At the Centre for Policy Development, we believe our team is our key asset and we are committed to recruiting and retaining talented and ambitious individuals.
We build constructive, respectful working relationships — internally and externally — and we take equity and inclusion seriously. We are committed to listening, learning and growing.
We recognise the best solutions are developed when diverse voices contribute, so we try hard to integrate all perspectives into our work — especially those of people with lived experience of the issues we are trying to address.
Unfortunately we have no current opportunities available. We do regularly post new openings however so we encourage you to check back again soon. Thank you for considering CPD.
CPD is seeking an outstanding Social Services Lead in Canberra. In this position, you will have a leadership role in developing policy and system reform ideas in the Social Services space, particularly focused on supporting children and families to thrive in the early years. You’ll bring deep subject matter expertise and lead streams of work, collaborating closely with the Social Services Director and the wider team, including contributing to work across other focus areas within CPD as needed.
This is an exciting opportunity to join an organisation reforming Australia’s social services system, with the goal of making it more people-and place-centred to better support children, families now and into the future. In this role you will work on reforming the social service systems that children and families engage with such as health and early childhood education and care, and creating the drivers, tools and practices for people and place centred practices to thrive. Our team enjoys frequent interaction with government policymakers, private sector, media, and the wider policy world. You’ll be joining a close-knit team that delivers real impact.
We believe our people are our key asset and we are committed to recruiting and retaining talented and dedicated individuals. Currently CPD has a presence in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Jakarta. We support flexible work and will consider either full-time or part-time work for the right candidate.
Diversity and Equal Employment Opportunity
We encourage First Peoples, people of colour, people with lived experience of forced migration, people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQI+ community, and people without a family history of tertiary education to apply for this role.
Salary
Starting at $113,000 + 12% superannuation, with higher salary available depending on experience, skills, and fairness and equity across the team.
Location
The role will be based in Canberra.
Some Additional Benefits
(These benefits are part of CPD’s Salary and Benefits Policy, which is reviewed every two years.)
How to Apply
Candidates are invited to apply via Google Form by 12pm on 08/12/25.
If you have any questions or issues accessing the form, please contact Luana Viana as soon as possible at jobs@cpd.org.au.
Alternatively, you can submit your application directly via email by sending your CV along with responses to the three questions below to jobs@cpd.org.au. Please include the job title in the subject line: “Social Services Lead application”.
Question 1 – Convincing skills: The Minister for Social Services has announced changes to the way that key community organisations are going to be funded. The Government is reforming the Families and Communities Activity, proposing a single new national program to replace 5 existing programs across child and parenting support, family services, family violence and mental health. The government will be trialling relational contracting; moving to longer five-year contracts; and streamlining reporting requirements. Propose a plan for CPD to advance a policy agenda. Our ultimate measure for success is influencing real-world policy. So include information about how you would test and validate your plan – ie. how would we know if your plan would lead to policy impact? Who would you talk to? (<250 words)
Question 2 – Management skills: Tell us about a time when you had to manage a team member or colleague who was struggling – this could be something like performance issues, trouble understanding the nuance of a strategic direction, or a conflict with others. How did you approach the situation, what steps did you take to support your colleague or address the issue, and what was the outcome? (<250 words)
Question 3 – Social Services Knowledge: Achieving a social services system in Australia where all children and families can thrive will require change on many fronts. Are there any levers we could pull, or entry points for change, that you think don’t get enough attention or are overlooked? (<250 words)
Here’s a taste of what you’ll do
CPD uses a distinctive Create-Connect-Convince method to influence government policy making.
Create
Connect
Convince
About you
You’ll be the right person for the job if you have the following skills:
How we Shortlist
We will ask you to answer three questions (< 250 words) as part of your application, and to submit your CV. The initial shortlist will be based on the panel’s assessment of your three answers. Your CV will be reviewed only if you progress beyond this first stage.
We are reviewing applications and shortlisting candidates on a rolling basis, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. If no suitable applicants are shortlisted by the closing date, we may consider extending the deadline.
