• Lead CREATE Foundation’s national advocacy agenda and help influence change for children and young people with a care experience
• Fixed term full time role to 30 June 2027 - Location flexible within Australia
• $119,089 - $129,205p.a. depending on experience + Super + Salary packaging + CREATE Perks

CREATE Foundation is the national consumer body representing children and young people with an out-of-home care experience. We connect children and young people to each other, CREATE and their community, empower them to have a voice, and advocate to change the systems that impact their lives. We’re looking for an experienced Advocacy Director to lead CREATE’s national advocacy team and strengthen our influence across government, the out-of-home care sector, oversight bodies and the broader community.

About the role

This executive leadership role is responsible for guiding CREATE’s advocacy priorities, leading a dispersed team of Advocacy Leads, and ensuring our submissions, policy positions, advocacy strategies and public messaging are evidence-informed, grounded in lived experience and aligned with CREATE’s strategic directions.

You’ll work closely with the CEO, Executive, Advocacy Team, state teams and the marketing and communications team to ensure the voices, rights and experiences of children and young people with a care experience are elevated to key decision makers.

This role suits someone who is highly organised, politically astute, culturally responsive and confident influencing change through relationships, policy advice, public advocacy and team leadership. In this role, you’ll:

• Lead CREATE’s national advocacy agenda and provide strategic oversight of Commonwealth, state and territory advocacy strategies, priorities and products.
• Drive priority national advocacy and policy influence with government, sector leaders, oversight bodies and other strategic partners.
• Provide leadership, supervision and direction to a dispersed Advocacy Team, supporting high quality delivery and a positive, accountable and culturally safe team culture.
• Ensure CREATE provides high quality policy and advocacy advice on legislative reform, system reviews, inquiries, practice changes, government budgets and election commitments.
• Oversee quality standards for submissions, position statements, briefings, correspondence, consultation reports and other advocacy products.
• Ensure CREATE’s advocacy is grounded in the voices, rights and experiences of children and young people with a care experience.
• Strengthen integration between advocacy and internal stakeholders
• Support culturally safe advocacy that advances Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander self-determination and respects cultural authority.
• Ensure advocacy activity, impact and reporting are captured through clear team systems.

About you

You are an experienced advocacy, policy or system reform leader who can move comfortably between strategy, people leadership, government relations and high-quality written advice. You understand how to influence public policy and system reform, and you know how to translate lived experience, evidence, sector intelligence and policy analysis into clear advocacy priorities and practical action. You have:

• Extensive experience in policy, advocacy, system reform, government relations or a related leadership role.
• Strong knowledge of public policy, legislative reform and government decision-making processes.
• Demonstrated experience leading teams, setting priorities, supervising staff and delivering outcomes through others.
• Strong policy analysis and writing skills, including the ability to develop, review or approve submissions, position statements, briefings, correspondence, reports and strategic advice.
• Highly developed stakeholder engagement skills, including the ability to build trusted relationships with senior government officials, Commissioners, sector leaders and community-controlled organisations.
• Sound judgement, discretion and the ability to make decisions within delegated authority, funder requirements and organisational risk thresholds.
• A strong commitment to child safety, trauma-informed practice, cultural safety and CREATE’s mission.

Cultural knowledge, expertise and authority, including knowledge gained through Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community connection, cultural leadership or lived experience is highly regarded. Experience in out-of-home care, child protection, youth justice, family services or the broader child and youth sector is also highly regarded.

Why you’ll love working at CREATE

We don’t just talk about making a difference, we live it! Our team is passionate, purpose-driven, and we know that great work happens when people feel supported and valued. Here’s what you can look forward to:

• Extra Time Off: Enjoy bonus leave days over the festive season and a day off for your birthday!
• Salary Packaging Perks: Pay less tax and take home more pay with our NFP benefits.
• Grow With Us: From induction to career development, we’ll back your success.
• A Supportive Team: Work with people who genuinely care and uplift each other.
• Flexibility Matters: We know life happens, so we offer work arrangements that suit you.
• Celebrate Milestones: Earn rewards up to $3,000 as you grow with CREATE.
• Wellbeing First: Plenty of wellbeing perks, including free flu vaccinations annually, and a free, confidential Employee Assistance Program for you and your family.

Lived experience, cultural knowledge and inclusion

At CREATE, we value lived experience, cultural knowledge and community connection, and the insights these bring to our work, and we strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

We recognise the deep value of cultural knowledge, lived experience and community connection, particularly in roles that support children and young people with a care experience. Cultural knowledge and lived experience are highly valued by CREATE and will be considered alongside formal qualifications and work experience.

If you believe you can contribute to this role through your cultural knowledge, lived experience or community connection, we encourage you to apply, even if you do not meet every qualification or experience requirement listed.

Please ensure you have viewed the full job description and selection criteria attached below. You can find out more here.

Ready to join our team?

Apply now via the "Apply Now" button.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Olivia, our People & Culture Manager at [email protected] using the subject line: Advocacy Director - Flexible Location enquiry via EthicalJobs.

We can’t wait to hear from you!

CREATE is an equal-opportunity employer committed to equity, diversity, and social inclusion.

Please note: This role may be based anywhere in Australia, with reasonable access to one of CREATE’s offices in a capital city or Cairns. You must have full working rights within Australia to be eligible for this role. You will also need a current employment-level Working with Children Check relevant to your state or territory of residence, plus a Queensland Blue Card regardless of location.