Work With Us
Who we are and our values
IWDA is a leading Australian organisation dedicated to advancing the rights of women, girls, and gender diverse people. We primarily work across Asia and the Pacific, currently expanding our work in Australia, contributing to the local feminist movement and collaborating across aligned movements – including First Nations, LGBTQIA+ and climate justice – to disrupt systems of power and resist attempts to undermine our rights.
IWDA works to secure funding for women’s rights and aligned organisations, working towards equality for those who are facing intersectional marginalisation such as People with Disabilities and LGBTQIA+ communities. Through equitable, values-led local and global partnerships, transformative research and bold advocacy, we collaborate to challenge deeply-rooted inequalities and create real, lasting change.
At IWDA you can contribute to our work via different career paths, including; Program Management and Coordination, Communications and Fundraising, Finance, Data, Research, Policy and Advocacy and a range of enabling roles. Our head office is in Naarm (Melbourne) but depending on the role, we have some colleagues based in other parts of Australia.
As a feminist organisation, how we work is as important as what we do. Our values are at the core of our unique identity and guide us in everything we do:
 |
We are inclusive and power aware, taking an intersectional and rights-based approach that not only addresses symptoms but also transforms the structures that underpin gender inequality. We centre collective care and wellbeing in all that we do as part of our work to dismantle systems of oppression in our practice and ourselves. |  |
 |
We are on a journey to decolonise our feminism and development practice, and continually take steps to acknowledge, dismantle, reimagine and transform the colonial structures that are present in all aspects of our work, our internal practice and within ourselves. |  |
 |
We are honest and transparent and are committed to evaluating and communicating the outcomes of our work with integrity. We are accountable to our partners, our supporters and, most of all, the diverse women we work with. |  |
 |
We build trusting relationships and strong partnerships as we believe that advancing together with women’s rights organisations and networks is crucial for achieving progressive change. |  |
 |
We are determined to make real, lasting improvements in women’s lives by working to transform the root causes of gender inequality and holding governments and decision makers accountable. |  |
Current Opportunities
Research shows that candidates from minoritised backgrounds often don’t apply for roles if they don’t meet all the criteria. If you are interested in a role and meet some of the criteria, we strongly encourage you to apply even if you do not tick every single box. Your unique perspective is a strength. We welcome applications from women, trans and gender diverse people, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from Culturally and Racially Marginalised (CARM) backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ people and people with Disabilities.
Back to top
Partnerships
IWDA is not currently recruiting in this area.
Knowledge Translation and Equality Insights
IWDA is not currently recruiting in this area.
Resource, Growth & Communications
IWDA is not currently recruiting in this area.
People, Finance & Operations
IWDA is not currently recruiting in this area.
Consultancies & Contract Opportunities
IWDA is not currently recruiting in this area.
Recruitment process
IWDA uses recruitment software that helps us to recruit the best candidates, regardless of their backgrounds. It challenges traditional hiring practices that perpetuate systemic bias.
When you apply for a role at IWDA, your application is de-identified which ensures our hiring decisions are based only on your skills. We have intentionally altered our hiring practices to create a diverse organisation in which everyone can safe, respected and have equal opportunities. We aim to include diverse representation of people on our interview panels, further supporting good hiring practices. If you have a question about our recruitment process or need any accommodations for an interview, please reach out to jobs@iwda.org.au .
Employee Benefits
|
|
As a feminist organisation, we believe – with purposeful intention and care – work can be meaningful, nourishing, inclusive and equitable for everyone.
We recognise that great benefits play an important role in attracting, retaining and motivating us at work. We are committed to offering our team members more than just a competitive salary for the work they do. IWDA offers a total benefits package that responds to each individual’s unique career, lifestyle and personal wellbeing needs and ambitions, with a strong focus on wellbeing, inclusion and development. We are constantly looking at ways to innovate in our work practices, we are currently trialing the Shorter Hours Experiment (a reduced working week, whilst keeping our regular pay i.e., working 4 days but being paid for 5). We are a predominantly Naarm (Melbourne) based organisation and we prefer all staff to be based in Victoria, unless there is a compelling rationale to support a remote-based role. Our Naarm-based colleagues work in a hybrid model and work from the office 1-2 days a week. |
Flexibility & Leave Options
 |
Our flexible work and leave options consider the needs of all team members, and recognise the importance of creating an environment where people feel safe to bring all of who they are to work, irrespective of race, gender identity, abilities, sexuality, age, parental and caring responsibilities, mental health considerations, chronic conditions, education and economic background. Our flexible working options are organised around where, when and how to work:
Our leave options are organised across:
|
Connection, Purpose & Community
 |
When joining IWDA, you are joining an organisation committed to advancing gender equality for all, contributing to social and racial justice. You will form part of a community of passionate, committed and purpose driven individuals.
|
Personal & Professional Development
 |
As a feminist organisation, we are committed to ongoing personal development and reflective practice. We offer numerous formal and informal learning and development opportunities at both the individual and organisational level.
|
Self & Collective Care
 |
As a feminist organisation, we are committed to ongoing personal development and reflective practice. We offer numerous formal and informal learning and development opportunities at both the individual and organisational level.
|
Inclusive & Equitable Culture
 |
A vibrant and psychologically-safe organisational culture that centres diversity, wellbeing, equity and dignity is critical to ensure IWDA is an inclusive and resilient workplace. Our team members are passionate, intelligent, collaborative and deeply caring. We strive for a team culture that is cohesive, friendly, inclusive, equitable, accountable and supportive.
|
Our culture
Since 2020 we have been in a deep cultural transformation journey towards anti-racism and we are committed to implementing people and culture practices centered in feminist, anti-racist and decolonial principles. These principles support IWDA to be a resilient, safe and progressive organisation with diverse, intersectional representation across all levels of our workforce. We want everyone that works at IWDA to feel safe, respected and valued to do their best work.
IWDA strives to demonstrate a different way of being in everything we do, from our internal culture to our systems and processes. We will make mistakes but we will take accountability and look for ways to repair and learn from them.
As a predominantly contract-funded organisation, IWDA is committed to providing job security where we can and, as such, we take an approach to employ staff on a permanent basis, unless a role meets specific criteria in which it would be fixed term. Most of our roles that are funded by grant contracts are employed on a permanent basis.
We provide a range of inclusive leave options, some examples include: Cultural, Ceremonial, and/or Sorry Business Leave , Invasion day swap for a day in NAIDOC week, Menstrual and Menopause leave, Substitution of public holidays, Gender affirmation leave , Leave to support employees with a disability.
We provide annual training and reflection for staff to support our commitment to being an anti-racist organisation, to learn about First Nations justice, LGBTIQA+ and disability inclusion.
We are working to address inequity in employment practices by reserving roles, where suitable,for women, trans and gender diverse people.
We are committed to continuing on this journey towards embedding feminist, anti-racist and decolonial principles in our culture, employment conditions, policies and systems.
Relevant strategies:
Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism | IWDA
Disability Inclusion Strategy
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Strategy
IWDA Position Paper On Trans Rights, Recognition And Self Determination | IWDA
 |
 |
 |
