Director Workforce Planning and Evidence

McArthur; Brisbane; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Queensland Early Years Workforce Institute in Brisbane is seeking an inaugural Director to lead workforce evidence, planning and development. Reporting to the CEO, you will shape strategies, policies and practical initiatives that turn data into action across the Queensland early years sector.

You will oversee research, evaluation, stakeholder engagement and project commissioning, building a high‑performing team and securing sustainable revenue streams to support the Institute's mission.

Qualifications

• Proven ability to develop workforce plans and development strategies in education and care.
• Experience building data collection and evidence frameworks in start-up or new organizations.
• Track record leading multidisciplinary teams and commissioning projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead workforce strategy and evidence-informed recommendations for planning and sector growth.
• Oversee data collection, evaluation, and translate findings into practical initiatives.
• Engage sector stakeholders and represent the Institute in Queensland forums and networks.
• Manage portfolio delivery and guide teams to align with strategic priorities.
• Identify sustainable funding sources to support the Institute's work.

Skills

Workforce planning

Data and evidence

Portfolio delivery

Sector engagement

Executive leadership

Job description

Director Workforce Planning and Evidence

Queensland Early Years Workforce Institute | Brisbane

About the Institute

The Queensland Early Years Workforce Institute has been established to strengthen the workforce supporting children and families across Queensland. It brings together evidence, workforce planning and sector collaboration to address workforce needs and support a more sustainable and capable early years sector.

About the role

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, this inaugural Director position leads the Institute's core workforce evidence, planning and development functions. As a member of the Executive Team, you will help establish these capabilities and contribute to the organisation's direction and culture.

The mandate is to turn evidence into action. You will connect research, workforce data and sector perspectives with strategies, policy and practical workforce initiatives. Your portfolio spans research, evaluation, stakeholder engagement and project commissioning, with a focus on ensuring this work informs decisions and improves workforce outcomes.

What you will deliver

• Workforce strategy: Develop workforce insights and evidence-informed recommendations that guide planning, strengthen workforce capability and support sector growth.
• Data and evidence: Establish data collection and evidence frameworks, oversee research and evaluation, and translate findings into practical workforce initiatives.
• Sector partnerships: Build collaboration across industry, government, education and community, and represent the Institute in forums and networks across Queensland.
• Portfolio leadership: Lead multidisciplinary teams and project commissioning, aligning delivery priorities with organisational strategy and contributing to policy and culture.
• Organisational sustainability: Contribute to identifying and pursuing alternative, sustainable funding and revenue sources that support the Institute's work.

What you will bring

You will need demonstrated capability across the following areas:

• Workforce planning and development: Evidence-informed expertise in complex environments, including an understanding of workforce planning and development in education and care.
• Data, evidence and research: Success developing data collection and evidence frameworks in a start-up organisation, alongside capability in government and stakeholder performance reporting.
• Portfolio and project delivery: Experience leading organisational delivery functions, commissioning projects and guiding teams delivering workforce analysis and development activities.
• Sector engagement and influence: Established capability in education and care stakeholder engagement, supported by strong communication, collaboration and influencing skills across executive and sector audiences.
• Executive and people leadership: A values-based approach that builds culture and team performance, aligns immediate priorities with long-term objectives and contributes to executive decision-making, including the pursuit of sustainable revenue sources.

Why consider this opportunity?

• Build capability from the outset: Establish the Institute's approach to workforce planning and evidence as its inaugural Director, rather than inherit a fixed model.
• Connect evidence with statewide action: Influence how research and sector intelligence inform workforce strategies and development across Queensland's early years sector.
• Help shape organisational direction: Contribute at Executive Team level to strategy, policy and culture, with scope extending beyond a specialist research or planning function.

Applications close: Sunday 22nd November