Client expert and research designer

0.6 FTE - 24 hrs per week
Location: Preference for working from our Abbotsford, Melbourne studio 2 days studio, 1 day remote. Full remote considered.

Role overview

The Client expert and research designer plays a pivotal role in designing and delivering impactful projects, driving business growth, and ensuring operational excellence. This role combines strategic thinking, research, stakeholder engagement, and content creation to support the organisation’s objectives. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in project design, business development, and operational management, with exceptional skills in writing, coordination, and strategic planning.

Key Responsibilities

Design research:

• Lead the design and development of research elements of projects tailored to client and organisational needs.

• Conduct comprehensive research, including desktop reviews and stakeholder engagement through interviews and focus groups.

• Manage participant recruitment for research activities.

• Synthesise research findings and develop detailed reports to inform decision-making.

Client expert /Business development:

• Being an expert on our client needs - both current and future.

• Identify and pursue business opportunities aligned with the organisation’s capabilities and growth strategy.

• Lead tender submissions, including:

• Developing bid/no-bid recommendations.

• Scoping project hours and effort.

• Pricing and scope analysis to ensure competitive tenders.

• Creating methodologies, win themes, and capability statements.

• Coordinating stakeholder input and crafting high-quality responses.

• Formatting and submitting proposals.

• Develop and manage capability and experience statements for panel submissions and tenders.

• Provide pricing strategy support for tender responses.

• Regularly review tender platforms and track opportunities to ensure alignment with organisational goals.

• Maintain and update content libraries (e.g., Notion, Airtable) and CRM systems for tracking deals and opportunities.

• Contribute to the development and implementation of the organisation’s sales strategy.

Content writing and editing:

• Write and proofread a variety of content, including reports, articles, and tender responses.

• Provide fast-turnaround editing and proofreading for critical documents, including selection criteria responses for candidate applications.

• Support ad hoc writing tasks as needed.

• Operational Management support as required.

• Drive the development and tracking of strategic goals, including OKRs (Objectives and Key Results).

• Write and implement internal policies, including initiatives like the Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and BCorp certification.

• Organise and maintain the organisation’s content library (e.g., Notion).

Key Competencies

• Strong project design and research capabilities, including stakeholder engagement.

• Exceptional writing, proofreading, and editing skills.

• Proven ability to lead and coordinate complex tender and panel submission processes.

• Strategic thinking and business development expertise.

• Proficiency in managing content libraries and CRM tools (e.g., Notion, Airtable).

• Excellent organisational and operational management skills.

Desired Experience and Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in design research, project management support, and stakeholder engagement.

• Proven track record in business development, including tender submissions and sales strategy development.

• Strong writing and editing experience across a variety of formats.

• Familiarity with strategic goal-setting frameworks, such as OKRs.

• Experience with internal policy development and implementation.

Reporting

This role reports directly to the Chief Impact Designer.

Location

This role is open to anyone who has preference of working from our Abbotsford, Melbourne studio 2 days studio, 1 day remote. Full remote considered.

Residency and Clearance

• Must have Baseline Clearance or be able to obtain one

• Australian Citizen

• This role is open to candidates from any States who can work from our Abbotsford, Melbourne studio.

Who are Local Peoples?

Local Peoples is a strategic research and design studio based in Melbourne and Canberra, specialising in policy, service, and product design and delivery.

Our mission is to co-design healthy, resilient, and resourceful communities. As a certified B-Corporation, we focus on social, environmental, and economic impact.

We create lasting value by co-designing, testing, and iterating on policies, services, products, and places to build a positive future for all Australians. We conduct independent research on education, policy co-design, and inclusive design, and use our community engagement expertise to build communities that improve lives and inclusion for those often left behind.

Our partners include state and local governments, social enterprises, universities, and large commercial organisations. We believe design research, thinking, and delivery can solve complex challenges and create positive change for people and the planet.

We produce Matters Journal, a publication and community of 100K+, which focuses on design-led social innovation and impact.

Why join Local Peoples?

• Representative and inclusive - we are dedicated to building an inclusive and accessible workplace for people from diverse backgrounds

• Impact driven - work towards achieving real impact for people and the environment

• Fantastic culture - driven by a welcoming, supportive and collaborative team environment

• Professional support for design excellence- benefit from being a part of one of Australia’s fastest growing design and delivery communities

• Flexible working arrangements - including the ability to work remotely

• Market rate salaries - attractive remuneration packages in line with the market rate

Local Peoples proudly supports the LGBTQ+ community, neurodiverse individuals, and First Nations people. We are committed to creating inclusive spaces where everyone, regardless of their identity, feels valued and respected. Together, we strive for equality and a positive future for all.

Local Peoples works, creates, and plays on the lands of the Wurundjeri, Bunurong, and Wathaurong peoples of the Kulin Nation, land which has never been ceded. We thank them for caring for this land for over 40,000 years and recognize and pay our deepest respect to Elders past, present, and emerging. This always was and always will be Aboriginal land