• SCHADS Level: 4.1 + 11% superannuation ($82,046 pro rata plus super)
• Employment type: 1.0 FTE (full-time), fixed-term contract to 31 December 2025 (potential for renewal subject to funding and performance)
• Location: North Melbourne, with flexible work-from-home arrangements available.

About the Victorian Student Representative Council (VicSRC)

Victorian Student Representative Council (VicSRC) is the peak body and leading advocate representing school-aged students in Victoria. We were created by students to be a voice for all primary and secondary school students at the highest levels of decision making in Victorian education. Our vision is an education system that is student-led, student driven and student-focused.

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a student-led organisation that’s making a real difference through advocating for lasting, systemic change in the Victorian education system. VicSRC works closely with students, educators, and government stakeholders to improve the education system for all students by advocating for the adoption of student voice practice in schools and across government, as well as undertaking consultative research and delivering programs to students and educators.

About the role

VicSRC is looking to appoint a new Policy and Research Officer. The Policy and Research Officer will work in VicSRC’s Research, Policy and Advocacy team to help achieve our vision of a student-led and student-focused education system by providing vital support to the Policy and Advocacy Manager across our key streams of work including conducting research, planning and delivering advocacy activities, designing and facilitating consultations and other student engagement, and drafting policy submissions.

The Policy and Research Officer will also play a key role in supporting one of VicSRC’s new initiatives, the Senior Secondary Student Advisory Panel, which provides students with opportunities to work directly with the government on senior secondary education reform.

About you

Our ideal candidate is an experienced policy or research officer with a proven track-record of producing high-standard written work (such as research reports, literature reviews, briefing notes, and policy submissions). You have previous experience and/or knowledge of education policy in Australia, and you have an interest in working directly with students (school-aged children and young people) to further our research, policy, and advocacy agenda.

Our ideal candidate has studied in a relevant field (such as public policy, research, social work, education), is organised and accustomed to managing competing deadlines, and is ready to work on behalf of all Victorian students to make the education system better, fairer, and stronger for everyone.

You will enjoy:

• A flexible, disability friendly, family friendly and wellbeing focused work culture.
• A small, dynamic, and professional team environment.
• Opportunities for professional development in a supportive environment.
• One additional day of ‘Birthday leave’ per year plus gifted leave between Christmas and New Years’ (dates confirmed in advance each year).
• A vibrant, art-filled, dog-friendly office alongside other for-purpose organisations.

Key Selection Criteria

Essential:

• Relevant tertiary qualification such as public policy, youth work, education or social work, education.
• A demonstrated high-level ability in written communication.
• Proven skills in research and data analysis, including the ability to independently conduct basic qualitative and quantitative data analysis.
• Demonstrated understanding of a range of advocacy methods and approaches.
• Highly developed organisational skills and the ability to work independently.
• An understanding of best practice consultation mechanisms.
• Ability to work constructively, creatively and collaboratively with cross-functional teams.
• An understanding of, and sensitivity to, issues affecting a diverse range of young people in relation to education.
• Understanding of and commitment to student voice, agency, and participation, specifically the ability to engage young people in an empowering and safe way. 
• An ability and willingness to travel throughout Victoria and occasionally work outside ordinary business hours.

Desirable:

• Experience working in the Victorian education sector, or state or federal government department, would be advantageous.
• Victorian drivers’ licence.

VicSRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, LGBTIQA+ people, people with disabilities, people from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds and people with diverse lived experiences are encouraged to apply for this position.

Application Process

Please click 'Apply Now' to submit your application.

In order to be considered for this position, you must include:

• A brief cover letter.
• Your resume.
• Your responses to the Key Selection Criteria (we encourage candidates to use the STAR method). This can be attached as a separate document or included in your cover letter.

Only applications that follow the above process will be accepted and considered for interview.

Interviews can be held in-person at VicSRC’s office or online via Zoom, depending on preference of candidate and panellists.

If you have any questions about the role, please contact William Naughton-Gravette, Policy and Advocacy Manager, at [email protected] using the subject line: Policy and Research Officer enquiry via EthicalJobs, or on 0447 691 300.

Employment conditions

VicSRC promotes the safety, wellbeing and inclusion of all children and young people, including those with a disability, those who are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, and those from refugee or migrant backgrounds. We take child protection very seriously. All employees are subject to screening and assessment against child safety standards, including rigorous background, identity and reference checks. The successful applicant will require a current Working with Children Check and Police Check (costs reimbursed) and must agree to adhere to our child safe policy and employee code of conduct.

A position description is attached.