Assistant Director

The Assistant Director will play a lead role in coordinating the Commission’s input to policy and advice, working within tight timeframes to provide high quality analysis of best practice evidence, research literature, current national policy and indicators and administrative and survey data.

The Assistant Director is expected to work as part of a team to prepare high-quality, public reports on complex issues in a manner that addresses the needs of a diverse range of stakeholders.

The role will also involve planning, procuring and managing the effective and efficient conduct of projects or contracts to support the development of reports and other materials. The Assistant Director will be required to draw on knowledge of the mental health sector to contribute to strategic thinking.

The role is ideally suited to highly motivated candidates with a detailed knowledge of mental health systems and reforms in the Australian context, with proven experience in consultation, project management and policy development as well as exemplary communication skills.
 

• Developing and maintaining relationships with a broad range of stakeholders and facilitating formal and ongoing engagement and input into the work of the Commission.
• Designing and implementing strategies for engaging with a range of stakeholders through activities and projects, including people with lived experience, families and support people, state, territory and Commonwealth government agencies, peak professional organisations, researchers, community managed organisations and others across mental health, and other relevant sectors.
• Recommending and undertaking analysis of highly complex policy, stakeholder feedback and other information to evaluate performance and outcomes of the mental health systems and identify important trends, opportunities for improvement and potential impact of policy change.
• Effective records and information management.
• Preparation of high-level briefs, discussion papers, correspondence and presentations to support the information needs of the Executive.
• Other duties as required.

To be employed by the National Mental Health Commission applicants must be Australian citizens or
have permanent residency status pending the granting of Australian citizenship.
 

Tenure
The successful candidate will be offered a 12 month contract. A merit list will be created for future ongoing and non-ongoing vacancies which become available within 18 months of advertising.
LocationSydney is preferred, but Canberra and/or Melbourne may also be suitable. Flexible work and regular work-from-home arrangements are available.
 

Getting to know the National Mental Health Commission The National Mental Health Commission (the Commission) provides expert advice to the Australian Government on Australia's mental health and suicide prevention system, including through undertaking system performance monitoring and reporting, engaging with consumers of mental health and suicide prevention services and their carers, and leading a national whole-of-governments approach to suicide prevention. More information is available at www.mentalhealthcommission.gov.au