Principal Policy Officer

**Who are Uniting?**

At Uniting, we believe in taking real steps to make the world a better place. We work to inspire people, enliven communities and confront injustice.

Our services cover aged care, community services, disability, early learning and chaplaincy and we get involved in social justice and advocacy issues that impact the people we serve. As an organisation we walk alongside Aboriginal people and communities and celebrate diversity and welcome all people regardless of ethnicity, faith, sexual orientation or gender identity.

**About the Role**:
Uniting’s Research and Social Policy team is recruiting a Principal Policy Officer to join us on a full-time ongoing basis. The role sits within Uniting’s Social Impact and Advocacy directorate, alongside the Advocacy/Government Relations team and the Innovation Team. Our work aims to disrupt entrenched disadvantage by informing practice improvement, innovation and advocacy.

This is a broad and varied role with interactions with programs, practitioners, university partners, and government agencies. On any given day, a Principal Policy Officer may be surveying the policy landscape and identifying strategic issues, critically analysing Australian social policy against international evidence, and engaging with colleagues, sector peers and policymakers to shift policy discourse and institutional behaviour.

Day to day responsibilities are set out in the Position Description.

**About You**

This role would suit an experienced policy practitioner looking to lead a strategic body of work designed to shift public discourse and drive collaboration in ways that disrupt entrenched disadvantage. We are particularly interested in applicants with experience in policy involving health and aged care, and in engaging with stakeholders across multiple agencies at all points in the policy lifecycle.

**Your skill set will include**:

- An ability to lead a body of social policy analysis from identification to publication and translation into policy change.
- An ability to cultivate strategic relationships with practitioners, policy makers and academics
- A firm commitment to social justice and interest in the research and policy areas covered by Uniting’s services

**Your Qualifications and Experience**:

- Tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline (e.g., arts, social sciences, health or social work)
- Three to five years’ experience in social policy development and analysis including qualitative consultations, and documentary research

**Even Better**:

- Higher degree qualification in a relevant field
- Demonstrated knowledge of government bodies and of social policy relating to the areas in which Uniting offers services. Experience in health and aged care, or ability to rapidly develop it, would be a particular strength.
- Demonstrated experience and skills in dissemination and knowledge translation, particularly influencing policy discourse or government policy decisions
- Knowledge of and experience in either quantitative or qualitative research methodologies, sufficient to manage projects or conduct small ad-hoc analyses.

**What next?**

Please submit a cover letter and CV, showing how you meet the criteria described above under “Your skill set will include”, “Your qualifications and experience” and “Even better”.

**_ At Uniting we believe vaccination to be the best way to keep our employees and clients safe from COVID-19. We require all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (3 doses) as a condition of employment._**
- At Uniting, we welcome and celebrate everyone regardless of lifestyle, ethnicity, faith, sexual orientation, and gender identity and proudly create a safe and inclusive environment for staff and clients._