Work Type: Ongoing - Full-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Grade in advertisement
Occupation: Other
Location: Melbourne - Eastern suburbs
Reference: VG/1928531
CFA is an emergency service that places the community at the centre of everything we do. We work to protect lives and property across Victoria, every hour of the day.
Our organisation is made up of employees working alongside more than 51,000 volunteers. We value the different skills, experience and viewpoints that people bring, because they strengthen how we operate and support the services Victorians rely on.
We aim to be a workplace where people feel supported to do meaningful work, develop professionally and contribute to outcomes that matter to the people and places we serve.
To learn more about who we are and the work we do, visit our About Us page.
About the Role
This newly created ongoing role presents an exciting opportunity to enhance and strengthen Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Learning (MERL) practices across CFA's community engagement programs and activities.
As the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Advisor, you will provide specialist expertise to assess the reach, effectiveness and impact of community engagement initiatives delivered across Victoria. Working with the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit within Community Capability, you will support the implementation of MERL frameworks and plans, develop data collection tools and methodologies, and contribute to evidence-based decision-making that improves outcomes for communities.
Partnering with internal stakeholders, regional teams and subject matter experts, you will collect, analyse and interpret qualitative and quantitative data to identify trends, contributing to the measurement of program performance, and support continuous improvement. You will also contribute to evaluation reporting, insights and recommendations that inform future community engagement strategies and organisational priorities.
This role is ideal for a collaborative and analytical professional who enjoys translating complex information into meaningful insights and is passionate about using evidence to drive positive community outcomes.
About you
You bring a strong commitment to evaluative thinking and a collaborative approach to monitoring, evaluation and learning. You understand that effective evaluation is built through shared effort, drawing on diverse expertise across teams and stakeholders rather than relying on any single perspective.
With a background in evaluation, social sciences or humanities, you are confident working across both qualitative and quantitative methods. You are curious, outward-focused and motivated by using evidence to strengthen community outcomes and inform decision-making.
You have experience supporting MERL frameworks, contributing to the development of indicators and measurement approaches, and working with stakeholders to apply M&E methodologies in practice. You are skilled in collecting and analysing data from multiple sources, including surveys, interviews and focus groups, and can translate findings into clear insights, visualisations and reports that support learning and improvement.
You are adaptable, comfortable working in evolving environments, and confident using tools such as Excel, Power BI or NVivo to support analysis, synthesis and reporting.
Why choose CFA
Your Application
Click the ‘Apply' button to access our online application portal. You will be prompted to provide your personal and contact details and to respond to employment-related questions. When applying for a position with CFA, please include a cover letter (no more than 2 pages) and resume that clearly demonstrate your qualifications, experience and the key attributes and skills relevant to the role.
Pre-employment Checks
Offers of employment will only be made to candidates who are able to successfully complete a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check, Working Rights Check and hold a valid Working with Children Check. You will also be required to provide at least two professional references.
Applications close: 11:59pm 21 June 2026
What to expect from our recruitment process
CFA is committed to creating and maintaining a diverse, inclusive, and safe volunteer and work environment. Our aim is to have a volunteer and paid workforce that reflects the community it serves. First Nations people, women, people of all ages, with disabilities and culturally and linguistically diverse people are encouraged to apply.
If at any stage of the recruitment and selection process you require an alternative format to the application material or reasonable adjustment to the interview arrangements, please don't hesitate to contact the person listed on the ad or alternatively, email [email protected]
The Country Fire Authority (CFA) values your privacy. We will use the information you provide when you are applying for employment with us for the purpose of recruitment, selection, evaluation and appointment and to report on anonymised key metrics (e.g. diversity). The information we collect will be handled in accordance with privacy laws, including the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014. You can view our Privacy Statement here. For access and correction of the information we have collected, contact [email protected]