Director, Human Rights Education and Partnership

Australian Human Rights Commission; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 144,000 - 169,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible, hybrid and remote work

Job summary

Australian Human Rights Commission in Sydney seeks a Director to lead the Human Rights Education and Partnership initiatives. You will shape the education strategy, grow income through partnerships, and provide executive-level guidance across the Education portfolio.

The role requires entrepreneurial oversight and strong stakeholder engagement to deliver social impact. The position is full-time, non-ongoing for 2 years with a competitive salary range and superannuation.

Qualifications

• Proven ability to develop and grow education portfolios and income streams.
• Strong understanding of human rights education and engagement strategies.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and partnerships.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Workplace Community Engagement team and drive the Education strategy.
• Develop partnerships and manage key stakeholder relationships.
• Oversee budgets, resourcing and delivery of education projects and programs.

Skills

Strategic partnership development

Business development

Leadership

Human rights education

Stakeholder engagement

Team leadership

Education

Relevant tertiary qualification (business/marketing, human rights education, workforce development)

Job description

Director, Human Rights Education and Partnership

Australian Human Rights Commission – Sydney NSW

The Australian Human Rights Commission (the Commission) is Australia’s national human rights institution, dedicated to fostering a society where human rights are upheld, protected, and celebrated. We envision an Australia where every individual is valued equally in dignity and rights.

Our mission involves promoting and safeguarding the human rights of all Australians by:

• Advising all levels of government and various public and private organisations.
• Strengthening laws, policies, and practices while providing accessible investigation and conciliation services.
• Engaging inclusively with civil society, communities, and the private sector.
• Raising awareness about human rights and offering educational resources.
• Collaborating with partners to cultivate a culture of respect for human rights across the nation.

The Workplace and Community Education (WCE) team is leading a new all of Commission Human Rights Education strategy and seeking to grow its education portfolio and offerings. The Workplace and Community Engagement team leads design and delivery of workshops, training and school engagement for delivering human rights education. This includes free and paid offerings across e-learning, workshops, training and other employer engagement. The team provides support across policy teams in the design and delivery of education products and projects.

We are looking for a strategic leader to join us and lead the Commission’s Human Rights Education Strategy and Workplace Engagement priorities. This is an opportunity support the Commission in growing income and impact through the new Education strategy.

The role leads the Workplace and Community Engagement Team and will provide support to development of the Commission’s partnership practice as a key tool for delivering the education strategy. It would suit an entrepreneurial and creative individual who is experienced in delivering social impact while growing income.

This full-time non ongoing position is initially offered for 2 years with the potential to become ongoing. It offers a competitive salary range of $144,073 - $169,322per annum plus 15.4% superannuation.

We offer flexible, hybrid and remote work options.

The key duties of the position include:

What You’ll Do:

• Lead and manage the Workplace Community Engagement (WCE) team.
• Hold day to day accountability for leading the new Education strategy including business development objectives, in collaboration with the Senior Director.
• Lead the WCE team in aligning workplans and priorities under the Education Strategy with a focus on ensuring sustainable resourcing.
• Provide management support and development to members of the team in embedding the new strategy and approaches.
• Ensure a systems approach is embedded across education initiatives in line with the Education Strategy and Theory of Change.
• Oversee operational delivery of new ways of working and workstreams in the Education strategy.
• Oversight and accountability for team budgets, reporting and deliverables, ensuring resource allocation for timely, transparent and accountable delivery in line with partner priorities and Commission policies.
• Provide strategic advice to the President, Chief Executive and senior executives in relation to education strategy outcomes, including through governance committees of the Commission.
• Build a strategic approach to partnership management and impact measurement across the Commission.
• Work in partnership with the Senior Director to identify and develop further partnerships relevant to the objectives of the Education strategy and the Commission’s workplace engagement.

Eligibility

What We’re Looking For:

• Demonstrated understanding of the evidence based on effective approaches to building support for human rights through education and engagement.
• Demonstrated business development skills and client focused mindset in an environment balancing impact and income.
• High level, advanced strategic partnership development skills.
• High level, advanced understanding of human rights based approach to inclusion and diversity.
• Ideally relevant tertiary qualifications in a relevant field including business and marketing, business and human rights, human rights education, and workforce development.
• Ability to lead a high performing and engaged team through the development of team goals, strategies and work plans.
• Highly developed relationship management, interpersonal and communication skills, with a strong focus on collaboration and stakeholder engagement.

Notes

Why Join Us?

By becoming a part of our team, you'll play a vital role in influencing public conversations about human rights and making a meaningful impact. If you’re ready to use your skills to support a cause that matters, we want to hear from you!

Applications close:5pm AEDT 10 November 2026

We value inclusivity and diversity and seek people who support and model the behaviours we promote in our workforce. We strongly encourage applications from First Nations Australians, mature workers, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, culturally and marginalised communities, carers, LGBTIQA+ and people with disability.

Under section 22(8) of the Public Service Act 1999, employees must be Australian citizens to be employed in the Australian Public Service (APS). An Agency Head may waive the requirement for citizenship prior to engaging an individual where it is appropriate to do so.

The Commission is committed to providing an accessible, inclusive work environment to enable people with a disability to participate fully in all aspects of employment. Applicants are encouraged to request reasonable adjustment as required to assist your participation in this recruitment process.

Please note that this position may be filled on either an ongoing or non-ongoing basis. If an offer of non-ongoing employment is made, the successful applicant would be employed for an initial period of up to 2 years. The merit pool established through this selection process, which is valid for a period of eighteen months from the date the vacancy was advertised in the Public Service Gazette, may be used to fill future ongoing and non-ongoing vacancies in the Commission where the duties are of a similar nature.

RecruitAbility applies to this vacancy. Under the RecruitAbility scheme you will be invited to participate in further assessment activity for the vacancy if you choose to apply under the scheme; declare you have a disability; and meet the minimum requirements for the job. For more information visit: https://www.apsc.gov.au/recruitability.

Information about the role and Commission practices may be sought from Suzi Chinnery

via email *************@humanrights.gov.au.