Associate Director, Research (Grants)

Position Description

Associate Director, Research (Grants)

ECA OBJECTIVE

To promote the long term interests of consumers of energy with respect to the price, quality, safety, reliability and security of supply of energy services by providing and enabling strong, coordinated, collegiate, evidence based consumer advocacy on National Energy Market matters of strategic importance or material consequence for Energy Consumers, in particular for Residential Consumers and Small Business Consumers.

ROLE PURPOSE

To help fulfil ECA’s constitutional function to fund and manage grants to build knowledge and sectoral capacity supporting policy development and consumer education in the National Energy Market.

To assist with ECA’s other functions in relation to research, including

• Building national and jurisdictional expertise and capacity through research, knowledge development and consultation to advance the interests of Australian Energy Consumers, in particular residential and small business Energy Consumers.
• Undertaking robust research to build knowledge, engage and influence policy development and educate Consumers in Energy markets.
• Developing an understanding of the distinct market differences between jurisdictions within the National Energy Market and applying these considerations when engaging, responding or initiating work on behalf of Energy Consumers’ interests, and with jurisdictional bodies where appropriate.

Undertaking tasks that are incidental or ancillary to achieving the above purposes.

ROLE FUNCTIONS

To manage ECA’s Grants Program.

ROLE TASKS

Strategic planning

• Reviewing and evaluating the grants program to improve quality and alignment with ECA constitutional functions, including
• Managing the implementation of the online application and assessment process
• undertaking and communicating the results of internal and external evaluation of grants
• As required, assist with Research Directorate strategic priorities and business plan

Research and analysis

• Brief the Board and CEO on prospective grant applications, including
• preparing Board reports on grants program expenditure to budget
• undertaking background research on the project
• assessing the project against the grant program eligibility and selection criteria
• making recommendations for funding, and
• identifying any opportunities/risks to ECA arising from the project
• Undertake analysis and prepare briefings on ECA grants for ECA publications, including annual report, speeches, stakeholder briefings etc.

Stakeholder management

• Provide advice to prospective grant applicants on ECA’s grants program, and the application process
• Manage overdue grants and off-track projects, liaising directly with grant recipients and reporting as required to the Director, Research, CEO and Board
• Work with ECA Directorates to alert them to grants that are relevant to ECA’s work program

Grant management systems

• Manage the grants program databases to monitor grants progress and ensure grants are proceeding in accordance with the funding agreement
• Provide guidance and oversight to the Grants Project Officer in the preparation of funding agreements and progress reports, processing invoices for payment, and publishing grant reports on the ECA website
• Work with ECA Operations Directorate to prepare financial reports of grants expenditure for the Board and CEO
• Work with ECA Advocacy and Communications Directorate to disseminate grant reports and findings through ECA digital channels.

SALARY

$130,000 including 9.5% superannuation guarantee charge.

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