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Senior Engagement and Strategy Manager

Birth for Humankind Ltd

Birth for Humankind is seeking a part-time Senior Engagement and Strategy Manager (0.6 FTE) to help practically implement our strategic direction. You will do this by building and maintaining collaborative relationships with prospective partner organisations, as well as key policy stakeholders. You will be accountable for implementing initiatives that support and strengthen our programs and services, and identifying opportunities for collaboration and income generation.

Reporting to the CEO and working in close collaboration with other staff members, this role would suit someone with existing senior leadership, networking, and program strategy experience. You will have a strong understanding of programmatic ways of working in the not-for-profit sector. You will also understand the workings of the public health system (and ideally the public maternity system) and Victorian Government (especially DoH and DFFH) and use these experiences to further position Birth for Humankind as a partner of choice.

About Birth for Humankind

Established in 2014, Birth for Humankind is a Melbourne-based not-for-profit organisation. We exist to achieve equitable maternal health and wellbeing for all, by providing and advocating for respectful pregnancy, birth and early parenting support for women experiencing social and financial disadvantage.

Our programs include:

Doula support: matching women referred by hospitals, social workers and community services with volunteer doulas to provide continuity of care, personal and emotional support and improved access to services.

Education: targeted, appropriate and social support programs for women who face barriers to accessing mainstream services.

Research and advocacy: through research, programmatic evidence and modelling best- practice continuity of care we work to influence the maternal health system to better support women experiencing disadvantage.

Professional training: Foundational doula support with a focus on health equity and provision of trauma informed care.

For more information visit our website: www.birthforhumankind.org

Key tasks and responsibilities

Contribute to achieving Birth for Humankind’s immediate and mid-term priorities. You will:

  • Centre our programmatic objectives, organisational goals and operational capacity within partnership-based work – to ensure all engagement opportunities you explore are practical and fit-for-purpose.
  • Identify, monitor, and initiate partnership opportunities that enhance our programmatic capabilities.
  • Contribute to diversifying and strengthening our funding sources and collaborations, by establishing strategic relationships (with funders, policy makers and programmatic partners).
  • Work with the CEO, Board and team to increase the public profile of the organisation – through strategic partnerships. Attend meetings and events to increase our profile, and support the CEO and Board to do the same.
  • Be a key spokesperson for the organisation with all external stakeholders to build the reach and reputation of the organisation.
  • Manage and implement an external engagement and advocacy plan, identifying priority targets.
  • Develop and implement policy briefs, submissions and practical research that enables external targets to engage in our work.
  • Bring extensive experience in programmatic budget management, to understand how different partnerships would contribute to financial sustainability.
  • Draw on organisational data, research and evaluation evidence, to ensure all collaborations are evidence-based.
  • Contribute to the development of Board reports, Annual Reports and other organisational-wide reporting metrics – to ensure transparency.
  • Act as deputy to the CEO, as required, externally and internally.

Selection criteria

  • Tertiary qualifications in a relevant field such as public policy, public relations.
  • Extensive relevant work experience in partnerships, corporate affairs, policy, advocacy and engagement roles.
  • Senior leadership experience, ideally in the not-for-profit sector, State government, or public maternity sector.
  • Proven track record in establishing productive, collaborative partnerships to achieve funding and/or programmatic outcomes.
  • Proven ability to hold respectful relationships with diverse stakeholders (e.g. Government, major donors, media) and maintain these throughout your career.
  • Proven ability to clearly communicate organisational goals, objectives and strategy as well as a strong understanding of the program’s directions and needs, so they can be translated into fundable packages or partnership opportunities.
  • Experience working collaboratively across teams.
  • Extensive experience in programmatic budget management.
  • Strong skills in building relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders, especially philanthropic trusts and foundations and internal colleagues.
  • Passion for our vision and purpose and commitment to our values.
  • A strong understanding of the public maternity sector, not-for-profit sector, key prospective partners and our work.

Additional requirements

  • Police Check
  • Working with Children Check
  • We work in a co-working space without permanent IT set-up, so employees need to supply their own laptop. A quarterly IT allowance is provided to contribute to computer costs. An advance can be provided if the purchase of a laptop would otherwise prohibit you from applying.
  • You are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 (minimum two doses) or be able to show proof of medical exemption. Birth for Humankind will sight and record evidence of sighting your official vaccination status. As COVID-19 vaccination guidelines change, there may be additional mandates in order to comply with the Victorian Government requirements.

Birth for Humankind is committed to child safety and wellbeing. All employees and volunteers must abide by our Child Safe Commitment Statement and Code of Conduct.

Birth for Humankind welcomes and encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, and people with a disability. If this describes you, and you are experiencing barriers to applying for this role, please contact us for assistance.

If you have any questions about the role, please contact Ruth Dearnley (they/them), Chief Executive Officer on [email protected] using the subject line: Senior Engagement and Strategy Manager enquiry via EthicalJobs or 0411 772 949.

A position description is attached.

How to apply

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