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Explore what a career at McKinnon could look like
At McKinnon we are driven by curiosity and a desire to bring diverse perspectives together to create meaningful debate. We have the courage to make bold decisions and are driven by the urgency that meaningful work requires. We exist to make impact that matters, to empower better governments for a stronger Australia.
If you're driven by the same vision and ready to make a difference, you’ll thrive here.
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WHY CHOOSE MCKINNON
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Working at McKinnon means you can meaningfully contribute to empowering better governments for a stronger Australia.
Alongside a passionate team you can improve political leadership, public sector productivity, trust in democratic institutions and shape the future direction of policy.
If you enjoy challenging and fulfilling work that contributes to advancing the lives of Australians and thrive on working with inspirational and influential stakeholders, we would love to talk with you.
Current Opportunities
The Project & Policy Analyst, Education plays a critical role in helping us to deliver our vision of achieving better outcomes for Australian students through leading high-quality research and analysis, translating evidence into briefings, reports and presentations for different audiences, and supporting project delivery.
Working closely with the Director of Education and the wider Education team, the Project & Policy Analyst will support governments across Australia to pilot the pioneering Multi-School Organisation model, and to evaluate its impact for students.
The role will also support development of McKinnon’s proposals for wider education reform across Australia in areas such as teacher professional development and school accountability. The role requires strong data analytical capability, strategic policy insight, and the ability to influence decision-makers through evidence-based recommendations.
The role will based in Melbourne preferably but open to Sydney.
Research, Analysis and Strategic Policy
Conduct rigorous quantitative and qualitative research and analysis, utilising various methods such as statistical analysis of large education data sets, policy review, and stakeholder interviews.
Rapidly source, distil, and translate complex information into clear and concise deliverables for internal and external audiences.
Draft high quality, persuasive briefing notes, research reports and strategy papers, aligned with McKinnon’s strategic objectives, that provide concrete and actionable policy advice and implementation pathways.
Review and provide feedback on research and analysis undertaken by other organisations, including partners and consulting organisations.
Project Management and Delivery
Plan and deliver discrete projects, anticipating risks and ensuring timely, high-quality outputs.
Develop reporting for internal leadership and boards on project delivery, risks, budgets, outcomes, and impact.
Develop proposals, project plans and communication strategies.
Facilitate advisory groups or panels and coordinate meetings to support project objectives.
Monitor project progress, identifying potential risks, and implementing mitigation strategies.
Communications and Stakeholder Engagement
Engage with sector stakeholders, public sector organisations and other ecosystem actors, alongside the Director of Education and other team members, to progress shared education objectives.
Develop high-quality materials that communicate McKinnon’s education strategy and policy positions.
Foster collaborative relationships across multi-disciplinary teams and various stakeholder levels to support productive work environments.
Contribute to McKinnon’s education communications strategy, ensuring evidence and insights are communicated effectively to influence public policy debates.
Tertiary qualification in public policy or economics, or equivalent experience.
Track record of independently working on policy, research, or analytical projects from inception to delivery.
Experience working with big data sets.
A background in consulting, a central governance agency or think tank environments.
Experience with or a passion for public sector reform or reform of a service delivery.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to draw clear insights from complex data and evidence.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to tailor messages to diverse audiences.
Sound judgement and the ability to balance rigour with pragmatism in delivering outputs and driving impact.
Ability to build trusted relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including managing external suppliers and consultants.
At McKinnon, we provide:
Meaningful Impact: McKinnon is purpose-driven: working with us means you can contribute to shaping the future direction of governments and policy in Australia.
Collaborative Environment: Work alongside a team driven by curiosity and a desire to foster meaningful debate and diverse perspectives. Our team is energetic and supportive and our work is fast-paced, intellectually stimulating and deeply fulfilling.
Professional Growth: Engage in challenging projects that offer personal and professional development opportunities. This role is for a highly motivated individual who is searching for their next opportunity to make real impact.
If you enjoy challenging and fulfilling work that contributes to advancing the lives of Australians, you’ll thrive here.
Applications via Linked In. Please send any enquiries to [email protected]. Applications close 30 April 2026.
McKinnon is seeking a Policy Lead, Democracy to lead across a portfolio of up to three Democracy Counts campaign themes. The Policy Lead will have responsibility for policy development, project planning, content development, procurement support, and coordination across policy, advocacy, communications activities.
