Senior Advisor, Urgent Challenges

Minderoo Foundation takes on tough, persistent issues with the potential to drive massive change.

We incubate ideas, advocate for systems change and accelerate impact.

We push the limits of what is believed possible.

Minderoo Foundation is proudly Australian, independent, forward thinking and seeks effective, scalable solutions.

Through bold, collaborative and selfless action, we seek to dismantle the systems that entrench inequality and advocate for a fairer future.

The Impact Missions team responds to existential threats and time-sensitive urgent challenges, with a focus on issues that sit outside of the Focus Areas’ remit.

Impact Missions operates with agility through a lean structure that consider, test, and develop new concepts, and plan how Minderoo can make a strong contribution by delivering a partner-first model.

Reporting to the Director of Urgent Challenges, you will role model collaboration, values alignment, best practice and a focus on impacts and outcomes.

As Senior Advisor, your appointment will fill the critical function of leading the generation and management of response options for agreed Missions and standalone partnerships.

You will bring strategic oversight, operational rigor and agile support to the portfolio and our evolving priorities.

You will support the establishment of new work, develop key artifacts, and ensure the effective execution of initiatives from inception to close.

You will play a pivotal role as a senior member of the team with visibility of the broader portfolio and participation in strategic activities on behalf of the Director of Urgent Challenges.

From time-to-time you may step up to fulfil some duties of the Director of Urgent Challenges, such as representing Minderoo internally or externally as well as ad hoc tasks directly for the Executive Director.

• Lead and manage a designated portfolio of projects and partnerships, end-to-end, including budget management.
• Use expertise and contextual system / industry knowledge to triage and assess new opportunities and provide recommendations.
• Conduct detailed reviews of current and proposed work to provide data driven advice to optimise partner selection, budget allocation, program design, and project strategy.
• Conduct reviews of potential operating context and assessments for proposed Founder-led responses, leveraging organisational expertise where required to feed into reviews of partnership, project and mission proposals.
• Drive business case development through identifying and clarifying needs and opportunities.
• Support the Executive Director, Impact Missions and Director of Urgent Challenges with situational and strategic awareness of emerging issues.
• Serve as liaison within Minderoo’s matrix model and with our partners.
• Develop briefing materials and reporting requirements, including Board proposals and submissions, across the Impact Mission portfolio.
• Support the Director of Urgent Challenges with the implementation of consistent Reporting and Impact Measurement activities across the portfolio.
• Support the Director of Urgent Challenges with portfolio-level budget monitoring and management.
• Assume some responsibilities of Director of Urgent Challenges, as required, including the provision of insights and context to Executive Director for collaborations, projects and missions outside of those you are directly responsible for.
• Undertake specialised tasks on behalf of the Executive Director, as needed, with a high level of strategic insight and discretion

• Subject matter expertise (approx. 10 years) in project management, strategy, or policy roles in fast-paced environments
• Proven ability to think conceptually within ambiguous parameters and translate strategic intent into operational action.
• Strong capability in managing portfolios of work, including cross-cutting planning, reporting, and lifecycle oversight.
• Experience in leading the development and implementation of processes, systems, and governance structures to enable effective delivery.
• Possesses a relevant bachelor’s degree in public policy, international relations or business, law.

Please attach your resume and a cover letter explaining why you are interested in this opportunity.

We reserve the right to extend closing date and/or close applications early should a suitable candidate be identified.

We may progress with interviews whilst advertising remains open.

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