Director of Policy – Health & Ageing

Position Title: Director of Policy – Health & Ageing

Location: Canberra

Applications close: 30 October 2023

Hours: Full Time (75 hours fortnightly)

Remuneration: Level 8.1 SACS award

THE ROLE

Reporting to the CEO, the Director of Policy – Health & Ageing will be responsible for leading the policy, advocacy, and project agenda to strengthen FECCA’s role as a peak body for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) ageing and aged care and to lead a life course approach to FECCA’s advocacy on equitable health and wellbeing outcomes for people from CALD backgrounds.

This position interfaces with federal and state stakeholders, networks, researchers, and community-based organizations that are advocating for a more equitable health and aged care system. The Director of Policy – Health & Ageing is responsible for stewarding the policy process, from drafting FECCA’s policy agenda, to formulating and implementing initiatives, and finally to monitoring and evaluating how the Health & Ageing Team’s work advances FECCA’s Strategic Framework for Action (2023-2028).

SOMEONE WHO IS SUCCESFUL IN THIS ROLE WILL:

• Be passionate about equity and understands how disparities in health, wellbeing and ageing impact CALD communities
• Motivate and support an equally passionate and highly talented team
• Lead the development of solutions and provision of high-level policy advice
• Navigate and understand how things work within government agencies and related systems
• Initiate research collaborations to build evidence base
• Develop practice models to encourage systems change
• Contribute to FECCA communications strategy
• Grow and nurture strategic engagements and partnerships

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead FECCA’s Health & Ageing portfolio and team
• Provide high level and knowledgeable advice on emerging health and ageing issues
• Develop policy and program background materials, strategies, scoping documents and briefs in support of FECCA’s strategic response to identified trends and emerging issues
• Lead the preparation of submissions to both government and non-government inquiries and policy reviews
• Grow and manage strategic partnerships and collaborations with people with lived experiences and the organisations supporting them, service providers, practitioners, researchers, governments, the private sector and community organisations
• Manage consultations with people with lived experience, community-based organisations, sector partners, and other relevant stakeholders
• Represent FECCA and advance its advocacies in relevant advisory groups, national committees, and working groups
• Initiate and manage research, establish evidence base, analysis and policy development on health and ageing issues
• Lead strategic and collaborative grant applications and manage their implementation and evaluation
• Manage secretariat services to relevant FECCA advisory groups.

ORGANISATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and commit to annual KPIs in support of the FECCA Strategic Framework for Action (2023-2028)
• Lead and oversee the work of the Health & Ageing Team, foster staff wellbeing, taking care of self and others in the team, and aligning team culture with FECCA values and vision
• Participate as an effective team member within FECCA, including assisting members of other teams when required
• Participate in relevant professional and organisational development initiatives
• Demonstrate a strong commitment to a quality culture, implementing standards of excellence and a continuous improvement business focus in accordance with the FECCA Code of Conduct, policies and procedures
• Support and promote a strong safety culture by ensuring all work activities are performed in compliance with FECCA’s Work Health and Safety Policy
• Comply with legal obligations, mitigate risk, maintain appropriate professional and ethical standards and operational transparency
• Reinforce and promote the principles of Equal Employment Opportunity and diversity in the workplace by ensuring that all employees and stakeholders are treated with dignity and respect
• Undertake other duties as required, commensurate with existing skills, knowledge and experience

Some interstate travel may be required from time to time.

We are committed to nurturing a diverse team of professionals. People from CALD backgrounds and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are especially encouraged to apply.

KEY SELECTION CRITERIA

Essential Criteria:

• Minimum of five years of experience in a field related to social, health and aged care or public policy.
• Tertiary qualifications in a relevant field.
• An informed and sophisticated understanding of health and aged care and lived experience of people from CALD backgrounds.
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication and interpersonal skills, including the capacity to adapt to the needs of a range of audiences.
• Analytical skills and demonstrated ability to produce and/or analyse quantitative and qualitative data to develop high-quality reports and advocacy materials and to inform policy.
• Demonstrated success in securing grants and funds.
• Experience managing staff and ability to work professionally as part of a team in a positive and supportive manner.
• Ability to work in a fast paced and dynamic work environment, highly self-motivated, self-driven and flexible.

Desired Criteria:

• Previous experience in multicultural advocacy/lobbying, or multicultural community engagement and outreach.
• Demonstrated understanding of principles of community engagement and co-design.
• Good understanding of the machinery of government and how to influence.
• Sound communication skills including social media.

Essential Attributes:

• Strong collaborative team mindset
• Analytical mind able to synthesise complex concepts and communicate them simply
• Creative thinker, with a strategic mindset and an inquiring mind
• Open to change and trying new things
• Attention to detail
• Positive attitude