About Children's Ground

Children’s Ground is a First Nations organisation. The Children’s Ground Approach is designed and delivered through the leadership of First Nations people. We are committed to systems change to ensure dignity, justice and equity for all children and families. Our work focuses on national reform as well as evidencing a new way of working.

The Children’s Ground Approach is a whole of community, whole of life approach. We privilege First Nations knowledge systems and practice. Over the course of a generation, led by local expertise, we create and deliver an integrated system that is centred on learning, development and wellbeing that responds to the child and their family through the key transition points from pre-birth to young adulthood.

Our approach recognises the cultural, social, and economic strength of our communities. We build on this over a generation to ensure a future for our children and grandchildren that gives them freedom, opportunity and rights to their culture and identity.

Children’s Ground operates in Central Australia and across the Top End, with support provided by a Melbourne-based Shared Services team.

About you

We are seeking someone with relevant degree/qualification in evaluation &/or research. Skills in data system management and experience applying data quality and integrity processes for continuous quality improvement. Experience in undertaking evaluation or research with First Nations communities is valuable and the ability to work as part of a collaborative team, operating in Alice Springs, Darwin and Melbourne.

About the role

The Research & Evaluation (R&E) Coordinator will work with the Department Heads to oversight the Evaluation, Monitoring and Research functions of Central Australia. The coordinator will oversee day to day delivery and work in partnership with First Nations leadership groups, Operational Coordinators, staff and communities of Ampe-kenhe Ahehle (Children’s Ground Central Australia).

The coordinator will oversee quality and delivery of daily monitoring and evaluation, in line with Children’s Ground’s longitudinal evaluation frameworks. The focus of our monitoring and evaluation is to evidence the impact of the Children’s Ground Approach and system. Key to this is the data collected as part of our longitudinal evaluation of impact.

The role will coordinate Children’s Ground’s data collection, local processes, quality assurance and control, with oversight and support from the Head of R&E. This includes working across operational teams on data capture, quality, training, reporting and feedback loops. A key part of the role is coordinating and working with First Nations staff and families on the Ampe-kenhe Ahehle triennial evaluation reports and internal annual evaluation reporting and impact reporting.

As the team grows, the R&E Coordinator will manage a small local research and evaluation team to engage with leaders and families in communities to support work with communities to develop community research priorities and projects (when funding and resources are available).

Children’s Ground’s research and evaluation focus on evidencing the impact of the Children’s Ground Approach. Children’s Ground works to ensure communities are designing and leading monitoring, evaluation and research projects and priorities that are important for their own children, families and community, as well as policy priorities.

This role will work closely with staff and families continuing to embed a culture of monitoring and evaluation with all staff and families in the Central Australian region leading Children’s Ground with their communities, as well as staff in achieving high-quality data collection and providing regular data reports and support to use data

Key Responsibilities

Team leadership, supervision and support

·       Manage and coordinate day-to-day activity of R&E staff and support them in achieving their priorities

·       Ensure all team members have a clear workplan that is reviewed and updated at least quarterly

·       Engage in mentoring and learning with First Nations Research staff

·       Undertake Children’s Ground’s Quality, Planning, Review & Support (QPRS) process with staff

·       Ensure R&E staff are up to date with all organisational compliance and training requirements

·       Undertake operational planning with Heads of R&E, R&E staff (and R&E Director)

·       Support and contribute to monitoring and evaluation training across the R&E team.

Evaluation reports and data reporting

·       Work with First Nations leaders to design and lead the implementation of the Central Australian regional triennial evaluation, in line with Children’s Ground’s longitudinal evaluation frameworks (western and cultural), ethics and standards.

·       Work with communities leading the Children’s Ground and Plenty Highway (largely funded by Stronger Communities for Children Australia Government program) to contribute to and undertake evaluation reports as agreed by senior management and the communities.

·       Complete regional triennial evaluation reports in a timely manner (within the first year after evaluation period).

·       For each regional triennial evaluation period, develop a clear workplan and provide monthly updates to the Heads of R&E, Central Australian Regional Director and other relevant senior managers.

·       Work with the Central Australian R&E team and communities to embed internal by-community annual evaluations and quarterly population/community residency status mapping.

·       Ensure First Nations staff, leaders and communities are central to all evaluation planning, data collection, analysis, reporting and findings communication.

