National Projects Lead (Peer Identified) - Remote Role

About the role

The National Projects Lead will work with the National Mental Health Consumer Alliance (the Alliance) team in this fast-moving sector influencing progressive outcomes for mental health consumers nationwide. Using your well-established stakeholder relationship and project management skills, as well as your strong knowledge of disability rights, success in this role will see you improve the lives of people with mental health challenges.

Key responsibilities

• Oversee the organisation's project/s, including being the primary contact person with grant funders, and being responsible for managing project grants, risks and any other project requirements under grant agreements

• Collaborate with key external project stakeholders and ensure that people with mental health challenges, including people with psychosocial disability, are represented in joint work

• Represent the Alliance on various committees, reference groups and working parties relating to project work

• Start up new projects as per the grant agreements, in collaboration with the CEO, where new project grants are awarded

• Line management for Project Manager/s and Project Coordinator/s

• Establish and maintain regular constructive engagement with funding bodies, ensuring they are kept abreast of any emerging project risks

• Ensure project requirements are fulfilled according to any contractual arrangements, including maintaining good budgeting

• Provide supervision and support to project staff such as Project Managers and Project Coordinators

• Develop and maintain records for ongoing evaluation, research initiatives and quality improvement activities and programs in the Alliance

• Identify and manage risks to business operations and/or program objectives

About you

• Lived experience of mental health challenges/social and emotional wellbeing issues and recovery, with firsthand experience navigating the mental health system

• Relevant tertiary qualifications in a related discipline and/or equivalent knowledge, skills and experience

• A solid understanding of the human rights of people with mental health challenges and/or disability

• A working knowledge of the National Disability Insurance Scheme

• Previous experience working in a designated lived experience/peer role in either the mental health, suicide prevention or broader disability sector

• Demonstrated supervision and project management skills including management of project budgets

• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain effective stakeholder relationships including working with community representatives, government departments and funders

• Demonstrated advocacy and policy skills, including representing constituencies, understanding how systemic policy is developed from the grassroots up, understanding new legislation at a fast pace, and working effectively in coalitions

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including demonstrated ability to develop and contribute to high-quality written materials such as submissions, position papers, briefing notes, reports and correspondence

• Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills in order to develop strategies, ideas and opportunities for resolving issues

This is a peer‑identified role. In accordance with Section 66(s)(c) of the Equal Opportunity Act 1984, applicants must have lived experience of mental health and/or social and emotional wellbeing challenges and recovery.

As a lived experience‑led organisation, we will not require you to disclose personal details about your experiences during the application or interview process.

During the interview process, the successful applicants will be asked to provide:

• National Police Certificate (or ability to obtain)

• Working with Children Check (or state/territory equivalent) (or ability to obtain)

Applications from Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Pacific Islander peoples, people of colour, women, non‑binary and gender diverse people, LGBTQIA+ communities, and people with disability, are strongly encouraged, even if you don’t meet every criterion. Please note that candidates with a criminal record will not be excluded from being shortlisted for this role.

About us

The National Mental Health Consumer Alliance (the Alliance) is a peak advocacy organisation influencing progressive outcomes for mental health consumers nationwide. Benefits of working with us include:

• Bonus leave between Christmas and New Year

• Option to purchase up to 2 additional weeks of annual leave

• Work from anywhere in Australia, and travel to work with colleagues face-to-face 3x per year

• Not-for-profit Salary Packaging available to reduce your taxable income

• Employee Assistance Program available

Applications

We will be reviewing applications as they are submitted. Therefore, please apply as soon as possible. We may close this role to new applicants if we receive a lot of high quality applications within the first two weeks.