Senior Research Manager

We are seeking skilled and motivated Senior Research Officers to join our Program and Policy Evaluation team, within our Child and Family Safety research theme. These roles will contribute to high-quality evaluation work that strengthens the evidence base for children and families and informs policy and service system improvement.

Working as part of a collaborative and purpose-driven team, you will contribute to projects spanning evaluation design and delivery, evaluation capability-building and the translation of evidence into practice. We welcome applicants with expertise in one or more of these areas. Applicants with experience in child and family policy and service systems will be highly regarded.

About us
The Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS, or ‘the Institute’) is the Australian Government's key research body in the area of family wellbeing. It is an independent statutory authority established in 1980 under the Family Law Act 1975. It is also home to the Australian Gambling Research Centre (AGRC), established under the Gambling Measure Act 2012 which builds the evidence base on gambling-related harm. The Institute is an agency within the portfolio of the Department of Social Services (DSS).

Our mission is to conduct high-quality, impartial research into the wellbeing of Australian families, to inform government policy and promote evidence-based practice in the family services sector. We conduct research, provide independent advice and communicate findings to government policymakers, service providers, researchers and the community about factors affecting family wellbeing. Through our research, we contribute to developing policy and practice to promote the wellbeing of families in Australia.

Our team
The Program and Policy Evaluation team at AIFS undertakes a diverse range of activities spanning evaluation, evidence generation and synthesis, and evaluation capacity building to support policy, practice and service system improvement.
The team leads a range of evaluation functions within AIFS including:
- Working with child and family services to build evaluation readiness and to design and implement monitoring and evaluation activities
- Working with other commonwealth or state and territory government agencies to deliver program, system and service evaluations and reviews.
- Designing and delivering rigorous evaluation projects involving evaluation design, data analysis, evidence synthesis, and communicating findings to inform policy and practice.

Position Requirements
• High-level evaluation and methodological capability Demonstrated experience in, or capabilities to support, application of a diversity of evaluation approaches and appropriate methodologies to support rigorous, policy-relevant evaluation activities across the evaluation lifecycle. a. Contribute to the design and delivery of evaluation activities, including program logic and theory of change, process, impact and outcomes evaluation.
• Support a range of evaluation approaches (e.g. participatory, realist and mixed-methods) to support robust and context-sensitive findings. a. Develop or contribute to evaluation frameworks, measurement tools and data collection strategies to support scientific rigour and fit-for-purpose design.
• Provide specialist advice on evaluation methodology, system design and process mapping to support program improvement and policy development.
• Participate in economic evaluation activities, including cost–benefit and value-for-money analysis where appropriate and with the guidance of wider expertise across the organisation.
• Contribute to synthesis and cross-project learning activities to strengthen the evidence base, where this is supported by relevant projects or wider organisational resourcing.
• Policy insight and application Demonstrated understanding of the policy environment and the ability to deliver evaluation evidence that is timely, relevant and aligned with government priorities, including translating findings into practical policy and program insights.
• Contributing to complex evaluation projects Proven experience or capabilities to support the delivery of complex evaluations in policy and program contexts, including scoping, design, implementation, analysis and reporting. a. Strong project management skills, including the ability to deliver work to time, cost, quality and scope requirements. b. Experience coordinating evaluation components such as stakeholder engagement, data collection and advisory group support.
• Analytical and problem-solving capability Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret and integrate evidence from a range of sources and provide sound advice on complex policy and program issues.
• Communication and stakeholder engagement Well-developed communication skills, with the ability to clearly convey complex evaluation concepts and findings to diverse audiences, and prepare high-quality reports, briefs and presentations.
• Teamwork and staff support Proven ability to work collaboratively across projects, contribute to a positive and inclusive team culture, and support the development of less experienced staff through guidance, mentoring and quality assurance.
• Stakeholder liaison Well-developed stakeholder engagement skills, including the ability to liaise, consult and build productive working relationships with government, sector and community stakeholders, as appropriate to each project and with the guidance of the Project Lead.
• Contribution to business development Experience contributing to funding proposals, identifying opportunities for future work aligned with organisational priorities, and supporting relationships with key stakeholders.
• Commitment to diversity, inclusion and culturally safe practice Demonstrated commitment to diversity, inclusion and culturally safe practice, with experience applying these principles in evaluation work, team interactions and stakeholder engagement.

Position duties
• Contribute to the delivery of program and policy evaluation activities in line with project objectives and AIFS priorities.
• Provide advice and input on evaluation design, methodology, data collection and analysis, ethics and governance within established frameworks.
• Contribute to the design and implementation of a diversity of evaluation components, including program logic, process, impact and outcomes evaluation, and support economic analysis where appropriate.
• Coordinate and deliver allocated project activities to support achievement of agreed timeframes, budget, scope and quality requirements.
• Support governance, risk, resource planning and reporting processes for evaluation projects.
• Assist in translating evaluation findings into clear, evidence-based and policy relevant outputs.
• Build and maintain productive working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including government, sector and community partners, as appropriate to each project and with the guidance of the Project Lead.
• Contribute to stakeholder engagement activities and represent AIFS in external forums where appropriate and under guidance.
• Support business development activities, including contributing to funding proposals and identifying opportunities aligned with organisational priorities.
• Provide guidance and support to less experienced staff as required and contribute to a collaborative and inclusive team culture.
• Contribute to continuous improvement in evaluation practice across projects.
• Support the application of diversity, inclusion and culturally safe practices in evaluation work and team interactions.

Key Capabilities
· Strategic Leadership
· Policy Engagement
· Research Excellence and Innovation
· Operational Oversight
· Stakeholder Engagement
· Business Development
· Team Leadership
For a comprehensive overview of the key capabilities, please refer to the Job Description.

Position Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for engagement, applicants must be Australian citizens unless special approval is provided in exceptional circumstances. For example, applicants with permanent resident status who have applied for Australian citizenship may be considered for engagement.
Conditions of engagement including probation, health and character clearances (including police records check, Working with Children Check and security clearance) may apply to this position.

Terms
The Senior Research Officer role may be offered as a full-time, ongoing or non-ongoing position at the APS 5 level. This will be with an annual salary range of between $88,834 to $96,829 depending on the skills and experience of the successful candidate, plus 15.4% superannuation. Our salaries and conditions of employment are set out in our Enterprise Agreement.

Application information
For your application to be considered, please:
1. Complete the application form.
2. Submit a current resume/CV detailing your recent employment history.  
3. Submit a cover letter addressing the key capabilities required as outlined on the Job Description (maximum 2 pages).
Important to note: Principles for candidate use of AI in recruitment
Please visit: Current vacancies | Australian Institute of Family Studies for full application requirements.
Applications for this position close at 11.30 PM AEST on 10 September 2026.
Contact: Human Resources
Contact Phone: 03 9214 7888

Contact Email: [email protected]
Website: Australian Institute of Family Studies

Position notes
AIFS is committed to providing an inclusive and diverse workplace. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, mature age people, those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people who identify as LGBTQIA+, and people with parenting and/or caring responsibilities. Veterans are also encouraged to apply.
We provide a collaborative and family-friendly work environment that supports the wellbeing and professional development of our diverse workforce. Benefits include workplace health and wellbeing initiatives and events, a hybrid flexible working policy, a good health promotion allowance and Christmas closedown period with no deduction from leave credits.