·       Support First Nations leaders and staff to talk with families and communities about our evaluation to ensure they feel informed, empowered and engaged in our data collection and evaluation approaches.

·       Engage in peer mentoring – learning from First Nations staff and sharing your knowledge with First Nations and non-First Nations staff.

·       Contribute to reflective practice and knowledge development in monitoring and evaluation.

·       Contribute to identifying, learning from and sharing national and international best-practice standards in research and evaluation.

High-quality data systems and quality assurance processes

·       Oversight and contribute to supporting Area Heads, Directors and staff at all levels to embed a culture of monitoring, evaluation and data informed planning.

·       Induct and support new staff of the wider Central Australia team into R&E at Children’s Ground, data system and data input.

·       Oversight, monitor and contribute to:

-      High quality daily data collection.

-      Training in data entry and collection processes and systems (groups and individuals), including meeting regularly with staff over the first month of their employment

-      Diverse strategies to ensure regular reminders for all staff about their data collection roles and responsibilities

-      Weekly data entry is complete and high-quality for data feedback and reporting purposes

-      Weekly data quality and integrity checks and provide feedback to staff on quality and identified gaps.

·       Work with senior staff across all CG areas to support embedding CG Enrolment & Consent completion and recording processes.

·       Manage, document and communicate staff feedback on the Family Information System.

·       Enfranchise First Nations staff in data collection, quality, reporting, communication and ownership.

·       Regularly sit with teams, staff and communities to understand their data needs and support their interpretation of the data.

·       Lead and contribute to regular reviews of data with staff and communities for use in planning and engagement.

·       Regularly reflect on data reporting and sharing processes ensure ongoing quality improvement.

·       Work with the team to undertake reflective practice and knowledge development in monitoring and evaluation.

·       Contribute to extracting data outputs for quarterly data reports for the organisation, staff, funders and other audiences as needed.

Research and development

·       Manage and support on-the-ground logistics of Central Australian research projects, including supporting the team’s engagement with internal or external research partners and projects.

·       Contribute to identifying and connecting with research and evaluation partners in relation to Central Australia region.

·       Undertake any relevant research data entry, analysis and reporting, if required.

Planning, reporting and other relevant tasks 

·       Work with the Heads of R&E to contribute to CA team strategic and operational planning.

·       Complete written quarterly reports to Heads of R&E about progress, achievements and challenges with research and evaluation.

·       Contribute to communicating evidence and impact of the CG Approach, including funding reports, research papers/articles, other publications, conference presentations, evidence reviews, etc, as needed.

·       Undertake other monitoring, evaluation and research tasks as needed by R&E Heads and other senior managers.

Local community agency and respect for local cultural knowledge and life

·       Encourage and support all First Nations families, valuing their ideas, strategies and aspirations.

·       Work with the Community Development team to, where appropriate, meet with local First Nations people and elders to discuss content to inform monitoring, evaluation and research and ensure our approaches do not undermine and actively promote local cultural knowledge and practice.

Key Selection Criteria

Essential skills and experience

·       Relevant degree/qualification or relevant experience in evaluation and/or research

·       Demonstrated experience in evaluation and research design, development, implementation, data analysis and reporting

·       Demonstrated experience in data system management

·       Experience in undertaking evaluation or research with First Nations communities

·       Knowledge and skills in using Microsoft Word, Excel and Access

·       Experience undertaking research and evaluation with communities, preferably First Nations communities

·       Experience working alongside First Nations communities

·       Excellent verbal and written communication skills

·       Ability to plan, organise and prioritise workload around importance and project timelines

·       Ability to work cooperatively and collaboratively as a member of the team, and to work autonomously

·       Valid Driver’s Licence

·       Willingness to undergo a National Police Check and obtain an NT OCHRE Working with Children Check

What we offer

Salary Classification: Children's Ground EBA Level 6- 7 $116,783 - 126,305 (Depending on Skills/Experience) + 12% superannuation + bonus leave

Salary Sacrifice options to increase take home pay (dependant on individual circumstances)

A collaborative, purpose driven organisation contributing to First Nations led systems change

How to Apply

We invite you to walk with us on this unique journey. To apply, please submit your current resume and a cover letter outlining your interest and relevant skills.

The preferred candidate will be required to undertake relevant pre-employment checks, including a National Police Check and Working with Children Clearance (NT).

In line with our workforce development strategy, Children's Ground strongly encourages and supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants to apply.