The NSW Council of Social Service (NCOSS) seeks an experienced Policy Lead – Health for a parental leave cover— a senior policy role at the heart of our work to build a NSW where everyone is safe, respected, and able to thrive.

This is an exciting opportunity to step into a leadership role within NCOSS’s Policy & Advocacy team, driving high-impact health policy development, research, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement at a critical time for the community services sector in NSW. You’ll work at the intersection of health equity and social policy, helping to shape a fairer, more accessible health system for people experiencing disadvantage.

You’ll be a great fit for the role if you have:

• Health Policy Expertise: Experience in health policy development, research, and advocacy, ideally within the health and community services sector.
• Systems Understanding: A strong grasp of the social determinants of health and how poverty, disadvantage, and systemic inequity shape health outcomes in NSW.
• Project Leadership: The ability to lead policy projects from end to end — from identifying strategic priorities through to high-quality written outputs including submissions, papers, and reports.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Strong relationship-building skills across government health agencies, NGOs, peak bodies, and community partners.
• Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal skills, including the ability to translate complex health policy issues into clear, accessible language for diverse audiences.
• Research & Evidence: A track record of evidence-based policy work, including commissioning or conducting research that informs advocacy strategies.
• Sector Representation: Experience representing an organisation at public forums, sector events, and in government engagement — including with the Ministry of Health, or similar bodies.
• Team Leadership: Experience managing a small team, with the ability to support, develop, and collaborate effectively.
• Mission Alignment: Commitment to social justice and a genuine understanding of how economic, social, and structural factors contribute to health inequity in NSW.
• Qualifications: Tertiary qualifications in Public Health, Health Policy, Social Sciences, or a related field, or equivalent experience.

You can learn more about the role from the Position Description.

What we offer

• This is a fixed-term, part-time position (28 hours per week) covering parental leave for approximately 14 months, commencing late August 2026.
• The salary is approximately $120,000 per annum + superannuation + leave loading + salary packaging.
• As a Public Benevolent Institution endorsed by the ATO as Fringe Benefit Tax Exempt, NCOSS offers staff salary packaging, which can meaningfully increase your take-home pay.
• Generous leave provisions apply, including additional paid leave between Christmas and New Year for days that aren’t gazetted public holidays.
• NCOSS’s offices are located in the Paul Ramsay Foundation’s NFP hub at the heritage-listed Yirranma Place, on that part of Gadigal Country also known as Darlinghurst. We offer flexible and hybrid working arrangements.

NCOSS welcomes applications from people with the right skills and experience regardless of age, gender or gender identity, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or any other ground protected under NSW or Australian discrimination laws. At NCOSS, we value diversity, inclusion, and belonging.

For First Nations staff, we will provide cultural wellbeing supports, help you make links with First Nations people working in the sector, and we won’t expect you to carry the cultural load for NCOSS.

For people with disability, we will make all reasonable adjustments necessary for you to thrive in the role.

If you have any questions about the role, please email Ben McAlpine, Director, Policy & Advocacy at [email protected] using the subject line: Policy Lead - Health enquiry via EthicalJobs and ask him to give you a call.