Position Description
Leader, Major Research Projects
Our Company
The Regional Australia Institute (RAI) is a policy think tank that conducts research into priority
policy issues impacting the areas outside our six major cities. We identify solutions and
promote the results to governments and the wider community. The RAI is a dynamic and fastpaced organisation located in Barton, Canberra.
The Role
The RAI is seeking to engage a Major Projects Leader to take responsibility for the
development and delivery of major policy research initiatives within the RAI over the coming
12 months.
Reporting to the General Manager Policy and Research, you will be required to:
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Lead the implementation of major research projects including:
o Further development of the project concept and implementation approach
o Undertaking research and preparation of research, policy and other products
o Project management including supervision of staff and outsourced research
components
o Management of stakeholder engagement and other communication activities
across the projects
Develop policy briefings, internal policy papers, opinion pieces and other policy
information resources on a range of policy issues impacting the future of regional
Australia as required;
Liaise with policy makers, other think tanks and researchers to understand the policy
context, issues and state of the evidence; and
Provide policy advice, briefings and support to the CEO and General Manager Policy and Research.
The position will be for an initial fixed period of 12 months with the opportunity for extension.
The Successful Candidate
The ideal candidate will be a policy professional with practical experience in policy
development and implementation or policy related research. Ideally, you will have an affinity
with regional Australia.
Experience and success working in other think tanks, in central or relevant line agencies at the
federal or state level or an applied research leadership role is essential.
In addition, you will bring to the RAI:
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thorough understanding of the policy process and the different roles (and constraints)
of key players in that process;
well-developed communication skills;
university qualifications in economics or a related discipline;
demonstrated policy research, analysis and writing skills; and
a keen interest and knowledge of regional Australia and regional policy issues.
What we offer
We offer you the opportunity to use your initiative and drive to change policies and outcomes
for regional Australians.
In this position, you will be part of an energetic organisation where you can help shape public
policy and regional development around Australia.
A competitive salary package is offered, along with attractive salary packing options.
The RAIs Major Research Initiatives for 2013-14
Regional Potential
The Regional Potential Project will enable the RAI and the nation to look to the future of
regions by provide the first authoritative view on potential regional economic futures.
Each region has its own unique potential, based on a combination of internal and external
assets and forces that shape regional economies. The project will combine new evidence about
regional economies, their global operating environment and local knowledge to describe a
range of potential futures for each region and the imperative for national policy and regional
leaders.
Better Government for regional Australia
Over the past four decades, public sector processes have failed to reduce the disadvantages
evident in regional Australia, despite a booming economy and a rising quality of life across
the nation as a whole.
One of the key factors shaping the quality of government and government services in regional
Australia is the fact that many of the most important decisions affecting these places are taken
outside the region, and outside ‘regional’ policy.
Most services delivered to regions are organised along program lines (for example, health
policy, housing programs and transport investments) that have little engagement with formal
regional policies or aspirations. This results in fragmented responses to local problems and
poor outcomes overall.
Better Government for the Regions will present new evidence on government in regional
Australia to help governments understand how they interact with regions, the challenges this
creates and the options that exist for more efficient and effective governance.
[In]Sight – Australia’s regional competitiveness index
[In]Sight is the nation’s first online index and interactive map tracking the competitiveness of
Australia’s 560 Local Government Areas (LGA) and 55 Regional Development Australia (RDA)
regions.
Modelled on the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report, [In]Sight combines
data from sources including the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Social Health Atlas of
Australia.
[In]Sight 2013 spanned ten themes and 59 indicators specifically tailored to reflect the
fundamentals of sustainable growth in Australia, capturing the competitiveness of LGAs and
RDAs according to current economic performance and drivers of future success.
[In]Sight 2014 will provide new data and analysis about where regions stand in an accessible
and influential format.
http://www.regionalaustralia.org.au/research-policy/insight/
http://insight.regionalaustralia.org.au
Email your resume to:
Julie Anderson, Business Support Officer
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 02 6260 3733