The Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia Limited (AHCSA) is the peak body representing Aboriginal community-controlled health and substance misuse services in South Australia at state and national levels.

Our primary role is to be the ‘health voice’ for all Aboriginal people in South Australia. We achieve this by advocating for the community and supporting workers through our Member Services with appropriate Aboriginal health programs based on a holistic perspective of health.

Summary

The Manager, Research and Evidence provides strategic leadership in the development, implementation, and oversight of research activities that support evidence-based decision-making and inform strategic priorities to improve health outcomes for South Australian Aboriginal communities. The role involves overseeing the planning and execution of ethical, culturally sensitive, and impactful research, fostering innovative partnerships, and advocating for research funding and priorities within the Aboriginal Community-Controlled Health (ACCH) sector. Importantly, this role oversees the provision of secretariat services for the Aboriginal Health Research Ethics Committee (AHREC), ensuring the highest standards of scientific rigor, ethical compliance, and cultural safety in research involving Aboriginal communities in South Australia.

The Manager facilitates the dissemination and translation of research findings into practice, ensuring their relevance to the ACCH sector. They oversee activities aimed at building the capacity of AHCSA staff and Member Services to engage with and utilise research to enhance the delivery of programs, projects, and services, including areas such as data analysis, evaluation, and interpretation. Additionally, the Manager promotes strategies to ensure stakeholder engagement, ensuring that research outcomes reflect community priorities.

Organisational relationships and extent of authority

The Manager, Research and Evidence reports to and is accountable to the General Manager, Innovation, Evidence and Reform. The position works collaboratively with all staff across AHCSA and Member Services to provide information, guidance and assistance with ACCH sector research and innovation matters. It also engages and manages relationships with a range of external stakeholders.

The position works under limited direction and has management responsibility for the planning and delivery of research and evidence support, in line with agreed AHCSA frameworks, policies, procedures, funding and other requirements.

Special conditions

Requires the ability to travel intra-state and interstate, including overnight absences.

National Police Certificate required.

Out of hours work may be required.

Statement of Key Responsibilities

Providing strategic leadership to shape research agendas that have a direct impact on Aboriginal health and wellbeing

The Manager, Research and Evidence is responsible for:

Research Leadership and Innovation: Overseeing all research related activity within the sector to ensure alignment to strategic priorities, data insights and needs assessments, and adherence to research best practice by:

Overseeing and supporting innovative research projects that address current and future priorities for Aboriginal communities.

Developing and fostering new research partnerships and funding initiatives to support innovative research and knowledge translation.

Commissioning and supporting research and translation projects aligned with research priorities and strategic programs.

Monitoring emerging issues in Aboriginal health, using trends to identify research priorities and opportunities.

Overseeing the identification and implementation of approaches to improve evidence selection and its use in decision-making to enhance health outcomes for Aboriginal communities.

Research Governance and Oversight: Ensuring health-related research involving South Australian Aboriginal communities is conducted ethically, culturally sensitively, and in alignment with best practices by:

Monitoring health-related research involving South Australian Aboriginal communities through oversight of the Aboriginal Health Research Ethics Committee (AHREC) and the AHREC Secretariat.

Implementing and overseeing research policies and procedures within AHCSA, ensuring consistent management and compliance with governance standards.

Establishing governance mechanisms to ensure ethical compliance and cultural sensitivity in research involving Aboriginal communities.

Providing oversight of research data analysis, evaluation and interpretation, and the associated guidance and education for staff on suitable tools and techniques.

Research Advocacy: Assessing the outcomes of research initiatives to determine future priorities and advocating for research prioritisation and funding in the areas identified as having the greatest impact by:

Overseeing the evaluation of research initiatives to assess their impact on health outcomes for Aboriginal communities and drawing on findings to inform future research and advocacy priorities.

Advocating for robust and culturally considered research methods across the sector and identifying and supporting the implementation of initiatives that support the development of research capability within Member Services.

Engaging with funding providers to promote prioritised research initiatives and exploring funding opportunities.

Advocating for the prioritisation of innovative research methods, ensuring that the research undertaken is forward-thinking and addresses emerging health challenges facing Aboriginal communities.

