Drive systemic change for children and young people, turning bold ideas into real impact. Analyse and shape policy positions, advise leadership, and develop compelling advocacy submissions and campaigns – this role is your chance to make a difference at scale. Join our high-achieving, low ego team that brings the good vibes while shifting the dial on issues that matter.

54 reasons is Australia’s leading child rights organisation – no ordinary not-for-profit.

Proudly part of the Save the Children Australia Group and global movement, we’re here to make sure that children and young people have their rights met and thrive, in all their diversity.

With the child’s voice at the centre, we provide quality services to children and their caregivers in every state and territory, and across regions, remote areas and capital cities. From our programs to our support services - this is the place to realise your purpose.

A place to make a difference:

In this full-time max term (2 year term) role, you’ll work as a part of our Strategy and Partnerships team in Melbourne (hybrid or remote arrangements welcome) to help us create lasting change for children everywhere.

You will make a difference by:

• Analysing policy and budget developments and data to help shape our policy and advocacy positions
• Providing strategic advice to senior leaders on government opportunities and risks
• Drafting high-quality briefings, submissions, research summaries and correspondence
• Representing 54 reasons in sector collaborations and working with partners on joint advocacy
• Working closely with Save the Children’s strategic communications branch to inform and support Group-wide brand, government engagement and media objectives.

A place to feel valued:

You’re an outstanding communicator with expertise in driving systemic social change through thoughtful and impactful policy and advocacy strategies. You’re a curious and driven thinker who loves tackling complex policy challenges and thrives in proactively solving problems. You leave no detail unexplored, thinking through issues from multiple perspectives to develop strong, informed positions and engaging decisively with government and sector stakeholders. You're not afraid to take risks and share work early to iterate together and drive towards high-quality outputs.

This role requires:

• Demonstrated experience in social policy, ideally focused on children and young people in Australia
• Strong research and policy analysis skills, including the ability to quickly analyse and synthesise complex information from a variety of sources
• Excellent written communication skills, including the ability to tailor across audiences and products
• Demonstrated understanding of government or government relations, including legislative, policy and budget development processes
• Experience in partnership development and/or relationship management

A place to belong:

At 54 reasons, we invest in the development and wellbeing of our people. Our workforce is approximately 600 people strong, and proudly diverse, whether in race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, sexuality, cultures and beliefs.

It takes all types of people to do the challenging work we do. We are diverse personalities, backgrounds and talents, embracing our differences as one strong and united team. We see and celebrate the unique value you bring to our organisation, and offer a range of rewards for your effort, including:

• Full salary packaging benefits – use this link to see how much this benefit could mean to you!
• Flexible working, including the ability to work from home or from one of our state offices. We’re all about making sure you feel supported and comfortable to do your best work.
• Individual learning plans to help map and deliver on your career development – we’re super committed to supporting you towards your career ambitions.
• Support for workplace wellness, including access to our free, confidential Employee Wellbeing Program
• Celebrate and feel supported in your diversity. We have a highly inclusive culture and diverse workforce reflecting the communities we serve, allowing you to bring your whole self to work (if that’s what you want!).

Follow this link for the full list of our employee benefits.

Does this sound like the place for you?

We’d love to hear from you. Submit your cover letter and resume below.

We strongly encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates to apply.

Applications Close: Monday 9^th March 2026. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis as they come in, so don’t delay in applying!

Position Description: Policy and Advocacy Advisor

For more information about this position, please contact Andrew Tangas, Business Development on people.culture@savethechildren.org.au Or for more information about a career at Save, visit our Careers Page.

We understand the need for work-life balance. We've advertised this role as full-time, but if you're looking for something different, please let us know.

We have tested our application process with diverse groups in mind, with the intent to ensure its straightforward and accessible for all to apply. Diversity and inclusion are fundamental to our culture and improve our ability to reach our most vulnerable client groups. But we also know there is no one-size fits-all when it comes to recruitment - so if we didn’t quite hit the mark for you, please let us know at people.culture@savethechildren.org.au. We’re dedicated to ensuring Save the Children Australia is a place where everyone can feel supported – no matter your race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, sexuality, neurodiversity, culture and beliefs.

Save the Children Australia is a child-safe organisation. All employees are required to undergo a National Police Check, a Working with Children Check, and sign our Child Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct. We also support the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme.

Save the Children is committed to providing and maintaining a safe working environment for its employees and client groups, consistent with our obligations under OH&S legislation.

If you are having any issues with uploading your application for this role, please contact people.culture@savethechildren.org.au for further support.