Lived and Living Experience Evaluation Lead

Victorian Government; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 95,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

The Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing is seeking an Lived and Living Experience Evaluation Lead to steer the evaluation of the Lived and Living Experience Workforce Development Program. You will collaborate across the organisation and with external partners, applying co-production principles to refine the evaluation framework and translate evidence into improvements.

Lead data collection and analysis from diverse qualitative and quantitative sources, ensuring voices

Qualifications

• Must have personal lived experience of mental health challenges or as a family member, carer or kin.
• Demonstrated lived expertise in informing practice, service improvement, research, policy or system change.
• Substantial research/evaluation experience (PhD or 5+ years in relevant role).

Responsibilities

• Refine and implement evaluation strategy and framework for the program.
• Lead evaluation delivery over 12 months with data collection, analysis and interpretation.
• Provide specialist evaluation advice and methodological leadership on complex issues.

Skills

Lived experience

Evaluation expertise

Research experience

Education

PhD or 5+ years in research/evaluation

Job description

Location: Melbourne - CBD and Inner Metro suburbs

Reference: VG/1951467

The Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing (Collaborative Centre) is a Victorian public entity supporting system-wide reform and the development of a learning mental health system across Victoria. The Collaborative Centre is deeply committed to achieving its vision of better mental health and wellbeing for all Victorians through collaborating and learning together. In our system stewardship role, we strengthen system learning and workforce capability by bringing together researchers, practitioners, Lived and Living Experience experts, workforce educators and policy makers to translate evidence into innovative practice to improve mental health and wellbeing outcomes for Victorians.

About the role:

The Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing (Collaborative Centre) is seeking an Lived and Living Experience Evaluation Lead to lead the evaluation of the Lived and Living Experience Workforce Development Program, ensuring the voices, perspectives, wisdom and human rights of people with Lived and Living Experience remain central to understanding the program's impacts, outcomes, and learnings. Working collaboratively across the organisation and with external stakeholders, they will apply their research and evaluation expertise and co-production practice to refine the evaluation framework, lead data collection and analysis, and translate evidence into meaningful insights that support ongoing program improvement.

About you:

Key Accountabilities include:

• Refine and implement the Lived and Living Experience Workforce Development Program's evaluation strategy and framework, determining appropriate evaluation questions, methodologies, measures and approaches in alignment with program objectives, intended outcomes and principles of co-production.
• Lead the delivery of the evaluation over the 12-month period, planning and coordinating evaluation activities, data collection, analysis and interpretation, and drawing on multiple sources of qualitative and quantitative evidence to assess program implementation, impacts, outcomes and learnings.
• Provide specialist evaluation expertise and independent methodological advice, exercising professional judgement in the design, delivery of the evaluation and making key technical decisions including in response to complex or emerging methodological issues where there is no established approach or precedent.

Qualifications and Specialist Expertise:

• Personal lived experience of mental health challenges or psychological distress, OR as a family member, carer, supporter or kin with strong connections to Lived and Living experience communities is mandatory.
• Demonstrated lived expertise, developed through working in a designated Lived and Living Experience role and applying Lived Experience to inform practice, service improvement, research, policy or system change.
• Demonstrated substantial research and evaluation experience, evidenced by completion of a PhD or a minimum of five years' experience in a research and evaluation role within a mental health-related field.

What we offer:

• The opportunity to perform meaningful work, making direct contributions toward enablingVictorians to be the healthiest people in the world.
• A wide range of growth and development opportunities within the department and wider Victorian Public Service.
• A strong commitment to work-life balance, including a diverse array of flexible working arrangements.

We are committed to developing and supporting a workforce that is well equipped and highly motivated to provide responsive and quality services to all Victorians. We continue to build an inclusive workplace that embraces diversity of backgrounds and differences to realise the potential of our employees for innovation and delivering services aimed at enhancing the lives of all Victorians. All roles can be worked flexibly and we encourage applications from Aboriginal people, people with disability, LGBTIQ+ and people from culturally diverse backgrounds. Please contact us if you require any adjustments to participate in the recruitment process at [e-mail] . For more information on our commitment to inclusion and diversity see inclusion and diversity at the Department of Health .

If you have any queries in relation to participation in recruitment processes at Health, or experience any issues in applying, please feel free to email [e-mail] . Please note that unsolicited applications from third parties cannot be accepted. If you have questions regarding the role, please message the contact person listed on the advertisement directly.

Preferred applicants may be required to complete a police check and other pre-employment checks. Information provided will be treated in line with our Privacy Policy .

Applications close Monday 9 November 2026 at 11.59pm