Policy and Research Lead (Health Peak)

• Central Sydney location or work from home in Canberra
• Flexible working options
• Role is available Full Time – 76 hours per fortnight, Fixed Term Contract to June 2025
• Work to improve the health and wellbeing of LGBTIQ+ people at a national level
• Salary – SCHADS Level 6 PP1 (dependant on skills and experience) plus superannuation plus salary packaging

About Us

LGBTIQ+ Health Australia (LHA) is Australia’s national health peak organisations and individuals that provide health-related programs, services and research focused on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex people and other sexuality, gender, and bodily diverse people and communities.

LHA works with legislators, policymakers and service providers to help them understand and address the needs of LGBTIQ+ people and communities. We support LHA members to have a stronger policy voice and partner with researchers across the country on issues of LGBTIQ+ health and wellbeing.

About the Role

The Policy and Research Lead is part of a small team that has oversight of LHA’s policy, advocacy, research and communications activities. As part of the Policy, Research and Communications Team, the position holder works at a national level with legislators, policymakers, peak bodies and service providers to reduce health and wellbeing disparities experienced by LGBTIQ+ populations.

The position operates with a high level of autonomy to identify effective strategies and to develop (as appropriate) high quality and timely policy papers, submissions, research, discussion papers, events and resources for internal and external purposes. Priorities include secondary research to support policy and advocacy; responding to external inquiries; engaging with elected representatives, government and non-government bodies; and supporting education and advocacy through coordination of events and networking. The role works across LHA teams as well as with LHA partners, stakeholders and members to build collaboration, increase understanding and achieve change.

While the preferred location for the position is LHA’s Sydney office, LHA will consider applicants able to work from home in Canberra that have capacity to broaden and strengthen LHA’S engagement with Federal Parliament. The role holder will be required to undertake some travel nationally.

To be considered for this role, you will have the following experience and qualifications:

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualifications in relation to policy, public health, gender studies, education, social science or other relevant fields.

Essential

• Understanding of and commitment to the health, wellbeing and human rights of LGBTIQ+ people and communities, including policy issues and the social determinants of health.
• Broad understanding of government and parliamentary processes, including experience working with elected representatives, preferably at a Commonwealth level.
• Experience undertaking high quality research and policy consultation, analysis and development, especially through co-design and in conjunction with community members.
• Skill managing and delivering projects through diverse strategies, involving a range of components and diverse internal and external stakeholders.
• Expertise writing in plain English for external audiences, such as print material, research, internet, briefings, journals and/or social media.

Desirable

• Experience in planning and implementing strategies and campaigns to bring about change.
• Experience working in environments requiring a high degree of judgement, confidentiality and sensitivity.
• Knowledge of the health sector in Australia.

Computer skills

• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word and Excel) and social media.
• Knowledge of Teams, Zoom, NationBuilder and Microsoft Planner is desirable.

Aptitude and interpersonal skills 

• Capacity to respond quickly to urgent and emerging issues, while balancing medium and long-term projects and strategic priorities.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal and negotiation skills for achieving results while maintaining important relationships and for representing the organisation.
• Excellent administrative, organisational and prioritisation skills to work with a diverse workload in a timely way.
• Capacity to work productively and collaboratively in a team with LHA, its member organisations and mainstream health and wellbeing organisations
• Ability to work collaboratively to resolve complex issues, including with stakeholders who may hold differing views and conflicting interests.
• Excellent judgement to manage and advise on sensitive issues that may involve reputational risk.
• Strong initiative, self-motivation and ability to work autonomously and as part of a team.
• Proven ability to build professional rapport through phone, on-line, email and face-to-face communications.
• Proactive problem-solver and self-starter who shows initiative.

Details

Download Position Description

How to Apply

How to Apply for this role

Please provide a covering letter with your current CV and answers to the following target questions.

1. Give an example where you had to identify and overcome barriers to collaboration with internal or external stakeholders. How did you resolve the issues and what did you learn from the experience?
2. Describe a recent work-related situation where you had multiple projects and competing deadlines. What strategies did you use to manage the tasks and deadlines while delivering quality work? What do you do if you cannot meet a deadline?

Job applications can be sent directly via the job board or to James Zanotto at james.zanotto@lgbtiqhealth.org.au with the subject line, 'Policy and Research Lead enquiry via NCOSS.'

Accessibility

• If you have any access requirements or need to submit your application in alternative format, please contact us to discuss.
• You can apply verbally over the phone or through a face-to-face meeting if you cannot submit a written application.
• You will need to tell us about your previous work experience, your suitability for this role and your answers to the target questions.

Applications close 15 February 2023

We encourage people from diverse backgrounds including people with a disability, LGBTIQ+ people and Torres Strait Islander people to apply.

LGBTIQ+ Health Australia