EL1 Principal Policy Officer

About this role

Principal Policy Officer (EL1 Equivalent) • Location: Canberra, ACT; Sydney, NSW; Melbourne, VIC; Brisbane, QLD • Hourly Rate: $83.00 – $91.73 / hr + Super • Contract Length: Initial 10-month contract (Possibility of a 12-month extension), hybrid • Security Clearance: Baseline Security Clearance (Mandatory) About the Role Randstad is currently partnering with a prominent Federal Government Department to recruit a specialist EL1 Principal Policy Officer. In this role, you will join the team to support an expanded work program focused on Vocational Education and Training (VET) to Higher Education pathways and outcomes. You will deliver evidence-based analysis and policy advice, design analytical frameworks, and leverage administrative datasets to ensure targeted, policy-relevant outputs. Key Responsibilities • Research & Policy Advice: Conduct independent and team-based research and analysis on VET to Higher Education pathways and outcomes to produce high-quality, evidence-based policy advice. • Framework Design: Develop a consistent definition of VET-to-Higher Education pathways and design/apply analytical frameworks to guide data analysis. • Data & Analytics Support: Collaborate with data analysts, economists, and data scientists to support data reporting, publication activities, and complex analysis. • Stakeholder Engagement: Undertake complex stakeholder engagement to inform work program deliverables. • Reporting & Governance: Produce defensible, clear, and accessible documentation and reports while adhering strictly to procurement, privacy, and data governance obligations. Key Selection Criteria • Sector Knowledge: Strong understanding of VET and Higher Education data, systems, and the broader tertiary education sector. • Data & Frameworks: Proven capability to design analytical frameworks and experience working with large administrative datasets (experience with the Person Level Integrated Data Asset / PLIDA is highly desirable). • Collaboration: Demonstrated ability to work effectively within multi-disciplinary teams alongside economists, data scientists, and junior policy analysts. • Stakeholder Management: Proven track record in undertaking complex stakeholder engagement and translating findings into policy-relevant deliverables. • Communication & Governance: Experience producing high-quality, defensible reports while maintaining strict compliance with secure handling of sensitive data and data governance. Eligibility Requirements • Must be an Australian Citizen. • Must hold a current, active Baseline Security Clearance at minimum. At Randstad, we are passionate about providing equal employment opportunities and embracing diversity to the benefit of all. We actively encourage applications from any background. qualification • Relevant tertiary qualifications in public policy • data analysis • education • or related disciplines are highly desirable.