Head of Partnership

• Melbourne
• Maximum Term - Parental Leave Cover
• 35 Hours per week

About Us

At Oxfam Australia, we believe all lives are equal and no one should live in poverty. We are a member of Oxfam International, a global confederation working with partners and local communities in 87 countries.

Would you like to join this global movement of people working together to eliminate the inequalities that keep people in poverty?

We are currently seeking an enthusiastic and committed person to fill the role of Head of Partnerships and Grants.

Why you will love working at Oxfam

As part of the Programs and Transformations team, you will use your skills, qualifications, lived experience and initiative to tackle inequality and fight poverty. Yes, you read that right, lived experience and initiative, because it is not all about key selection criteria.

Are you re-entering the workforce after a career break? Don't worry We are looking for people with a fire in their belly and a commitment to ending poverty. As long as you know your subject matter, we can teach you the other stuff and show you what's happened while you were away.

The Role

The Head of Partnerships and Grants is the architect of Oxfam's partnership and contract management strategy through establishing frameworks, systems, and standards that enhance program quality, manage risk, and enable Oxfam to deliver equitable and impactful programs. The role applies feminist, decolonial, and localisation principles to strengthen Oxfam's partnerships, ensuring they are mutually accountable and grounded in equity.

This role plays a key leadership role in representing Oxfam Australia to donors, partners, and external stakeholders, influences strategic decision-making across the organisation, and drives value-driven delivery across the international program portfolio. The position requires exceptional leadership, technical expertise in grants and partnerships, and the ability to influence and innovate in a rapidly changing global environment.

A little about you (the key selection criteria)

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Proven record in leading high-performing teams across diverse environments, with demonstrated ability to effectively manage performance
• Extensive experience managing complex international development grant portfolios
• Extensive knowledge and experience in Program Quality, Risk & Safeguarding
• Demonstrated experience in financial management practices for grants, including budgeting, financial monitoring, and accountability systems
• Strong emotional intelligence, humility, cross-cultural competence and experience working respectfully across languages, identities, and regional dynamics, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region

We can offer you

• A base salary of $135,980 plus superannuation, superior leave benefits and access to a generous not-for-profit salary packaging program (up to $18,450 of your salary tax-free).
• The opportunity to use your talents and expertise to make a positive impact around the world.
• We value flexibility and seek to support our people to work in ways that meet their work/life commitments and support their wellbeing.
• Cultural leave
• Superannuation matching

Our culture is shaped by our values, which reinforce what we care about and how we do things, not just what we do. Our core values of Equality, Empowerment, Solidarity, Inclusiveness, Accountability and Courage drive everything we do at Oxfam.

Oxfam is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work, including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct. We are committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. Oxfam expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us. Therefore, our people are required to comply with the One Oxfam Child Safeguarding and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse policies and sign the Oxfam Australia Child Safeguarding and One Oxfam Employee Codes of Conduct.

How to Apply

Complete the online application form, then, as three separate documents, upload:

1. a cover letter that tells us why you want to join Oxfam Australia, and how your professional history and lived experience make you the right candidate.
2. your CV.

3. your response to the selection criteria outlined in the advertisement.

4. Applications close on Tuesday, 28 October 2025

5. Here is the link to the Position Description

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. We care deeply about creating a safe and inclusive workplace where our people feel valued, respected and empowered. We are committed to providing equal opportunities and encourage applicants with personal experience of the forms of injustice we seek to address to apply for opportunities at Oxfam Australia.

Applicants will be required to show proof of their right to work in Australia the subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks, which include Police Checks and Misconduct Disclosure Scheme outcomes,before commencement. Pre-employment checks are not used by Oxfam Australia to prevent any applicant from applying for this position. Each application will be considered on its merits.

Australian work visas

Oxfam Australia will not recruit international candidates who do not hold visas permitting them to work in Australia. Oxfam Australia does not provide visa sponsorship

Additional information:

For ongoing roles, candidates will be required to have a minimum of 2 years' Australian work rights from the date of commencement of their employment with Oxfam Australia. For fixed-term roles, candidates will be required to have work rights for the full duration of the contract.

At Oxfam Australia, we are committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable culture where everyone's rights are recognised and respected. Guided by feminist principles and core values, we embrace different perspectives and work to eliminate systemic inequities that perpetuate discrimination. We centre and amplify the voices of people with lived experience and work in solidarity to build a future where no one is left behind.

Our commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is reflected in our actions, Oxfam Australia:

• Supports employee-led committees
• Promotes consultative ways of working and decision making
• Maintains a comprehensive enterprise agreement that prioritises employee well-being, as demonstrated through multiple leave types
• Provides ongoing awareness and training on unconscious bias, inclusion, and respectful workplace practices, ensuring alignment with Oxfam's values
  • Ensures a fair and accessible recruitment process