• Position: Full-Time Ongoing
• Location: Preston VIC 3072
• Salary: $124,840 - $129,756 Based on experience, plus super

The Organisation

Join VACCA – A Leader in Supporting Aboriginal Communities

The Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA) is a proudly Aboriginal Community-Controlled organisation dedicated to supporting and advocating for Aboriginal children, families, and communities. As the largest organisation of its kind in Australia, we are committed to our vision of self-determination and cultural strength. Our passionate team works tirelessly to provide culturally safe services, advocacy, and support, making a meaningful difference in the lives of Aboriginal children and vulnerable community members. Our strength lies with our people.

About the Role

Lead meaningful, culturally informed research at VACCA. As the Research Manager, you’ll oversee our growing research team (currently three staff, with capacity for six) and drive VACCA’s research agenda to address critical service needs for Aboriginal children and families.

You’ll design and deliver impactful research projects, support policy and program reforms, and ensure alignment with Indigenous research methodologies. This role also involves building and managing key partnerships with government agencies, universities, and VACCA’s internal Research Advisory Group. If you’re passionate about shaping research that creates real change, we’d love to hear from you!

About You

You are a strategic and culturally aware leader with a passion for driving impactful research that strengthens Aboriginal children, families, and communities. In this role, you will guide VACCA’s research agenda, ensuring it aligns with strategic priorities and Aboriginal research methodologies.

You will oversee research projects, ethics and literature reviews, and program evaluations, embedding Cultural Therapeutic Ways into every aspect of the work. With strong leadership skills, you will manage budgets, report to senior leadership, and develop key partnerships to enhance VACCA’s research impact. Your expertise in funding submissions and evidence-based practices will help shape meaningful change.

As Manager, you will lead and mentor a team of up to six staff, fostering their professional growth while representing VACCA in high-level meetings and stakeholder engagements. If you’re ready to drive research that makes a real difference, we want to hear from you.

What we can offer you

• A supportive environment that includes comprehensive induction
• The support of regular internal supervision
• Professional development and training opportunities 
• Attractive salary packaging to increase your take-home pay
• 17.5% loading on annual leave
• Access to agency vehicles for all work-related travel 
• Access to Employee support and wellbeing programs 
• Paid parental leave after 12 months of ongoing employment
• Opportunity to work and build connections with the Aboriginal Community and culture
• Fitness Passport - allowing you (and your family) access to any of the facilities available on this program 

Applications should include a cover letter addressing the key selection criteria and a current resume.

We encourage applicants to view the Position Description before applying.

Please click here Manager - Research - CPM - L8 PD.pdf to download the position description for this role.

We are committed to Aboriginal self-determination and supporting strong, safe, thriving Aboriginal communities and aim to ensure every individual is treated with dignity, honouring all cultural backgrounds, abilities, ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identities and spiritual beliefs.

VACCA is a child-safe organisation and is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of children and young people with zero tolerance for child abuse. All successful applicants will be required to undertake a National Police Record Check and Working with Children Check before the commencement of employment and periodically following commencement.

VACCA is an equal-opportunity employer and has a smoke-free workplace policy