Policy Advocacy Lead

About the role

Health Justice Australia’s advocacy strategy seeks to influence transformation across health, legal and social policy, by building an understanding of the need for collaborative approaches in response to intersecting health, legal and other need; and of what it takes to fund, design, and deliver those approaches to improve health justice outcomes in people’s lives. If you are passionate about bringing together research and practice-based evidence to advance practical, applied policy for lasting impact, then this position is for you.

The Policy Advocacy Lead will work with the Strategic Advocacy Manager and the CEO to implement Health Justice Australia’s advocacy strategy. Activities include development of policy content that translates research and practice evidence into feasible solutions for government, health and human (including legal assistance) services; supporting HJA’s strategic relationships with government and other policy-makers and influencers; and driving collaborative opportunities with cross sector organisations and networks to advance our policy solutions. This position is ideal for someone with policy and advocacy experience in areas including, but not limited to, social determinants of health, access to justice, public health, law, human rights, community sector or service innovation or social impact.
- Roles and responsibilities
Supervised by the Strategic Advocacy Manager, this position will collaborate both internally and externally to support the implementation of activities under Health Justice Australia’s advocacy strategy by:

- Drawing on research and practice-based evidence, to draft concise policy content, such as discussion papers, submissions, parliamentary and departmental briefings, position papers.
- Tracking and identifying emerging policy reform processes that are relevant to HJA’s advocacy priorities.
- Identifying strategic campaigning and influencing opportunities, and planning and developing policy content for social media and other external communications, in collaboration with HJA communications team
- Supporting the convening of consultative processes including roundtables and workshops to identify shared agendas and build momentum for collaborative activities across a range of actors working towards systems change.
- Supporting HJA government relations including planning, correspondence and logistics for parliamentary engagement and departmental meetings.
- Maintaining accurate and timely records of policy advocacy engagement through HJA’s CRM platform.
- Mapping, developing, and maintaining relationships with external stakeholders across a range of constituencies including lived experience and representative organisations, sector peaks, professional bodies, service providers, and not for profit research and advocacy organisations.
- Supporting collaborative advocacy activities with leaders and practitioners across the national HJP network.
- Attending consultations, conferences and seminars and representing Health Justice Australia in working groups and sector forums as required.
- Undertaking other duties as directed and required.
- Essential criteria
- Demonstrated capacity to develop and implement a range of strategic policy advocacy activities across health, justice and/or social policy contexts.
- Highly developed written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate confidently, persuasively, sensitively and articulately to a range of government and non-government stakeholders.
- Experience analysing policy-relevant research, and synthesising this research into relevant, compelling policy advice.
- Good organisational skills, and the capacity to manage multiple and changing priorities in a dynamic and evolving policy environment, without compromising quality of work.
- Demonstrated commitment to, and experience working effectively and collaboratively as part of a team.
- Well-developed relationship management skills, with a capacity to ensure that various stakeholder interests are recognised and managed positively and professionally.
- Experience in fostering collaborative relationships, and supporting collaborative advocacy across sectors, organisations, and networks.
- Commitment to the values of social justice, and a genuine interest in and awareness of the challenges of improving outcomes for clients vulnerable to complex needs.
- Desirable criteria
- A bachelor degree or higher in public health, social science, law or a related discipline.
- Demonstrated understanding of the social determinants of health, legal need and justice issues.
- Government relations experience and existing relationships of influence.
- Skills and experience in working towards systems change.

Why You'll love working here

**Work from home**:
**Professional development assistance**:
Position Description : HJA Policy Advocacy Lead PD September 2024

PBA3

Profession: #Policy_and_Research
Sector: #Community_Development