Senior Lead Research and Strategy Centre for Just Places
Senior Lead Research and Strategy Centre for Just Places
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Job Description
About the organisation
Jesuit Social Services is a social change organisation working to build a just society where all people can live to their full potential. We reflect on the critical factors shaping our contemporary world; the social political and economic contexts and we adapt our practice to work with those most in need.
Since 1977 Jesuit Social Services has provided services to some of the most disadvantaged in our community.
We place a high priority on advocacy and are a leader in policy development and research.
About the Centre for Just Places
The Centre for Just Places was established by Jesuit Social Services to enable and support place-based approaches. Through our research advocacy and practice the Centre unlocks the relationship between social environmental and economic justice.
We aim to enable strong and resilient communities through three main areas of work:
- Working in place our practice in Victoria New South Wales and Northern Territory we deliver a range of place-based initiatives to support community development build capacity and provide flexible responses to community needs.
- Enabling climate justice we partner with community service organisations communities and governments to shift systems build local climate resilience and adaptive capacity.
- Supporting strong healthy and equitable communities building on more than 25 years of research into locational disadvantage with Dropping off the Edge we work with communities to know where people are struggling to understand what is contributing to that struggle and how we can collectively enable communities to flourish.
Description
About the role
This role provides strategic direction in shaping and delivering the Centre for Just Places research agenda and advancing its thought leadership working directly with the General Manager Centre for Just Places and key executive staff to drive high-impact projects that deepen understanding and awareness of locational disadvantage community resilience place-based approaches and climate justice.
The Senior Lead Research and Impact will work at the intersection of research strategy and advocacy leading the design coordination and evaluation of qualitative and quantitative research initiatives across sectors and partnerships. Central to the role is maintaining strong relationships with funders and partners and securing resources to sustain and grow the Centres impact.
The position will have responsibility for managing high-quality research projects and leading knowledge translation activities that not only make complex findings accessible and actionable for practitioners policymakers and communities but also highlight and share the real-world impact of this work through compelling stories and narratives that support learning connection and influence both internally and externally. The position also plays a pivotal role in supporting and mentoring staff to strengthen the Centres research capacity and influence.
Competitive remuneration plus salary packaging benefit is offered together with ongoing professional and career development as well as opportunities for personal growth. This is a 0.8 to 1.0 FTE position fixed term until May 2027.
What Jesuit Social Services can offer you:
- An organisation that lives its values through its day to day work
- A welcoming and supportive relational environment
- A comprehensive Induction and Orientation program
- Ongoing training and development related to your role
- Employee assistance program
- A competitive salary plus salary packaging benefits
- Generous leave
Skills And Experiences
About you
This role will suit a candidate with the following skills and experience:
- Tertiary qualifications in climate change environmental studies community development public policy or a related discipline and/or extensive demonstrated experience in climate justice place-based climate adaptation and resilience and systems change.
- Postgraduate qualifications in social sciences or related discipline with demonstrated expertise in research methods (qualitative and quantitative) and/or extensive demonstrated experience in similar roles.
- Demonstrated experience designing conducting and managing research projects with a strong grounding in ethical research practices. Experience and expertise in research relating to place-based approaches locational disadvantage community resilience and/or climate justice will be highly regarded.
- Proven ability to generate high-quality research outputs and translate complex findings into accessible actionable insights for policymakers practitioners and community stakeholders.
- Strong skills in building and maintaining relationships with funders partners and stakeholders to secure resources shape research agendas and drive collaborative initiatives.
- Experience developing competitive research and project funding proposals and successfully securing and managing external funding.
- Ability to support guide and mentor staff in research and evaluation fostering a culture of evidence-informed practice and continuous learning.
- Highly developed written and verbal communication skills with the ability to present research findings persuasively and contribute to public advocacy.
- Understanding and sympathy with the mission and ethos of Jesuit Social Services.
How to apply
- Upload your resume and cover letter incorporating your responses to the Key Selection Criteria from the Position Description.
- For further information please contact Kate Lowsby General Manager via
Applications close at 5.00pm on Sunday 5th October 2025.
Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis and the closing date may be subject to change without notice.
Jesuit Social Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing a working environment that embraces and values diversity and inclusion. We celebrate and welcome all people regardless of ethnicity cultural background age gender sexuality disability or religious affiliation.
We strongly encourage applications from all community members including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people members of the LGBTIQA community people with a disability people of culturally diverse backgrounds and working parents.
Jesuit Social Services is a Child Safe organisation and is committed to protecting children and young people from harm. We require all applicants to undergo an extensive screening process prior to appointment.
Required Experience:
Senior IC
Employment Type
Contract
