Lead Education Data & Policy Researcher

NSW Department of Communities and Justice; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 154,000 - 178,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work arrangements

Job summary

NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) seeks a Lead Research Officer to drive evidence-based decision making by coordinating high‑quality research across NSW and national scopes. You will negotiate data sharing, manage data delivery, and guide complex analyses to support policy and program outcomes.

Joining the Assessment Services directorate, you will lead a team delivering major data requests, build NSW educational data capability, and advise management on priorities and strategic directions

Qualifications

• Experience leading complex quantitative research projects.
• Experience managing stakeholder relationships across government bodies.
• Proven ability to lead a team to meet multiple projects under tight deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Manage annual data exchange programs with Commonwealth and state agencies.
• Oversee ad hoc data delivery requests and advise researchers on data use.
• Negotiate information sharing agreements for data access.
• Analyse data sources and collection processes to improve quality.
• Lead complex quantitative analyses to inform policy and research capability.
• Represent NESA on relevant committees.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes and data integration.
• Prepare briefs, reports and correspondence aligned with agency needs.

Skills

Research leadership

Stakeholder management

Project management

Data analysis

Quantitative methods

Education

Doctorate (PhD) or equivalent publications

Tools

SQL

Python (pandas)

Job description

NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) seeks a Lead Research Officer to drive evidence-based decision making by coordinating high‑quality research across NSW and national scopes. You will negotiate data sharing, manage data delivery, and guide complex analyses to support policy and program outcomes.

Joining the Assessment Services directorate, you will lead a team delivering major data requests, build NSW educational data capability, and advise management on priorities and strategic directions