- Lead advocacy, policy & team for 30,000+ UniMelb graduate students
- Generous benefits package including up to 20 additional days of leave
- Parkville Location, Hybrid working, $1,500 annual L&D; budget

Manager - Policy & Advocacy

- Lead advocacy, policy & team for 30,000+ UniMelb graduate students
- Generous benefits package including up to 20 additional days of leave
- Parkville Location, Hybrid working, $1,500 annual L&D; budget

About the Organisation:

The Graduate Student Association (GSA) is the independent representative body for graduate students at the University of Melbourne. Operating from our Parkville campus, GSA provides high-quality representation, advocacy, and community-building initiatives to support over 30,000 graduate students. We work to address critical student concerns - including employability, academic quality, financial hardship, and mental health ensuring student perspectives actively shape university policy.

About the role:

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the Policy & Advocacy Manager oversees a committed team of three full-time employees and is a vital member of the leadership team at GSA.

Seeking a mature and grounded leader capable of balancing high-level strategy with hands‑on campaign delivery. In this role, you will collaborate closely with elected student representatives to turn their firsthand insights into impactful results, while steering GSA’s strategic advocacy efforts throughout the University and the wider tertiary sector.

Key Responsibilities:

- Strategic Leadership & Support: Provide high-level strategic advice and policy support to the CEO, GSA Board, and Representative Council.
- Team Supervision:



Mentor and manage the Policy & Advocacy team, ensuring daily operations align with GSA’s strategic and operational plans.
- Policy & Submissions: Oversee policy research, university submissions, media pieces, and lobbying documents regarding graduate student issues.
- Campaign & Community Advocacy: Drive student‑centric campaigns, deliver representative training, and promote student misconduct awareness and support.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain constructive relationships across University of Melbourne departments, peak bodies, and external networks.

About You:

You will hold a tertiary qualification in a related discipline, along with at least four years' experience in policy, advocacy, or a related field within the higher education or not-for-profit sectors. Demonstrated leadership experience is essential, with the ability to lead and develop high-performing teams, deliver strategic projects, and translate strategy into meaningful outcomes. As a leader, you will be collaborative, hands‑on, excellent at building robust relationships, and fostering an inclusive and supportive team culture. Excellent written, verbal, and stakeholder engagement skills are essential, together with a strong understanding of the higher education landscape and key student advocacy issues such as mental health, accessibility, academic integrity, and research.

A willingness to complete a National Police Check if required, along with full Australian working rights.

Johnson Recruitment actively embraces diversity in the workforce through inclusive community representation of gender, culture, thought, and work arrangements.

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📌 Manager - Policy Advocacy (Melbourne)
🏢 Johnson Recruitment
📍 Melbourne