Government Engagement and Policy Advisor

Job Posting Organization:
54 reasons is Australia’s leading child rights organisation, proudly part of the Save the Children Australia Group and global movement. The organization is dedicated to ensuring that children and young people have their rights met and thrive in all their diversity. With a workforce of approximately 600 people, 54 reasons operates across every state and territory, providing quality services to children and their caregivers in various regions, remote areas, and capital cities. The organization emphasizes a down-to-earth culture and a clear focus on impact, aiming to create systemic change for children and young people.

Job Overview:
In this full-time max term (2-year term) role, the Government Engagement and Policy Advisor will be a pivotal part of the Strategy and Partnerships team based in Melbourne, with options for hybrid or remote work arrangements. The primary function of this position is to drive effective government engagement and influential policy work that creates systemic change for children and young people. The advisor will analyze policy and budget environments, shape strong briefs and submissions, and manage engagement with key government decision-makers. This role requires exceptional writing skills, a strong understanding of social policy, and the ability to coordinate internal stakeholders to produce high-quality policy and advocacy materials. The advisor will support senior leaders in engaging confidently with government and will play a crucial role in translating insights into practical recommendations to inform strategic direction.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities of the Government Engagement and Policy Advisor include:

• Driving state and territory government engagement by developing and implementing stakeholder management plans, coordinating briefings, conducting background research, organizing meetings, and ensuring effective follow-up.
• Undertaking comprehensive policy research, coordinating internal stakeholders, and synthesizing diverse inputs to develop high-quality policy submissions, briefings, and advocacy materials.
• Supporting senior leaders in engaging confidently and strategically with government by shaping engagement approaches, preparing briefings and talking points, and translating conversations into actionable next steps.
• Proactively scanning policy, legislative, and budget environments to translate insights into clear, practical recommendations that inform the organization’s strategic direction.
• Managing internal workflows, timelines, and document control to ensure that government engagement activities are aligned and on track.

Required Qualifications:
The position requires demonstrated experience in government relations, government engagement, or social policy development. The candidate must have a proven ability to coordinate government engagement processes, including briefing, meeting preparation, and follow-up. Exceptional written communication skills are essential, with experience in producing high-quality submissions, briefings, or policy artifacts for government audiences. Strong analytical skills are necessary, including the ability to scan and interpret policy, legislative, and budget environments and translate insights into practical recommendations. Highly developed organizational skills are also required, including the ability to manage workflows, timelines, and follow-ups across multiple workstreams to ensure disciplined and on-track engagement activity.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess an undergraduate or post-graduate degree in humanities, social science, politics, economics, law, or another related discipline. This educational background is essential to understand the complexities of government engagement and policy development effectively.

Experience:
The role requires a significant level of experience in government relations, government engagement, or social policy development. Candidates should have a demonstrated track record of coordinating government engagement processes and producing high-quality policy submissions and briefs. Experience working alongside senior leaders and managing complex workflows is also essential.

Languages:
While the job description does not specify mandatory languages, proficiency in English is implied as a requirement due to the nature of the role involving communication with government stakeholders. Additional language skills may be considered an asset but are not explicitly stated as necessary.

Additional Notes:
This position is a full-time max term role for a duration of 2 years. The organization is committed to diversity and inclusion, encouraging applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates. The role offers a competitive salary based on qualifications and experience, along with superannuation and full salary packaging benefits. Flexible working arrangements are available, including the option to work from home or from one of the state offices. The organization also provides individual learning plans for career development, support for workplace wellness, and a highly inclusive culture that celebrates diversity.