Consumer Involvement and Advocacy Lead

• Part time, ongoing role (0.6FTE)
• Salary commensurate with experience: Professional Level 7 $104,483 - $113,102 per annum pro rata plus super
• Hybrid WFH/Office model and generous salary packaging options available

The role
The Consumer Involvement and Advocacy Lead at CERA will work closely with the Consumer Advisory Group, consumers, and research staff to embed and operationalise the Consumer Program across CERA and Cerulea Clinical Trials. This role focuses on building capacity for consumer engagement through the development and delivery of training materials and sessions. 

Responsible for managing all aspects of the program’s operation and governance, including coordinating regular advisory group meetings, the Lead will foster strong relationships with consumers, research stakeholders, and advocacy groups. 

Reporting to the Executive Manager of Communications, Fundraising and Advocacy, the role collaborates across CERA’s executive, research, and clinical teams to ensure meaningful consumer involvement in research.

Candidates with a lived experience of vision loss and blindness are encouraged to apply.

Your skills and experience

• A tertiary qualification in health, social sciences, or a related field (mandatory)
• Significant experience engaging with consumers in research, health, disability, or social service sectors, with a strong ability to build productive relationships with diverse stakeholders, including consumers, researchers, clinicians, and students.
• Proven experience in designing, developing, and delivering training programs, along with establishing and implementing consumer or stakeholder engagement policies and frameworks within organisations
• Strong interpersonal, collaboration, and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams, present confidently to diverse audiences, and prepare comprehensive reports
• Strong project management and governance experience, including planning, budgeting, coordinating external suppliers, and overseeing committee meetings and events
• A solutions-oriented approach with a commitment to working collaboratively with others and fostering a supportive team environment.

All offers of employment are subject to a satisfactory Criminal History Check.
    
About CERA
The Centre for Eye Research Australia is a not-for-profit and an international leader in eye research with real world impact. We are an independent Medical Research Institute closely affiliated with the University of Melbourne within the discipline of ophthalmology in the Department of Surgery, Melbourne Medical School. Our staff and students are located at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital and 200 Victoria Parade, East Melbourne. 

To learn more about our work, please visit our website. 

About Cerulea
Cerulea Clinical Trials is a fully owned, not-for-profit subsidiary of CERA that delivers ophthalmic clinical trials for Australian and international biopharmaceutical and medtech companies and is the home of investigator-initiated studies for the Centre for Eye Research Australia.

To learn more about our work, please visit our website. 

Employee benefits

• Family-friendly workplace with flexible working
• Hybrid work from home and office model
• Supportive culture which encourages career development and fosters innovation
• Generous salary packaging options including general expenses, meals and entertainment and novated car leasing (Salary packaging allows staff to reduce the amount of tax they pay, thereby increasing their take home salary)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Leave loading of 17.5%
• Annual flu vaccinations
• Weekly fruit boxes in the office.

How to apply
Submit a current resume and cover letter that details your interest and suitability for the role.

For more information about the role, please download the position description here or contact hr@cera.org.au. 

We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, people with CALD backgrounds, people with a disability, people from the LGBTQIA+ community and women and gender diverse people.

If you require an adjustment to the recruitment and selection process or need an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our HR team.

The role will remain open until we find a suitable candidate and applications will be reviewed regularly throughout the process. We encourage you to apply promptly.