Hospital pharmacists represent over 20% of the pharmacist workforce and are rapidly innovating to expand their scope of practice and provide patient-centred care.

The Stakeholder Engagement and Advocacy Officer will support the division to:

• Identify external stakeholder engagement opportunities.
• Map stakeholders in relativity to SHPA Branch and Specialty Practice Group networks.
• Develop stakeholder engagement plans, advocacy plans.
• Provide support for events and campaigns to advance member interests.

Beyond team members within the Policy and Advocacy team, it is anticipated the Stakeholder Engagement and Advocacy Officer will also work alongside the Writer and Content Coordinator and Media and Stakeholder Relations roles, the Events team as well as our government relations partner.

As a membership-based organisation, this role will also work with our Branch Committees and Specialty Practice Groups, who are made up by our members with a strong appetite for advocacy and healthcare system change for the benefit of the patients they care for.

A strong interest in the healthcare sector is essential, as are strong planning, communication and organisational skills, meeting deadlines and drafting written materials. As part of a small team, your energy and positive attitude will be core to your success. This is an initial 12-month contract with the possibility of ongoing permanent. The role is full-time (38 hours per week), however part-time applicants will also be considered and are encouraged to apply. Generous salary packaging is available.

Key Duties:

Internal and external stakeholder engagement:

• Develop and implement stakeholder engagement plans to identify, assess areas of mutual interest, and manage relationships with key stakeholders that complement SHPA’s Specialty Practice Groups.
• Liaising with SHPA members to gather thoughts and insights to inform SHPA's policy positions.
• Support stakeholder inquiries, ensuring timely and accurate responses.
• Assist in fostering positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including government agencies, community groups, and industry partners.
• Research and draft content for various communication channels, including newsletters, social media, and the organisation's website.
• Monitor the policy and advocacy inbox.
• Support Policy team in policy submission processes through liaising and engaging internal stakeholders such as Specialty Practice Groups, Branch Committees, subject matter experts and communications team.

Advocacy:

• Monitoring SHPA Specialty practice and branch activities to identify ideas and issues that support organisational objectives and require advocacy efforts to bring attention or to effect change.
• Identify further opportunities to continue policy and advocacy beyond the submission phase to support policy change.
• Development and execution of advocacy plans, materials required to execute these plans.
• Assist to execute the government relations strategy and work plan, including drafting correspondence to maximise engagement with government and departmental stakeholders.
• Proactively post relevant stakeholder and government reports, news, journal articles and other media relevant to current advocacy topics SHPA specialty practice discussion boards and eNewsletter.

Involvement in other SHPA activities:

• Assist with other SHPA activities as needed.
• Contribute to papers and materials drafted by other staff in a timely manner.

Qualifications/Required Skills:

Essential:

• Relevant tertiary qualifications in communications, social sciences, public policy, government relations, or other.
• Broad understanding of the healthcare sector, its stakeholders and policy environment.
• Strong written communications skills including experience in drafting formal position papers, reports, briefings and correspondence.
• Strong oral communications skills, including the ability to negotiate and liaise with a wide range of stakeholders.
• High level of attention to detail.
• Sound project management, strategic thinking, conceptual, analytic and planning skills.
• Ability to navigate internal and external stakeholder relationships to achieve outcomes.
• Excellent planning, organisational, prioritisation and time management skills.
• Ability to initiate activities and prioritise multiple tasks with minimum supervision.

Desirable:

• Interest in pharmacy policy and the role of pharmacists and technicians in improving medicines management.
• Experience working with advocacy bodies, professional associations and colleges, consumer organisations, government sector or other related bodies.
• Sound knowledge of hospitals and the healthcare system.

Why apply?

We're proud of who we are and what we can offer our team:

• SHPA supports a hybrid model between our Abbotsford office and remote working.
• Generous salary packaging every FBT year.
• Flexible work arrangements around start/finish times.
• Friendly, helpful and respectful team.
• Office dogs - lots of them!
• EAP services.
• Fortnightly WFH allowance.
• Gifted leave during end-of-year shutdown period.

We foster a collaborative culture and cultivate a positive approach to our day-to-day workload. We like to share a laugh, while remaining serious about the important work we do.

We welcome applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, those who identify as LGBTQA+ and mature aged employees.

About Us

The Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA) is the national professional organisation for more than 6,000 pharmacists and associates working across Australia’s health system. SHPA is the only professional pharmacy organisation with a strong base of members practising in public and private hospitals and other health services.

If you'd like to learn more about who we are and what we do, please visit us at here.

Sounds good? We'd love to hear from you.

IMPORTANT:

• Victorian-based applicants only please - this role can not be performed interstate or internationally.
• No recruiters please, we're managing this process