First Nations Research

Children's Ground is a First Nations organisation. The Children's Ground Approach is designed and delivered through the leadership of First Nations people. We are committed to systems change to ensure dignity, justice and equity for all children and families. Our work focuses on national reform as well as evidencing a new way of working.

The Children's Ground Approach is a whole of community, whole of life approach. We privilege First Nations knowledge systems and practice. Over the course of a generation, led by local expertise, we create and deliver an integrated system that is centred on learning, development and wellbeing that responds to the child and their family through the key transition points from pre-birth to young adulthood.

Our approach recognises the cultural, social, and economic strength of our communities. We build on this over a generation to ensure a future for our children and grandchildren that gives them freedom, opportunity and rights to their culture and identity.

Children's Ground operates in Central Australia and across the Top End, with support provided by a Melbourne-based Shared Services team.

We are seeking a First Nations person with relevant degree/qualification in research and/or evaluation. You need to be experienced and confident with report writing and have demonstrated experience in undertaking literature reviews and evidence scans. A good knowledge of evaluation and research approaches and be capable of designing and implementing monitoring, evaluation and research approaches. You will have strong MS Programs skills and an understanding of First Nations evaluation and data sovereignty. You need to be a team player with collaborative skills and be able to plan and organise your workload around timelines.

Melbourne, Darwin or Alice Springs

This First Nations identified position will work as part of Children's Ground Research & Evaluation (R&E) team with staff currently based in Central Australia and Darwin. This position could be based in Melbourne, Darwin or Alice Springs.

The role is an intersection between research, evaluation and policy leadership to evidence the impact of Children's Ground and promote and advocate for system change externally. It will include undertaking literature and evidence reviews and contributing to systems reform submissions and publications. This role will contribute to supporting Children's Ground leading practice in First Nations data, research and evaluation sovereignty, as well as working with R&E teams in Central Australia.

• Undertake literature reviews and evidence scans to inform Children's Ground systems and service reform frameworks, journal articles and other strategic priorities and opportunities
• Gather internal and external evidence to contribute to evaluation, research, advocacy submissions to government, productivity commission etc
• Establish a system of monitoring and utilising national and international literature and evidence (with support from senior R&E staff)
• Contribute to leading practice in First Nations data, research and evaluation sovereignty
• Review and enhance existing external research partnerships processes and documents
• Lead a project that benchmarks Children's Ground research and evaluation against national and international leading practice in Western and First Cultural standards and practice
• Work closely with R&E teams in each region to document the views and perspectives of local First Nations staff about First Nations data, research and evaluation sovereignty and standards
• Explore creative ways to visualise key research and evaluation principles, approaches and processes
• Develop and maintain an internal register of strategic research priorities for Children's Ground
• Contribute to identifying research grant opportunities to fund internal strategic and community research projects
• Contribute to peer learning
• Contribute to and support the development of R&E resources for First Nations leaders, staff and communities
• Planning, reporting including quarterly reports to Director, funding reports, research reports
• Meet, where appropriate with local First Nations people and elders to discuss local aspirations and acquire content to inform monitoring, evaluation and research

Salary packaging (increase take home pay) + Bonus Xmas Leave, Relocation Assistance for interstate candidates

Please apply with a current resume and a 1-2 page pitch. Your pitch should tell us more about who you are, what you are passionate about, what interests you about the role and why you may be a good fit for Children's Ground. Use this opportunity to also talk about your mob as it is an identified First Nations position.