EOI – Community Member
The Section of Perinatal and Infant Psychiatry (SPIP)
About the role
Tenure: Remunerated appointment (three-year term)
Location: Remote – open to applicants in Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand
The Section of Perinatal and Infant Psychiatry (SPIP) is seeking to appoint a community representative to provide input and guidance from a lived experience perspective.
The community member will be an active participant in the RANZCP Section of Perinatal and Infant Psychiatry (SPIP), which is dedicated to supporting the mental health of infants and parents throughout the perinatal period.
As part of SPIP, the community member will contribute to advancing the Section’s aims, including:
- Promoting the objectives of the College in the field of perinatal and infant psychiatry.
- Advising on training programs and professional development opportunities in perinatal and infant psychiatry.
- Supporting and disseminating research to enhance understanding and care in this specialty.
- Contributing to and promoting the highest standards of clinical practice for the benefit of parents, infants, and families.
The community member brings expertise and commitment to improving perinatal mental health outcomes and supporting the professional community in this vital area.
Key Responsibilities
- Attend and actively contribute to scheduled meetings (SPIP meets four times per year – three one-hour virtual meetings and one face-to-face meeting).
- Provide lived-experience input from a consumer and/or carer perspective to inform the group’s work and discussions.
- Review meeting papers and provide written input between meetings as required
- Work collaboratively with committee members, the Chair and RANZCP staff
- Adhere to RANZCP policies, including confidentiality and conflict of interest requirements
For more details, please refer to the position description (copy and paste link into browser):
https://www.ranzcp.org//getmedia/69cbcd26-dca5-430b-8f01-ce3eb37e47ff/PD-Community-Member-20260115.pdf
What you’ll bring
- Lived or living experience as someone who has engaged with psychiatric services, or as a carer or supporter of someone who has engaged with psychiatric services
- An interest in contributing to improvements in psychiatry training, policy, and practice
- Ability to reflect on and communicate lived-experience insights in a way that informs professional discussions and supports improvements to the group’s work
- Commitment to actively participate in scheduled meetings, with an average time commitment of three one-hour virtual meetings and one face-to-face meeting.
- Alignment with RANZCP values and commitment to confidentiality
- Australian or New Zealand citizenship, or valid Australian work rights
- Independence from RANZCP employment (current employees are not eligible to apply)
- Previous experience in committees, advisory roles, or relevant lived-experience advocacy is welcome but not required
Some of what’s on offer:
- Remuneration for committee participation (sitting fees and expense reimbursement)
- Payment is provided in line with the RANZCP Community Member Remuneration Policy, available at: https://www.ranzcp.org/getmedia/7c0dda88-c3c2-4d1b-9284-062d02a4837d/POL-RANZCP-Community-Member-Remuneration-Policy-July-2025.pdf
- Flexible participation, with virtual meeting options
- Support to participate effectively as a Community Member, including clear information, pre-meeting briefings, and accessibility adjustments where needed
- Opportunity to influence psychiatry training and professional practice
- A values-led, inclusive and culturally safe environment
- Purpose-driven work that contributes to better mental health outcomes
How to express an interest
To express an interest, please submit a brief resume and a short statement or cover letter outlining:
- Your interest in the role
- Your lived experience (as you feel comfortable sharing)
- Skills relevant to the role and how you would draw on your lived experience
- Your location and availability for virtual meetings
We encourage applicants to review the Position Description before applying. For enquiries, please contact recruitment@ranzcp.org. No agencies, please.
Diversity and Inclusion
At the RANZCP, we are committed to fostering a workplace where diversity, inclusion, and authenticity are celebrated. We warmly welcome expressions of interest from people of all backgrounds – including First Nations peoples, LGBTQIA+ communities, neurodivergent individuals, and people of all ages, ethnicities, faiths, and lived and living experiences. We value and embrace what makes you uniquely you.
We strongly encourage applications from people with lived and living experience of mental health challenges, and from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and Māori. We recognise and value the knowledge, perspectives and cultural strengths that diverse communities bring to our work and are committed to creating a culturally safe and inclusive environment for all.
Applications close: 5PM, 26 March.
(Please note the advertisement may remain visible after the closing date due to platform settings.)
