Strategic Initiatives Lead
Social Impact & Advocacy | Uniting NSW.ACT
Full time permanent |Sydney CBD
Shape the thinking. Roll up your sleeves. Deliver meaningful change.
How do we create change in systems that are complex, interconnected and often resistant to change? This is the challenge at the heart of this role.
Uniting is seeking a Strategic Initiatives Lead to help shape and progress our systems change agenda within the Social Impact & Advocacy Directorate. This is an opportunity for an accomplished strategist who can look beyond individual projects, connect the dots across complex social issues and deliver initiatives that influence lasting change.
You'll bring intellectual curiosity, strong strategic judgement and a sophisticated yet practical understanding of how to approach complex challenges. You'll be comfortable questioning existing approaches, exploring new possibilities and translating ambitious ideas into clear strategies and meaningful action.
Working closely with SIA leaders and drawing on expertise across advocacy, media, government relations, research and innovation, you'll shape strategic priorities, develop approaches to complex challenges and lead initiatives from concept through to implementation and evaluation.
This is a hands-on role. You'll develop the strategy and then do the work to make it happen leading initiatives, building relationships, writing the papers, managing timelines, and following through until change is delivered. It calls for someone who is as energised by getting things done as by the big ideas.
What you'll be doing
Personally lead and deliver initiatives end to end, including planning, stakeholder engagement, budgets, risk management and reporting, keeping them focused, well-governed and aligned with intended outcomes and timeframes.
Shape and develop strategies that advance Uniting's systems change ambitions, identifying opportunities, priorities and pathways for greater social impact.
Partner with senior leaders to translate strategic direction into compelling initiatives, clear objectives and achievable delivery plans.
Apply critical and systems thinking to complex social challenges, understanding the relationships, influences and barriers that need to be addressed to achieve meaningful change.
Lead the design and delivery of strategic initiatives, drafting briefs, submissions and business cases, convening working groups and coordinating across advocacy, policy, research, media, government relations and innovation.
Challenge assumptions, explore new approaches and develop practical solutions to issues that don't necessarily have straightforward answers.
Build influential relationships and partnerships across Uniting and externally, bringing people together around shared ambitions and outcomes.
Maintain a strong understanding of the external policy, political and social landscape, identifying emerging issues and opportunities to influence change.
Evaluate impact, communicate progress and contribute to the ongoing development of Uniting's systems change methodologies and practices.
About you
You are an accomplished strategist who combines curiosity with sound judgement and the ability to turn strategic ambition into action. You enjoy tackling complex challenges, exploring different perspectives and identifying opportunities that others may not immediately see. You are happy to be both the strategist and the doer, working collaboratively and flexibly with those in other teams.
You will also bring:
Strategic and systems thinking: Demonstrated ability to interpret complex social, organisational and policy environments, identify underlying issues and interdependencies, recognise opportunities for systemic change and develop strategies that address the bigger picture.
Hands-on delivery and commercial acumen: A track record of getting things done, including managing your own workload, driving initiatives through to completion, and managing budgets, resources, risks, governance and…