Position Description

Policy and Collaboration Manager

Role Specifics

Direct reports | N/A

Reports to | Head of Collaboration and Systems Influence

FTE | 1.0 (Full-Time)

Location | Gadigal Country (Sydney) or Wurundjeri Country (Melbourne) with Hybrid conditions

Salary Range | $100,000 - $120,000 + superannuation

Role Summary

The Policy and Collaboration Manager is pivotal to the success of the Foyer Foundation. This role is a key member of the Foyer Foundation team and the secretariat of FoyerInvest Consortium, contributing to the success of the Foyer Foundation and FoyerInvest in our shared strategy to grow the reach and impact of Youth Foyers and achieve our ambition of 50 Foyers by 2030.

You will enable excellent collaboration, providing the infrastructure and support to enable collective efforts, convene and support aligned and effective advocacy and government relations, co-develop and write policy and budget submissions and manage strategic innovation and research projects to drive systems change.

Who we are

Our purpose at Foyer Foundation is to unlock thriving futures for young people aged 16-24 who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. We do this by growing the reach and impact of Youth Foyers. Youth Foyers provide a safe and stable home for up to 40 young people for up to two years, integrating housing, education, employment and life skills supports - all under one roof. There are currently 16 Youth Foyers across Australia, and we are in an exciting phase of growth and momentum working towards 50 Foyers by 2030.

Youth Foyers are delivered by a vast network of service providers, big and small, across Australia, working in communities in regional, remote and metro locations.

The role of the Foyer Foundation is to connect up this network and align activities nationally, gather evidence and insights, ensure quality Foyer services through learning and accreditation, and advocate with young people and our growing network. We play an entrepreneurial role, driving innovation and continuous learning and improvement across the Foyer network.

We are a networked organisation. Although we have a small core team, we have strong relationships with many external partners and collaborators, working together to achieve our collective goal of 50 Foyers by 2030.

Areas of Responsibility

1. Collaboration Design & Management

  • Work closely with the Head of Collaboration and Systems Influence to provide secretariat support to FoyerInvest (nationwide and state based), including project management, preparing workshops and meeting agendas and presentation material, coordinating diaries and meeting logistics, preparing briefing and other material to support FoyerInvest.

  • Drive and maintain excellent project management and documentation enabling multiple collaborative efforts and projects at any one time.

  • Support effective communications across the FoyerInvest network, ensuring key information, insights and opportunities are shared appropriately and in a timely manner.

  • Contribute to the development of external communications content in service of FoyerInvest and Foyer Foundation purpose and priorities.

  • Build and maintain strong relationships with FoyerInvest members, contributors and potential supporters, and equip new members or contributors with the information and understanding required to become effective aligned partners.

  • Build relationships within the youth and homelessness and housing sector to encourage other sector players to contribute to the advocacy agenda and align our messaging with broader policy agendas.

  • Contribute to the national source of truth on the new Foyer pipeline and utilise to inform effective advocacy on behalf of new Foyer projects.

2. Policy, Advocacy & Government Relations

  • Work closely with the leadership team to support the Foyer Foundation’s government relations and policy positions at the State/Territory and Federal levels, including monitoring and managing relationships and communications, arranging meetings with key stakeholders, preparing briefing material and letters and tracking stakeholder engagement efforts.

  • Facilitate the co-development and lead the writing of national and state policy and budget responses and submissions, ensuring young people, key partners across FoyerInvest and content experts are appropriately engaged.

  • Work with the Youth Lead to create and coordinate opportunities for young people to influence decision-making, policy and systems and be heard.

  • Maintain an up-to-date understanding of the policy landscape, including undertaking research to identify suitable opportunities to influence policy.

3. Strategic Projects & Research

  • Support the translation of insights and learnings across the Foyer network.

  • Project manage research projects that progress the knowledge and evidence base for Foyers, young people’s needs, and the philosophy and practice models at the heart of the Foyer movement, engaging internal and external stakeholders as appropriate.

  • Support the Head of Collaboration with strategic projects for systems influence including supporting the design, project management and day-to-day delivery working with multiple stakeholders, partners and consultants.