We welcome talented individuals from all backgrounds to apply and be a part of our mission to make a positive impact on public policies.
Please note:
About CPD
The Centre for Policy Development (CPD) is an independent, not-for-profit policy institute with staff in Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, and Jakarta. Our vision is a fair, sustainable society and wellbeing economy that serves current and future generations in Australia and Southeast Asia.
Our mission is to help create transformative systems change through practical solutions to complex policy challenges. We tackle the hard questions, working towards change that is systemic and long-term.
Through our work, we aim to contribute to governments that are coordinated, collaborative, and effective, with an eye to both the near and longer term. We strive to build a social services system that helps people and communities to thrive now and in the future, and drive shifts in policy making practice with a focus on wellbeing and sustainability rather than primarily economic growth.
We acknowledge and celebrate Australia’s First Peoples.
To learn more about our work check out our latest Impact Report.
CPD is seeking an outstanding Energy Transition Lead. This role will suit someone already working on climate and/or energy policy with your own established networks and ideas, and who is looking to work in an environment where you get to set the agenda.
This is an exciting opportunity to be part of an organisation helping to shape Australia’s energy transition to be effective, inclusive and equitable. For CPD, the goal of a “just transition” means a rapid shift to a low-carbon economy that strengthens – rather than weakens – communities, workforces, and society.
CPD is working on some of the most critical issues facing our economy and society. Our team enjoys frequent interaction with government policymakers, private sector, media, and the wider policy world. You’ll be joining a close-knit team that delivers real impact.
The role would ideally be based in Canberra, but applications from candidates in Sydney and Melbourne are also welcome.
Alternatively, you can submit your application directly via email by sending your CV along with responses to the three questions below to jobs@cpd.org.au. Please include the job title in the subject line: “Energy Transition Lead application”.
Q1: “Convince” skills: CPD believes there is an opportunity for policy reform – and a political window – to more aggressively develop new green industries in Australia. Propose a plan for CPD to advance a policy agenda. The policy agenda could be something like investment incentives, R&D funding, loan programs (or something else of your choice). For this question, we are most interested in your plan to get your policy agenda adopted.
Our ultimate measure for success is influencing real-world policy. So include information about how you would test and validate your plan – ie. how would we know if your plan would lead to policy impact? Who would you talk to? (max. 500 words)
Q2: Management skills: Tell us about a time when you had to manage a team member or colleague who was struggling – this could be something like performance issues, trouble understanding the nuance of a strategic direction, or a conflict with others. How did you approach the situation, what steps did you take to support your colleague or address the issue, and what was the outcome? (max. 300 words)
Q3: Subject matter knowledge: Achieving a fast and equitable transition in Australia will require change on almost every front. Are there any policy levers we could pull, or entry points for change in the system, that you think are being completely overlooked? If you could get one novel idea into the headlines, what would it be? (max. 300 words)
We are ambitious for long-term transformative change, and consistently have our eyes on our goals for Australia and our region.
We strive for intellectual rigor and invite curiosity and initiative across the whole team.
We build constructive, respectful working relationships — internally and externally.
Our analysis is evidence-based and thoughtful, and people know they can trust what we say and write.
We care about people and are compassionate colleagues and collaborators.
We bring fun to our work and don’t take ourselves too seriously.
Internships are available on a case-by-case basis, depending on the needs of our research projects. Please note that CPD only considers applicants who are affiliated with an accredited Australian university and can receive academic credit for their internship. This ensures our internships provide mutual benefit and genuine professional development for everyone involved.
All general applications should be addressed to ‘Centre for Policy Development’ and sent via email to intern@cpd.org.au. The subject line must be ‘Internship Application for CPD’. For specific roles, please follow the provided instructions.
Please provide an attached CV and cover letter. The cover letter must comment on a CPD research paper and a policy issue the applicant is passionate about. Applications that do not meet these criteria will not be considered.
