Location: Sydney (preferred) | Work Model: Hybrid – 50% in office | Employment type: 4-month contract / Part time 3 days a week

About Avant

Avant is Australia's leading medical defence organisation, protecting and supporting medical practitioners throughout their careers. With a proud history of advocating for better healthcare, Avant combines deep claims expertise with research-driven thought leadership to shape the future of safe, equitable, and sustainable healthcare in Australia.

About the Role

This is initially a short-term strategic project to design Avant's thought leadership and insight development across topics relating to safety, quality, sustainability, professionalism, and equity in the health system. You will define a multi-year research strategy, for a $500k annual research budget, and propose how we should translate complex research into actionable advocacy and education outcomes for our members.

Working at the intersection of research, policy, and practice, you will collaborate closely with colleagues across Advocacy and Education, Public Affairs, Government Relations, Sustainability, and Avant Foundation.

Research Strategy

- Define the role of thought leadership research at Avant in partnership with the Chief Medical Officer and General Managers in the Advocacy, Education & Research division.
- Develop a 3–5 year research plan that underpins Avant's advocacy vision for our members and positions us as a thought leader with Government and regulators.
- Identify high potential external research partners aligned to the long-term agenda.




- Design a multi-year budget scenario for approximately $500k p.a. in commissioned research.
- Explore opportunities for deeper claims data research as AI and data governance capabilities evolve.

About You

- Tertiary qualifications at bachelor's or master's level (discipline agnostic).
- 10+ years' experience managing internal and external research specialists.
- Extensive hands-on experience budgeting and commissioning medium-sized research programs ($25k–$250k).
- Deep understanding of how research strategy underpins long-term thought leadership and strategy in a large organisation.
- Demonstrated ability to design and execute an enterprise research strategy via commissioned projects.
- Strong stakeholder management skills across a complex, matrixed environment.
- Excellent written and verbal communication, including research translation for non-academic audiences.

Desirable

- Hands-on academic research experience.
- Qualitative group and workshop facilitation skills.
- Data analytics experience.
- Strong presentation skills (in person, infographics, persuasive writing).
- Understanding of government relations and what Government looks for in thought leadership research.
- Experience with health and medical research, and insight into the Australian health system.

Why Avant?

- Influence at scale – shape the research agenda of Australia's leading medical defence organisation.
- Collaborative culture – work across advocacy, education, public affairs, and government relations.

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📌 Research Strategist (New South Wales)
🏢 Avant Mutual Group
📍 New South Wales