Building connection, safety and wellbeing. Together.
Family Life is a recognised Employer of Choice. Work with us and be part of our supportive, people-focused culture.
The Opportunity
The Research & Evaluation Manager is a permanent full-time or part-time (0.8 FTE) role based across Family Life’s Sandringham, Frankston and Dandenong sites on Bunurong Land. The role provides strategic leadership, organisational oversight and specialist expertise in research, evaluation, outcomes measurement, reporting and organisational learning to strengthen Family Life’s evidence-informed decision-making, organisational performance and impact.
Situated within the Clinical Practice, Evidence & Quality portfolio, the Research, Outcomes Measurement and Evaluation (ROME) team plays a critical role in strengthening Family Life’s ability to deliver evidence-informed, impactful and equitable services. Working across all service areas, community activation and place-based initiatives, social enterprise and volunteering activities, the team partners with leaders and practitioners to embed data-informed decision-making, continuous improvement and organisational learning into everyday practice.
This is a unique opportunity for an experienced research, evaluation or impact leader who enjoys balancing strategic influence with hands-on delivery. Reporting to the Director Clinical Practice, Evidence & Quality, you will lead Family Life’s organisation-wide Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) strategy, guide organisational performance and impact reporting, and help shape the future direction of services through evidence, insight and innovation.
Key Responsibility Areas
Our Ideal Candidate
Growth Mindset – You pride yourself for your commitment to resilience and continuous improvement. You see growth opportunities as opposed to failures, and you are always on the lookout for an improved workflow or process. You think creatively, value input and feedback from peers, and adapt to changing or unforeseen circumstances.
Curiosity – You naturally seek out learning opportunities and further information without being prompted to by your manager. You clarify the ‘Why’ and like to investigate and explore further information.
Proactivity – You are a positive influence on your colleagues, you opt-in to support organisational projects, and always lend a hand to support others.
You will also bring:
Who We Are
At Family Life, we believe every child deserves to thrive in a safe and healthy family environment. Family Life is a specialist family services provider that has worked with children, families and communities for more than 50 years. Our vision is to work with clients and partners to create capable communities, strong families and thriving children.
We are known for our innovation and whole-of-community collective impact approach. Our teams are committed to transforming the lives of our clients and communities to build resilience and healthy relationships. We are proudly purpose-driven, independent and not for profit. We support our community through our specialist family services, community strengthening programs, a network of op shops, a vibrant engaged volunteer community and passionate skilled staff.
We support our community through our specialist family services, community strengthening programs, a network of op shops, a vibrant engaged volunteer community and passionate skilled staff.
Working at Family Life is more than just a job. It’s the feeling of knowing that your work is contributing to making the community in which you live a better place and working with others who feel the same way.
Additionally, you will have access to:
A full position description please click here.
Please submit your confidential application including a CV and cover letter addressing the key selection criteria via our Application Portal.
We will be reviewing applications as they are received, therefore this role may close sooner if we find the right candidate. Please apply now to ensure you do not miss out!
For further information regarding the position please contact Tony Johannsen, Director Clinical Practice, Evidence & Quality on (03) 8599 5433.
Applications close: Tuesday 21 July 2026
Belong, Learn and Grow With Us as We Support Families and Build Stronger Communities
Our Employee Value Proposition (EVP) represents the unique benefits, experiences and opportunities that define what it means to work at Family Life. It reflects our commitment to fostering an environment where every team member feels valued, engaged and inspired to thrive.
All offers of employment are subject to the Family Life Safety Screening process, including a Working with Children Check and Police Records Check. Any person issued with a negative notice on their Working with Children Check will not be eligible for employment with Family Life.
Family Life values diversity and welcomes applicants who meet the position criteria, irrespective of race and ethnicity, colour, age, gender, gender identity, disability, religion and sexual orientation.
Family Life is a trauma informed organisation and recognises the unique skills, contributions and insights that come from lived experience.
Family Life is a child safe organisation. We value, respect and listen to children and young people. We are committed to the safety of all children and young people. Family Life supports children to meet their potential and thrive. We do not tolerate neglect, mistreatment or abuse of any kind.
