AERO Manager, Research: Role description Download (PDF, 138KB)

Reports to	Senior Manager, Research
Location	Work from home (Australia wide)
Type of employment	Ongoing or fixed term
Full time/Part time	Full time
Level	$126,000–$155,000 p.a. plus 9.5% superannuation

About AERO

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 a not-for-profit company owned by education ministers and operating under the governance of an independent Board.

Primary purpose of the role

The role leads high-level, expert, quality-assured education research in early childhood and schooling to deliver research and synthesis projects with results that can be easily accessed, understood and implemented by education practitioners.

Accountabilities

• Manage and lead complex and diverse research and evaluation proposals and projects, ensuring quality and timely delivery.
• Implement systems and processes that underpin high-quality research and analysis.
• Lead proposal development from initiation to workplan and delivery, providing technical expertise including appropriate research instruments, fieldwork and analysis techniques, guided by AERO’s established consultation processes.
• Oversee multiple internal and external project teams including project managing budgets, risks and timelines.
• Drive the development of practical initiatives that make high-quality evidence accessible and easy to implement.
• Provide expert analysis and advice to inform the Board, the Research Committee and relevant stakeholders about research and evaluation projects.

Key challenges

• Managing consultations and negotiations with diverse stakeholders, given the need to balance competing interests and demands, which are often changing and unpredictable
• Providing accurate and balanced research advice and recommendations on a range of complex issues with results that can be easily accessed, understood and implemented by education practitioners
• Managing a team that is geographically dispersed

Key relationships

Manager

• Provide expert advice and contribute to decision-making.
• Identify emerging issues/risks and their implications and propose solutions.
• Receive advice and report on progress towards business objectives and discuss future directions.

Team

• Lead, guide, manage and support performance and development.
• Foster a high-performance culture and ensure team members have the knowledge, skills, motivation and support required.

AERO Board and Research Committee

• Act as a subject matter expert on research matters, provide advice and recommendations in relation to ethical considerations and implications for decision-making.

Other researchers, academic institutions and research organisations

• Establish professional networks and relationships with Australian and international education researchers to maintain currency of issues, share ideas and learnings, and collaborate on common responses to emerging and/or developing issues.
• Represent AERO to establish research partnerships and share insights.

Stakeholders

• Provide expert advice on a range of research topics and methodologies.
• Develop and maintain effective relationships, consult and negotiate on projects, and work collaboratively with stakeholders to ensure quality research outcomes.

Vendors/service providers and consultants

• Communicate service needs and facilitate routine business transactions.
• Monitor service delivery in line with contractual obligations and organisation requirements.

Behaviours

Ambition: Shows desire and determination for contributing to achieving the organisation’s goals and engaging in continuous learning and organisational improvement.

Collaboration: Works with others internally and externally to jointly solve issues and problems and help achieve organisational goals.

Integrity: Complies with legislation, policies, guidelines and codes of conduct and behaves in an honest and ethical way.

Rigour: Applies relentless attention and care to ensure work is of the highest standard.

Diversity: Is respectful of difference of background, opinion and experience and contributes their own in order to contribute to achieving excellence in meeting the organisation’s goals.

Inclusivity & accessibility: Contributes to ensuring diverse perspectives and talents are embedded in the work of the organisation. Provides useful and succinct information, in formats that are easy to use and access.

Openness & transparency: Builds trust in key relationships by being honest, sharing expertise and supporting new ideas. Welcomes scrutiny of work to ensure the organisation meets external requirements.

Essential

• Postgraduate research qualifications in education, social science or another relevant discipline
• Significant experience in research or evaluation, with expertise across a wide range of quantitative and qualitative research methods and techniques
• Proven experience leading research teams to deliver complex, high-quality products under tight timelines and competing priorities
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, with an ability to translate technical and complex information concisely for diverse audiences
• High-level knowledge of the Australian education sector, including key stakeholders, policies and frameworks