ACON is Australia’s largest health promotion organisation specialising in community health, inclusion, and HIV responses for people of diverse sexualities and genders. Established in 1985, ACON works to create opportunities for people in our communities to live their healthiest lives.
We are grounded in the belief that diversity is our strength, our differentiator, and at the core of who we are and what we do. As part of our commitment to inclusion, we encourage applications from people living with HIV, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and LGBTQ people from culturally, linguistically and ethnically diverse, migrant and refugee backgrounds, and LGBTQ people of colour.
Job Description
- We are looking for someone to join the Policy Strategy and Research team in a key leadership role.
- You'll contribute to ACON’s policy and advocacy efforts across the NSW HIV sector.
- Enhance the profile of LGBTQ+ health.
- Full-time (76 hours per fortnight) based in our Gadigal (Surry Hills) office.
What’s Policy Advocacy and Research team you say?
You'll be a part of the Policy Advocacy and Research team, which works to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for LGBTQ communities and people living with HIV. The team leads policy and advocacy priorities, builds the evidence base through research and stakeholder engagement, and works closely with government, community and sector partners to drive meaningful systems change.
Ok, so what’s the role?
The Manager, Policy Advocacy and Research leads a small team in developing and implementing high-impact policy, research, advocacy and grants development initiatives to achieve the goals and objectives of ACON’s Impact Strategy, funding agreements and annual business plans, including the following:
- Lead and develop ACON's policy and advocacy strategies to respond to our communities' health and wellbeing needs and government and system reform.
- Leads ACON's engagement with government agencies and key stakeholders to achieve ACON's impact strategies.
- Strengthen and maintain ACON's strategic relationships with key government, research, legal and community stakeholders to achieve ACON's impact strategies.
- Coordinate ACON's research engagement programs to strengthen key partnerships, build the evidence base to achieve our strategic impacts, and manage our research ethics review processes, including the promotion and dissemination of key research.
- Manage the development of key outcome indicators, impact measures and key performance metrics to monitor progress of achieving ACON's impact strategies.
- Provide high-level advice to the Board, Executive and Senior Leadership Team on emerging strategic issues and business opportunities to achieve ACON's impact strategies.
Who are we looking for?
- Someone with a demonstrated understanding of policy, advocacy, program design and delivery, and funding processes.
- A person with the ability to lead organisational change and capability development projects, preferably focused on performance, innovation, and continuous improvement.
- Someone with a proven ability to create and sustain effective relationships and partnerships with internal and external stakeholders.
- An exceptional communicator with exceptional interpersonal skills, including advanced written and verbal communication, high-level presentation skills, and the ability to represent organisational and community interests.
- A person with the demonstrated ability to manage a team working across multiple projects and deliverables with competing deadlines; who can work both independently and collaboratively, with strong organisational skills and the capacity to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines in a dynamic environment.
- Someone with an understanding of and commitment to ACON's 2025-2030 Impact Strategy and other key strategic and business plans; and to ACON's communities, including all LGBTQ people and people living with HIV.
What else can we tell you?
- Salary: Starting from $123,559.28 (Gross Annual Salary PLUS Superannuation and Leave Loading).
- Location: ACON’s Gadigal (Surry Hills) office, with some flexible working options a possibility (away from the office).
- Hours: Full-Time (76 hours per fortnight) on an ongoing contract.
- Salary Packaging up to $35,000 gross up value (i.e., currently up to $15,900 Expenses + $2,650 Meals, tax free).
- Generous pro-rata leave entitlements – including up to an extra week of paid leave for full time employees to be taken during our Christmas and New Year’s shutdown period.
- Flexible working options.
- Learning and Development Opportunities.
How can I find out more details and apply?
If this sounds like you, we invite you to apply to join our team and help us make a meaningful impact on the lives of those we serve. By joining us, you will be part of a mission to create a healthier and more inclusive community.
We’d love someone who has experience already in this area but people at all levels of experience are absolutely welcome to apply. We highly encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from CALD backgrounds, people with disabilities, and people of all genders to apply.
For more information on the role, please contact Brent Mackie, Policy Strategy and Research Division, at bmackie@acon.org.au or (02) 9206 2000.
If you are ready to apply, please apply via the 'Apply' function at the end of this page.
We look forward to receiving your application.