A resilient and vibrant democracy requires constant vigilance, engagement and renewal. With declining trust in institutions, global disruptions, and youth disengagement, supporting and strengthening our democratic foundations has become critical for Australia’s future.
This new role will support the Campaign Director and team to ensure strategic alignment between McKinnon’s democracy programs, stakeholder engagement, and organisational goals.
Program Design & Delivery
Plan and deliver projects under McKinnon’s democracy initiatives.
Lead McKinnon’s work in policy development across up to three campaign themes, supporting consideration by and leading engagement with the Democracy Counts Policy Council and Committees and providing policy rapid response, campaign content generation, and project management of advocacy materials.
Manage timelines, budgets, and deliverables across multiple campaign themes.
Coordinate project plans and support consistent delivery against strategic priorities.
Research, Content & Policy Support
Support the development of communications and advocacy products, including briefings, speaking notes, media responses, media releases, op-eds, reports, and submissions.
Commission and review research to inform program strategies and campaigns.
Translate complex policy ideas into outputs for public and partner audiences.
Stakeholder & Partner Coordination
Build effective relationships with campaign partners, Policy Council and Committee members, suppliers, and government or sector stakeholders.
Prepare materials and reports for partner updates, governance meetings, and MLT or Board briefings.
Contribute to the planning of Campaign Partner Meetings and Democracy forums.
Tertiary qualifications in project management, communications, public policy or a related field.
Proven experience in program or project management within policy, advocacy, or research environments.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and stakeholders simultaneously.
Experience supporting public policy or democracy-related initiatives.
Experience with procurement and contract management.
Strong analytical, research, and writing skills.
Excellent organisational and planning capability.
Understanding of political, policy, and public communication environments.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office and project tools.
Alignment with McKinnon’s values and purpose.
At McKinnon, we provide:
Meaningful Impact. McKinnon is purpose-driven: working with us means you can contribute to shaping the future direction of governments and policy in Australia.
Collaborative Environment. Work alongside a team driven by curiosity and a desire to foster meaningful debate and diverse perspectives. Our team is energetic and supportive and our work is fast-paced, intellectually stimulating and deeply fulfilling.
Professional Growth. Engage in challenging projects that offer personal and professional development opportunities. This role is for a highly motivated individual who is searching for their next opportunity to make real impact.
If you enjoy challenging and fulfilling work that contributes to advancing the lives of Australians and thrive on working with inspirational and influential stakeholders, if you’re driven by the same vision and ready to make a difference, you’ll thrive here.
Applications via Linked In. Please send any enquiries to [email protected]. Applications close 27 April 2026.
At McKinnon, our Program Managers sit at the heart of our work. They deliver complex programs that create tangible impact across Australia’s most pressing challenges in public administration and politics. Program Managers deliver our programs, manage key relationships, and help drive the change we exist to make.
We’re seeking experienced generalists with a policy focus — people who have led complex programs and want to broaden their skills and experience. You’ll be:
An analytical thinker and problem-solver with sharp attention to detail and focus on program delivery.A persuasive communicator who engages senior stakeholders with confidence.
A natural collaborator, inquisitive, creative, and agile.
Grounded, with integrity, maturity, and the drive to deliver real-world outcomes.
Your background might include management consulting, public service, ministerial advising, not-for-profit, or a combination of these. You’ll bring subject matter expertise in one or more of our program areas or a toolkit that spans our delivery priorities and a readiness to step into a high-impact generalist role.
We have offices in Melbourne and Sydney and will accept applications for either location.
Interesting work – Exposure to diverse projects at the intersection of government, policy, and politics.
People – Work alongside passionate, visionary, and experienced colleagues and within a broad stakeholder network.
To apply, please email [email protected] with:
Your CV
A short cover letter outlining:
Describe what your ideal role looks like
Your motivation for working at McKinnon
Any particular program area/s you’re interested in
Skills and/or experience that you can bring across our work programs
Your salary expectations
Already applied in 2025? If you’ve applied for a role with us this year, you don’t need to resubmit your application. Instead, please write to us at [email protected] answering the cover letter questions above.
This is an open-ended process with no closing date. Applications will be assessed as they are received.
Given the large number of applications expected, we will only contact those we invite to interview.
In early 2026, we will also launch a graduate and internship program EOI.
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