ALPA - General Manager, Community Services & Enterprise

Korn Ferry; Darwin; On-site; AUD 320,000 - 520,000; Full time

Job summary

Korn Ferry partners with ALPA to appoint a General Manager, Community Services & Enterprise, Darwin-based, leading a broad portfolio of programs and five commercial enterprises serving remote Arnhem Land communities.

The role reports to the CEO and steers strategic direction, governance, and operational performance, balancing commercial sustainability with community outcomes across employment, training, youth, education and social programs.

Qualifications

• Executive leadership across a complex division or service portfolio, P&L accountability and senior leadership experience.
• Strong commercial judgement, financial discipline and governance capabilities.
• Experience with government contracts, grants, reporting and compliance.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic direction and governance for ALPA’s Community Services and Enterprise divisions, ensuring sustainable growth and outcomes.
• Lead two diverse divisions, drive performance, manage budgets and forecasting.
• Engage with government agencies, funding bodies, Traditional Owners and stakeholders to advance ALPA’s One ALPA One Vision.
• Develop senior leaders and dispersed teams to deliver measurable community impact across remote areas.

Skills

Executive leadership

Financial management

Governance

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic planning

Contract management

Education

Postgraduate qualifications

Job description

Korn Ferry has partnered with our client on their search for the role, ALPA - General Manager, Community Services & Enterprise.

Darwin-based | Executive leadership | Commercial focus

• Purpose-led executive role with direct impact across First Nations communities
• Drive strategic growth, commercial sustainability, governance & ops excellence
• Shape the future: lead transformation, champion performance, deliver outcomes

The Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Corporation (ALPA) is Australia’s largest First Nations corporation supporting communities across remote Arnhem Land. ALPA is seeking a General Manager, Community Services & Enterprise to lead a broad portfolio of programs and businesses.

Reporting directly to the CEO and based at the Darwin Support Office, this executive leadership role is responsible for the strategic direction, governance, commercial sustainability and operational performance of ALPA’s Community Services and Enterprise divisions. The portfolio spans employment, training, youth, education, community engagement and social programs, alongside five commercial enterprises including a construction company providing housing to remote communities in East Arnhem Land.

The successful candidate will be an experienced executive who has led a major division, complex service portfolio or multiple business units. They will bring strong commercial judgement, financial discipline and a demonstrated ability to balance sustainable business performance with measurable community outcomes.

A sound understanding of government contracting will be ideal. This includes experience overseeing significant government-funded programs and managing the full contract lifecycle, from tendering and negotiation through to delivery, performance reporting, compliance, audits and acquittals. The General Manager will also be accountable for divisional budgets, forecasting, risk management, commercial performance and the development of sustainable growth opportunities.

As a member of the Executive Management Team, the General Manager will contribute to whole-of-organisation strategy, provide high-quality advice to the CEO and Boards, and build productive relationships with government agencies, funding bodies, Traditional Owners, community leaders and other key stakeholders. They will lead and develop senior leaders, strengthen accountability and workforce capability, and drive consistent performance across geographically dispersed teams under ALPA’s One ALPA One Vision approach.

The role requires a visible, collaborative and resilient leader who is comfortable operating across corporate, government and remote community environments.

Candidates will ideally demonstrate:

• Executive leadership across a complex division or service portfolio at minimum.
• Demonstrated strong commercial acumen and financial management capability.
• Experience managing government contracts, grants, compliance and reporting.
• Proven leadership of senior leaders and dispersed teams.
• Strong governance, communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to balance commercial performance with community outcomes.
• Genuine commitment to working with and for the betterment of First Nations communities in some of the most remote places in Australia.

Relevant tertiary or postgraduate qualifications will be highly regarded, along with a proven track record in senior leadership roles involving P&L accountability, business transformation, stakeholder engagement, commercial strategy, and sustainable organisational growth. Experience with NIAA-funded programs and working within remote and First Nations communities will be viewed favourably.

This is a rare opportunity to lead two diverse and strategically significant divisions, leveraging exceptional leadership, commercial judgement and operational excellence to deliver meaningful outcomes, build high-performing teams and create lasting value for the organisation and the remote communities it serves.

Applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples are warmly encouraged.