addition to base salary and superannuation.
• A team of supportive and passionate people committed to maintaining a positive workplace culture and making an impact.
• 5 weeks of Annual Leave for every 12 months of employment.
• Two days volunteering leave for every 12 months of employment.
• A leadership team that truly wants you to flourish and make your mark on the organisation.
• A workplace that prioritises both diversity and inclusion, allowing everyone to bring their authentic selves to work in an environment that ensures psychological and physical safety.
• Hybrid work environment and flexible working arrangements (the opportunity to work where you live).
• Cultural and Ceremonial leave.
• A Learning and Development budget per employee, prioritising professional development for our employees.

How to apply:

To express your interest, submit an online application through this portal and include a professional resume. All applicants must also provide brief responses to the application questions that are included as part of the online application.

Note: we do not accept cover letters as part of our application process.

Applications will be reviewed upon receipt, so don’t delay your application.

If you require additional adjustments, or would like to discuss any access needs as a part of the application and recruitment process, then please contact us via email [email protected] using the subject line: Evaluation and Impact Specialist - PLACE enquiry via EthicalJobs.

A position description is attached.

PLACE is an equal opportunity employer and strives to maintain a workplace environment that is fair and free of discrimination, is safe and accessible for all employees, and provides working arrangements that accommodate the diverse needs of our staff. We strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, people from culturally- and linguistically-diverse backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ people and people of every ethnicity, faith, ability, culture, language, gender identity, age, and sex.

Employment in this position is conditional upon reception and maintenance of a Working With Children Check.

As part of our employment screening process, we do run police checks. But don’t worry—having a criminal record doesn’t automatically disqualify you.