Policy & Advocacy Advisor

Shape statewide mental health policy with real impact and lead high‑profile campaigns advancing critical health reform through high level advocacy!

Seeking expressions of interest or referrals from candidates with experience in Policy or Projects within a relevant Health related field.

Your new company

Join a respected, purpose‑driven non‑profit at the forefront of national mental health reform, workforce advocacy and public policy influence. This organisation represents a powerful collective of medical leaders and clinicians and works closely with government, ministers, peak bodies and sector stakeholders to shape evidence‑based reform across Australia's mental health system.

With a strong values-led culture, you'll step into a high-trust, collaborative and versatile environment where your work is not only heard—but directly influences decision-making at the highest levels.

Your recent role

This is not a traditional policy position—it is a rare opportunity to operate at the centre of policy, politics and real-world system change.

As the Policy & Advocacy Advisor, you will take on a highly autonomous, influential role, acting as the organisation's state-based policy lead. You will work directly with senior clinicians, executive stakeholders and government decision-makers to shape how mental health services are delivered, funded and improved across NSW.

This is a standalone role with genuine ownership. You will see the full lifecycle of reform—from identifying emerging issues, to developing policy responses, through to influencing decisions and seeing tangible outcomes implemented across the system.

In this role, you will:

- Lead policy analysis across NSW, monitoring political,



legislative and sector developments and identifying opportunities to influence reform
- Develop high-quality policy submissions, pre-budget proposals, advocacy briefs and consultation responses
- Design and deliver advocacy strategies, targeting Ministers, MPs, senior public servants and key health stakeholders
- Represent the organisation externally, attending meetings with government and sector leaders alongside senior clinicians
- Work closely with a committee of highly engaged psychiatrists, translating frontline expertise into clear policy positions
- Build and maintain strong relationships across government, clinicians, colleges and partner organisations
- Develop and drive a 12-month advocacy workplan, identifying priority areas and mapping the strategic levers required to achieve change
- Contribute to media engagement and public positioning, increasing visibility and impact across NSW

Day-to-day, this role sits at the intersection of strategy and execution. You will balance structured policy development with real-time advocacy—reading the political landscape, engaging stakeholders, and moving quickly when opportunities arise. This is a role for someone who wants to step beyond writing policy and instead shape, influence and deliver it.

What you'll need to succeed

- Experience in policy, advocacy or government relations, ideally within public health, mental health or broader social policy




- Strong understanding of the NSW political and policy landscape
- Demonstrated experience producing policy submissions, strategic briefs and advocacy materials
- Confidence working with senior stakeholders, including clinicians and government representatives
- A proactive, advocacy-driven mindset with the ability to influence outcomes
- Ability to manage complexity, ambiguity and competing perspectives
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Desirable (but not essential): Qualifications in public policy, public health, social sciences or a related field

What you'll get in return

- $110k base, $116k + Super inc salary sacrifice (open to discussing salary but very max would be $120k base)
- Hybrid 3 days from home.
- End-to-end impact on system reform – you’re not just writing policy, you’re influencing funding decisions and seeing tangible changes in how mental health services operate
- Direct access to senior decision-makers – regular engagement with ministers, executive stakeholders, and leading clinicians at the top of their field
- High autonomy and ownership – a standalone role where you lead priorities, shape strategy, and represent the organisation in high-level forums
- Unique exposure to frontline expertise – working closely with experienced psychiatrists to translate real-world challenges into actionable policy and advocacy outcomes
- Broad, career-accelerating remit – combines policy, advocacy, stakeholder engagement and strategy, offering variety, visibility, and solid longer-term progression potential

What you need to do now Apply online! If this job isn't quite right for you, but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion on your career.

📌 Policy & Advocacy Advisor (Sydney)
🏢 Hays
📍 Sydney