Job Description

Policy Officer (Schools and Education)

• Fully remote role – work from home anywhere in Australia
• Fixed-term contract through to January 2027, with flexibility to work 4 or 5 days per week
• Offering a competitive base salary starting from $83,754 (with scope for higher based on skills and experience), plus 12% superannuation

Are you a policy and engagement support professional who thrives on both shaping ideas and making them happen? Join a team passionate about improving education outcomes for children and young people. You’ll bring strong policy insight alongside a talent for coordinating stakeholder engagement, supporting high-level advisory groups, and preparing quality papers that keep the policy agenda moving.

This role plays a critical part in strengthening AERO’s engagement with policymakers and key stakeholders by coordinating and supporting school Advisory Groups comprising senior education leaders and decision‑makers. You will bring expertise in organising and supporting advisory forums, overseeing agendas, papers and minutes, to enable high‑quality dialogue and effective information exchange. Working closely with internal teams and external stakeholders, the role helps ensure evidence‑based insights are clearly communicated and meaningfully inform policy and practice. This is an opportunity for someone who thrives at the intersection of policy, stakeholder engagement and administration, and who values the impact that well‑run advisory structures can have on education decision‑making.

About The Organisation

The Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) is Australia’s national education evidence body. AERO is working towards excellent and equitable outcomes for all children and young people by generating and making high-quality evidence accessible and enhancing the use of evidence in Australian education.

AERO is bringing together people who are passionate about evidence-informed policy and practice for schools and early childhood services. Our team is collegial, creative, and committed to fulfilling AERO’s potential to make an impact. We value agile thinkers who can help shape AERO as a new, dynamic organisation, and team players who enjoy working across projects and in diverse, interdisciplinary teams. Many of our people have ongoing connections to research, policy, and practice organisations, helping us to bridge the gap between evidence generation and translation.

For more information about AERO, please see https://edresearch.edu.au.

Purpose of the role

The role supports AERO’s engagement with policymakers and stakeholders by coordinating activities, conducting policy research, and preparing documentation to enhance the use of evidence. The role also liaises with internal teams and external groups, including AERO’s Advisory Groups, to facilitate information exchange and provide advice.

Accountabilities:

• Contribute to the development of policy advice on a wide variety of issues in education, including schools, child and student outcomes, and evidence use in practice.
• Contribute to policy research, including investigating and analysing issues relating to education.
• Organise, coordinate and support school Advisory Group meetings with senior policymakers including agendas, papers, and minutes.
• Coordinate and contribute to the development of discussion papers, submissions, and briefs to inform decision-making.
• Support teams across AERO to effectively use and engage with AERO’s school Advisory Groups.
• Support the Strategic Policy and Engagement team with the timely delivery of external projects, which may include collaborating with team members to establish efficient processes.

Experience and Qualifications:

• Experience and understanding of government policy processes and advisory group structures, and the ability to work within these frameworks.
• Experience in stakeholder engagement and collaboration with internal and external partners.
• Analytical skills, including the ability to assess information from various sources.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, particularly in drafting policy briefs and submissions.
• A high level of organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Experience with overseeing agendas, papers, noting and producing minutes
• Tertiary qualifications in public policy, public administration, education policy, or a related field and / or relevant experience.

AERO welcomes applicants who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

How to apply?

Please submit an online application:

• CV and a Cover Letter describing your interest in and suitability for the role addressing the skills and experience above. Please limit CV and Cover Letter to no more than three pages each.

Applications close

11.59pm Monday 8th June 2026 (Sydney, AEDT)

Notes

• Respectfully, no agencies please.
• Please only apply for this role if you are an Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident or have unrestricted work rights in Australia.
• Appointments are subject to a National Criminal Record Check (NCRC) and having or obtaining a current valid working with children check (WWCC).
• If you require any additional information to above or have technical difficulties applying, please contact: recruitment@edresearch.edu.au .
• Please do not send applications to this email address, apply through advert.