Head of Government Relations Advocacy and Research

Head of Government Relations Advocacy and Research

• Help build a brighter future with one of Victoria's leading not-for-profits.
• Full time- Ongoing role
• Competitive Salary + Tax reducing Salary Packaging
  
  

About St Vincent de Paul Society

We are the St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria or, more fondly, Vinnies Victoria. For more than 170 years we have been providing practical and compassionate support to people across Victoria whose daily struggles can include putting food on the table, paying essential utilities and ensuring their children remain at school to obtain an education.

The Role
The St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria (SVDPV) is seeking a dynamic and experienced professional to join our team as the Manager Government Relations Advocacy and Research. This is an exciting opportunity to lead and influence our evidence-based social change campaigns.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead Government Relations Strategy: Develop and execute a comprehensive government relations strategy focused on increasing the Society’s influence with key state and federal government stakeholders.
• Strategic Advocacy Plan: Develop a structured program of work to enhance our advocacy platform.
• Policy Submissions and Lobbying: Coordinate and lead the submission process for government budget reviews, policy consultations, and grant applications, ensuring alignment with the Society’s advocacy agenda
• Develop and Implement Research Agenda: Lead the design and coordination of a comprehensive research agenda to support key advocacy priorities.
• Partnerships: Create partnerships with academic and Social Sector institutions on research, policy and advocacy.
• Securing Support: Support the design and implementation of an evidence-based Strategic Advocacy Plan for SVDP. Identify, develop and improve our external relationships, partnerships and advocacy through collaborative activities and submissions, which includes grant applications and the attainment of recurrent funding.
• National Collaboration: Support the design and implementation of a national benchmarking roundtable to develop minimum datasets relating to key service areas of SVDPV, beginning with homelessness.

As with every member of the organisation’s leadership team, the Manager Strategic Advocacy and Research must consistently model the behaviours and values expected from all staff, volunteers and members.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Demonstrated experience in influencing government policy and advocacy.
• Strong ability to build and maintain relationships with stakeholders including government agencies, academic institutions and community organisations.
• Excellent project management skills with a track record of delivering complex projects.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to develop productive and positive relationships.
• Strong emotional intelligence, personal resilience, and the ability to work proactively with limited supervision.

Desirable Skills:

• Masters, PhD, or similar postgraduate qualifications 
• Experience in the Not-For-Profit sector and/or working within or with government.
• Proven experience in developing and overseeing research projects.
• Success in applying for grant funding utilising research-based agenda 

If you are passionate about using research and advocacy to drive social change and have the skills and experience required, we encourage you to apply. This role offers a fantastic opportunity to make a significant impact within our organisation and the wider community.

Please click here a copy of the Position Description.

Applications close: 30th April 2025 - Please don’t delay in submitting your application as applications will be reviewed upon submission.

Why work for us? We offer: 

• Salary packaging, sometimes called salary sacrificing is a huge attraction here! It is a popular way of providing employees in the community sector with tax benefits over and above their salary. It means the real value of a salary package can be significantly higher than the nominal value.
• We make an incredible difference in the lives of over 300,000 people every year.
• We believe in families, so we like to provide a family-friendly environment in which to work.
• We offer a place where you know you are contributing to a firm committed to helping others. We are passionate about #Social Justice.
• We are complex in our design which always makes work interesting.

Where good happens #Goodworks  

In our hiring process, we value diverse perspectives and recognise that relevant experience or qualifications are not always indicative of potential. We encourage individuals with varying backgrounds and skillsets to apply, as we believe in providing opportunities for growth and development regardless of past experiences or formal qualifications.

Please note that prior to any commencement to employment, pre-employment checks must be completed. This will include reference checking, a national criminal history and right to work check, a working with children check, and some roles require a psychometric assessment.

St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria is proactive in supporting child safety.

We value diversity and aim to build an inclusive environment that champions, embraces and respects differences.

We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and people of all abilities, cultures, sexual orientations, and gender identities and expressions.