Noah Hurst
Melbourne,Victoria
Summary
I am a passionate advocacy and policy professional with a varied skill set gained working in not-for-profit member organisations. My strengths are my exceptional planning, organisation and stakeholder management skills. I am a strategic thinker who enjoys seeing mine and other’s ideas come to fruition. My positive disposition, flexibility, and readiness to take on new challenges will suit any team.
Overview
4
4
years of professional experience
Work History
Project Advisor
Victorian Department of Education
05.2025 - Current
- Developed comprehensive project plans and timelines to facilitate successful execution.
- Coordinated stakeholder communication, ensuring transparency and collaboration throughout project lifecycles.
- Contributed to correspondence to support the Child Safety Taskforce.
- Created slide decks, speaking notes and analysis documents for Executive staff and leadership.
- Provided high quality written material to progress the Climate Change work for the Early Childhood Education branch.
- Delivered successful events.
- Researched and supported the delivery of international delegations.
- Presented progress updates to colleagues in a concise and effective way.
- Chaired the Early Childhood Education Climate Change Working Group.
- Consulted with team members to address issues and implement effective solutions.
- Updated reports to verify inclusion of most relevant and current information.
- Facilitated workshops to collect project insight and sector feedback.
Policy and Projects Advisor
Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS)
05.2024 - 05.2025
- Reporting to the Director of Policy and Advocacy and working in alongside the Disability Advocacy Resource Unit (DARU), my role is to drive policy, sector engagement and systemic advocacy in VCOSS’ disability portfolio, in the wake of the Disability Royal Commission and the NDIS Review. In the wake of transformative reform, my role plays a pivotal part in aiding the Victorian Government in their design and roll out of Foundational Supports, to ensure that all people living with disabilities receive the support they require, whether on the NDIS or not.
- Key Tasks:
- Identify/update/refine policy objectives and advocacy goals for the disability portfolio, including its intersections with other policy areas and service systems.
- Monitor the policy environment and identify opportunities to advance policy and advocacy goals relevant to disability.
- Effectively consult and engage with VCOSS members, the DARU network and other stakeholders, to ensure our work is deeply member/sector informed and is used to identify, understand and prioritise issues and inform our policy development.
- Work collaboratively with members, the broader sector and other allies to develop and advance action on systemic advocacy priorities. This may include (but not be limited to) establishing, leading or participating in coalitions for change or producing/facilitating access to resources that build the sector’s advocacy capability and capacity.
- Complete projects on-time and to high quality, in accordance with VCOSS and DARU priorities.
Senior Advisor – Advocacy & Sector Engagement
Early Learning Association Australia (ELAA)
01.2024 - 05.2024
- Reporting to the CEO, I lead the organisation’s Advocacy team with one direct report and numerous interns across the year. I was responsible for ELAA’s engagement with stakeholders and often meet with members to collect data and discuss strategic approaches to sector issues. It was my responsibility to find solutions to existing and potential barriers within the early childhood education and care sector. I have developed strategic partnerships with individuals, organisations and government to allow for ELAA’s advocacy to be effective and collaborative.
- Achievements:
- Publishing 12 submissions across a single financial year.
- Initiating member information events and strategic consultations with the Department of Education and members.
- Co-chairing ELAA’s Reconciliation Action Plan.
- Increasing engagement in member reference groups and facilitating working groups to produce quality policy and fund outputs.
- Hosting a state election forum for members to hear from candidates and ask questions of the politician’s representing them.
- Successfully navigated stakeholder relationships and an advocacy strategy through a period of leadership change.
Industry Advisory Committee member
HumanAbility
10.2023 - 04.2024
- Industry Advisory Committees provide advice in relation to training packages and workforce development projects. Industry Advisory Committees gather information from their industry sector, including challenges, opportunities, trends and industry requirements for training packages, or in relation to projects to be undertaken by HumanAbility. Industry Advisory Committees also identify the skills required by industry now and the future.
Part-time Policy Officer
Aborigines Advancement League Inc
03.2022 - 08.2022
- Reporting to the CEO, I was responsible for providing ad hoc policy support to the organisation and would represent the Aborigines Advancement League (AAL) in peak body stakeholder meetings.
- Achievements:
- Assessed and updated the organisation’s policies and procedures, ensuring they reflected legislative changes and best practice.
- Facilitated focus groups with local Aboriginal youth to learn about their connection to culture, Land and education following the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Fundraiser
Disability Sport and Recreation
01.2022 - 05.2022
- As a fundraiser, my responsibilities were:
- Donor relations.
- Sales.
- Administrative tasks.
- Data entry.
- CRM administration.
Education
Master of Global Studies - Crisis Management & Disaster Response
RMIT University
Melbourne, VIC12-2026
Bachelor of Arts - Politics and International Studies
The University of Melbourne
Melbourne, VIC12-2021
Skills
- Internal and external communications
- Content writing
- Industrial Relations
- Stakeholder and member engagement
- Partner and stakeholder relationship management
- Project management
- Problem solving
- Policy analysis
- Negotiation and diplomatic communication skills
- Research and data
- Critical thinking
- Strategic thinking
- Team leadership
- Data analysis
- Teamwork and collaboration
Internship at Early Learning Association Australia
- Advocacy team member
- Developed the research behind the organisations advocacy pillars, particularly around sector sustainability.
- Initiated surveys to collect data from members.
- Acted as a liaison for the department and members that were concerned about the vaccine mandate to assist in making the mandate transition easier.
- Worked in a team to host meetings and make presentations to both the organisation’s board and members.
- Participated in both research and admin capacities, gaining professional experience.
Hobbies and Interests
Swimming., Travel., Cooking., Live music and comedy.
Timeline
Project Advisor
Victorian Department of Education
05.2025 - Current
Policy and Projects Advisor
Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS)
05.2024 - 05.2025
Senior Advisor – Advocacy & Sector Engagement
Early Learning Association Australia (ELAA)
01.2024 - 05.2024
Industry Advisory Committee member
HumanAbility
10.2023 - 04.2024
Part-time Policy Officer
Aborigines Advancement League Inc
03.2022 - 08.2022
Fundraiser
Disability Sport and Recreation
01.2022 - 05.2022
Master of Global Studies - Crisis Management & Disaster Response
RMIT University
Bachelor of Arts - Politics and International Studies
The University of Melbourne
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