Project Manager, Research

• Opportunity to work at the National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse (National Centre) a national purpose-driven organisation which is a symbol of hope and an essential vehicle for action for many victims and survivors of child sexual abuse.
• Join at an exciting period of growth, as the National Centre expands its team.
• Key role in leading key research projects that are designed to influence systems change across government and the broader sector.
• Full time (1.0) fixed-term position until October 2026 - with flexible working arrangements available (eg. part-time).
• A national remote role, available in every major Australian city (with no preference for any location)
• The successful candidate will undertake domestic travel occasionally as part of this role.
• $110,000 - $130,000 + superannuation + salary packaging options

Note: this advertisement refers to child sexual abuse and may bring up strong feelings. Please take care of yourself and seek support if you need. Support services can be found on our website.

Role summary

The Project Manager, Research is responsible for the delivery of high quality, trauma-responsive research projects that are inclusive, culturally informed and aligned with the National Centre's strategic priorities.

This role manages all stages of research commissioning and delivery, overseeing project planning, contracts, budgets, ethics, governance, and reporting. This role manages ethical practice, victim and survivor engagement, and continuous improvement.

Working collaboratively with internal teams and external partners, the role ensures research findings are translated into accessible, impactful outputs that inform systems reform, policy, and practice, directly contributing to the National Centre's mission to prevent child sexual abuse and improve support systems and recovery pathways for victims and survivors.

At the National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse, we are committed to elevating the wisdom and expertise of victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. Values of safety, inclusion and trauma-responsiveness guide our interactions, including in our recruitment process. The National Centre team commit to authentic and meaningful engagement with people with Lived Experience - ensuring their voices are heard, valued, and embedded in our work.

Who you are (selection criteria)

• You hold relevant tertiary qualifications in research, social sciences, public health, or a related field, or have equivalent professional experience.
• You have proven experience managing complex research projects end-to-end, including planning, contracting, delivery, and reporting within scope, timeline, and budget.
• You are skilled in embedding trauma-informed, victim and survivor-centred, and culturally safe practices across research design and delivery.
• You possess strong knowledge of ethical research frameworks and lived experience engagement principles, ensuring all projects uphold these standards.
• You have experience translating complex research findings into clear, accessible outputs for diverse internal and external audiences.
• You demonstrate excellent stakeholder and partnership management skills, fostering collaborative relationships across research teams, community partners, and other stakeholders.
• You are highly organised with strong project management skills, capable of tracking progress, managing risks, and ensuring quality assurance throughout the research lifecycle.
• You have leadership experience, able to provide guidance and support to team members, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and reflective practice.
• You are aligned with the National Centre's mission to disrupt child sexual abuse and bring about systemic change.
• You demonstrate a trauma-informed, ethical and survivor engaged approach to your work, and understand the critical importance of working in partnership with people with Lived Experience; ensuring their voices are heard, respected and meaningfully embedded in all that you do.

Research indicates that while men apply to jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, women and other marginalised individuals often wait until they fulfil every requirement. If you believe you have the attributes to do the job but don't match every point on the job ad, we welcome and encourage your application.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end management of commissioned research projects, including planning, contracting, oversight and delivery.
• Act as the primary liaison between research partners and internal teams, facilitating clear communication and a collaborative approach to problem-solving.
• Develop and implement research strategies that address existing gaps, prioritise trauma-responsive approaches and align with the National Centre's mission.
• Champion victim and survivor-informed, inclusive and culturally responsive research practices across all projects and partnerships.
• Lead the translation and communication of research findings, including the development of plain language summaries, presentations, and briefings for diverse internal and external audiences.
• Oversee and manage the Research Lead, providing leadership, guidance, and support, training, skill development and performance reviews.

Please see the Project Manager, Research position description for more.

Who we are

The National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse (National Centre) The National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse was established in November 2021 as a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. It is a symbol of hope and an essential vehicle for action for many victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. Its formation recognises the decades of advocacy by victims and survivors to be listened to, believed, validated, protected and ultimately supported to heal from the trauma they carry with them. Its focus extends beyond institutional child sexual abuse to abuse that occurs in the family, community and online.

The National Centre has woven the voices and experiences of victims and survivors into its very fabric. It acknowledges the strength and expertise that derives from their Lived and Living Experience of child sexual abuse. The National Centre recognises and honours the diversity of victims and survivors' experiences, identities and cultural backgrounds and their contributions to the common purpose of addressing child sexual abuse.

At the National Centre, we believe for victims and survivors to have the best opportunity to heal, they must feel safe to disclose and receive the necessary support that is non-stigmatising, appropriate to their needs and effective. Our purpose is to disrupt the dynamics that have failed to stop child sexual abuse from occurring, and prevented victims and survivors from being validated and supported.

Additional adjustments

We are committed to providing an inclusive experience to all candidates. If you have a disability, condition, illness or access requirements, please let us know how we can best support you throughout your recruitment experience.

We recognise that each individual's needs are different. Some examples of adjustments we can provide include (but are not limited to):

• Alternative formats or ways to submit your application (verbal or video)
• Flexible communication methods
• Additional time to complete tasks, assessments or pre-interview work
• Support from a support person or advocate during interviews
• Modifications to the interview structure, environment or timing

If you require additional adjustments, or would like to discuss any access needs as a part of the application and recruitment process, please contact us via email recruitment@shehrconsulting.com

Our candidate experience

We aim to be transparent and kind to all of our candidates. We value your time, and as such want to share how we do things so you know what to expect with no nasty surprises. For more information on our end-to-end candidate experience, please visit the SHE HR Consulting website.

How to apply

To express your interest, submit an online application through our application portal and include a professional resume. All applicants must also provide brief responses to the application questions that are included as part of the online application.

Note: we do not accept cover letters as part of our application process.

Applications will be reviewed upon receipt and we may close our job advertisement without notice, so don't delay your application.

The National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse is an equal opportunity employer and strives to maintain a workplace environment that is fair and free of discrimination, is safe and accessible for all employees, and provides working arrangements that accommodate the diverse needs of our staff. We strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, people from culturally- and linguistically-diverse backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ people and people of every ethnicity, faith, ability, culture, language, gender identity, age, and sex.

Employment in this position is conditional upon reception and maintenance of reference checks as part of pre-employment screening, and a Working With Children Check (or state equivalent).

As part of our employment screening process, we do run police checks. But don't worry—having a criminal record doesn't automatically disqualify you.

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