Engaging with funding bodies to support the development and funding of innovative research initiatives.

Community and Stakeholder Engagement: Coordinating opportunities for community participation in health-related research initiatives by:

Overseeing approaches to facilitating opportunities for Member Services to lead and involve their communities in important and relevant Aboriginal health research initiatives.

Actively engaging with Member Services and key Aboriginal community representatives to understand where investigative research would support the bridging of existing knowledge and information gaps in relation to Aboriginal health priorities.

Identifying and facilitating opportunities for AHCSA and Member Services to lead or participate in relevant Aboriginal health research activities to support the development of research capability and capacity.

Building and maintaining relationships with research partners working in the Aboriginal health field.

Research Dissemination: Identifying and implementing methods to share, publish and promote key Aboriginal health research findings to raise awareness and encourage funding by:

Exploring and implementing mechanisms that enable efficient knowledge translation of key research findings across the ACCH sector and relevant stakeholders.

Leading the sharing of research evidence and insights across the ACCH sector to guide Member Service operational and program delivery performance.

Leading the publishing, dissemination and promotion of Aboriginal health research relevant to the ACCH sector to raise awareness and stimulate funding activities and support priority discussions.

Developing criteria and assessment methods to support the evaluation of research initiatives and related activity and leading the development of research funding grant submissions.

AHREC Operations: Overseeing the delivery of day-to-day requirements of the secretariat function to support the effective functioning of AHREC by:

Overseeing the coordination and workload management of AHREC submissions, clarification requests and modification requests, in line with agreed timelines.

Delivering timely, effective and meaningful advice and support to the AHREC Chair.

Ensuring timely provision of information, feedback, advice, reporting and assistance, as required, to AHREC members.

Developing and maintaining systems and processes to ensure efficient and coordinated secretariat delivery.

Developing and maintaining the Research and Evidence Team work plan.

Team Leadership: Fostering a productive and supportive environment and providing leadership for Research and Evidence Team members by:

Supervising and providing ongoing support for Research and Evidence Team members in the delivery of strategies, programs and initiatives.

Identifying training and professional development needs and opportunities for Research and Evidence Team members

REQUIREMENTS OF THE POSITION

Essential Skills, Knowledge, Experience, Qualifications and/or Training

AHCSA’s Organisational Capability Framework outlines the essential knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviours required to succeed in each role. This framework is a critical tool for attracting, recruiting, developing, and retaining a capable, adaptable, and responsive workforce.

The framework defines core and technical capability areas. Core capabilities apply to all positions, and technical capabilities are specific to particular positions within AHCSA.

The following capabilities have been identified as vital for the effective performance of this position and will be assessed during the recruitment process. These competencies are key to ensuring success and alignment with AHCSA’s goals and values.

Experience

Experience in a senior leadership role within health services research and evidence.

Experience in public health research methodologies, with a focus on research with Aboriginal individual and communities.

Experience in applying human/health ethics knowledge to support the work of committees and researchers to improve their practice.

Experience in the use of clinical information systems for data collection and reporting purposes.

Experience in analysing research data and evidence, determining research priorities, and translating research for ACCHOs, Aboriginal audiences and other key stakeholders, to inform policy and practice.

Experience with health research ethics committees and decision-making processes.

Educational/Vocational Qualifications

Nil.

Desirable Skills, Knowledge, Experience, Qualifications and/or Training

Experience

Experience working in the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Sector.

Educational/Vocational Qualifications

Bachelor of Public Health, Health Science, Primary Health Care or related field

Master of Public Health

How to apply

Please apply via SEEK.

To view the position description, please view our website https://ahcsa.org.au/work-with-us/current-opportunities

To be considered for the role you are required to submit a Resume and Suitability Statement.

The Suitability Statement has to address the Statement of Key Responsibilities (included in the Seek advertisement above) of the Job and Person Specification. Only applications that have addressed the Statement of Key Responsibilities will be considered.

Please contact [email protected] for any questions.

Please note, late applications will not be accepted and no agencies.

Closing Date for applications: 5:00 pm, Monday, 21st April 2025

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are strongly encouraged to apply

This position may be filled prior to the closing date of the Advertisement.