• Part time (0.80 FTE) 12-month contract role
• Be part of a friendly, supportive, and committed team
• NFP Salary packaging options available

About Us

Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council (VMIAC) is Victoria’s peak body for people who have a lived experience of mental health or emotional challenges. VMIAC is run by consumers, for consumers. VMIAC’s vision is a world where all mental health consumers stand proud, live a life with choices honoured, rights upheld, and these principles are embedded in all aspects of society.

VMIAC undertake individual, group and systemic advocacy and their work includes research and evaluation, education and training, information provision and resource development, as well as limited specialist support programs. VMIAC have a strong and continuous focus on engagement with members and informing and supporting them in becoming empowered and having their voices heard.

VMIAC is seeking a Research Projects Advisor to join their team on a 12-month fixed term contract.

What’s on Offer

• Work Life Balance – part-time role with hybrid working options available.
• The Care Factor – Approachable and transparent management who provide clear communication. We appreciate and promote wellbeing in the workplace.
• Culture – Positive and inclusive culture within a friendly team who care about professionalism, welfare, and the customer experience.
• Pay and Benefits – SCHADS Award Level 6 - Pay Point 2, NFP salary packaging options available, annual leave loading of 17.5%, telephone and laptop provided.

About the Role

This position is responsible for supporting two of VMIAC’s key work areas of Research functions with a smaller Policy component.

The objective of this role is to work as part of a small team and across teams as projects require to:

• support and promote the ongoing development of VMIAC’s Research outputs, evaluation and systemic advocacy work.
• support stakeholder and partner relationships.
• build VMIAC’s capacity to promote and support consumer led research projects.

Key responsibilities include:

• Advise on issues and opportunities arising in the research landscape that are important to VMIAC’s Strategic Plan.
• Work in partnership with the membership, communications team, staff and stakeholders to consult and integrate consumer input into research documents.
• Develop a workplan against the VMIAC Research strategy and implement it.
• Present individual and systemic consumer perspectives in meetings with government, mental health system stakeholders and at conferences on behalf of the Policy and Research Lead as requested.
• In collaboration with the membership team, create an events curriculum to target researchers and those interested in building evaluation skills.
• Engage with universities and academics to grow research expertise on the register and the number of researchers who are VMIAC members.
• Support the leadership team to implement evaluation frameworks for programs.
• Assist with the development of VMIACs responses to the implementation of the Royal Commission reforms.
• Support the implementation of consumer policy research projects.
• Provide strong support to daily functions of VMIAC Policy and Research activities including communicating and role modelling cross team work, research partnership and collaborative processes.
• Report on projects as required.
• Provide administrative support to relevant sub-committees of the Committee of Management.
• Represent VMIAC in research and policy forums.
• Coordinate events that promote policy and research projects and initiatives.

THIS IS A LIVED EXPERIENCE POSITION

Applicants must have lived experience of mental health issues or emotional distress and of being a consumer of mental health services. Applicants must consider themselves to be work ready and entering an established phase of their research and policy career (eg: have previous work history in research policy roles). Applicants need to be able to reflect on how their lived experience interacts with the lived experience of others in a team environment and be able to contribute to the development and implementation of collaborative ways of working.

About You

You will be an experienced professional with the drive and passion for delivering policy and research advice to ensure the strategic objectives of the organisation.

Ideally you will have experience with a member-based organisation and excel in strengthening relationships.

You will have the ability to work both in a team and independently and be experienced in meeting deadlines while delivering quality results.

Essential Selection Criteria:

• Proven experience and skills in mental health and human service research, policy writing, analysis and evaluation reports within tight timelines.
• Research, evaluation and project management skills.
• A sound understanding of consumer movement principles, codesign and coproduction.
• Demonstrated experience supporting organisational and government partnerships.
• Confidence working and consulting with diverse communities particularly LGBTIQ, people of refugee backgrounds, people with a disability and First Nations peoples.
• Proven capability to initiate and role model organisational process, work across teams, reporting and accountability.
• Excellent communication, representation and networking skills.
• A social sciences or public health qualification.
• A lived experience of trauma and/or mental health challenges.
• Current Police Check and Working with Children Check.

Highly Regarded:

• Experience working in the non-profit, health and human services sectors and/or in a designated consumer role.
• A current Victorian Driver's Licence and willingness to travel for work.
• This role requires face to face meetings, consultations and on site working for at least 50% of the time.