Associate Director, Operations & Governance

Housing Australia; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Meaningful impact

Flexible hybrid work

Growth opportunities

Collaborative culture

Diversity & equal opportunity

Job summary

Housing Australia is seeking a seasoned executive support leader to back the Chief Operating Officer in a hybrid Sydney-based role. You will manage the COO’s diary, oversee board and committee secretariat tasks, and coordinate governance, risk reporting, and strategic initiatives across the Operations Group.

You will work with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring high standards of communication, autonomy, and professional judgement while supporting cross-divisional priorities.

Qualifications

• Substantial experience in a senior executive support, business management, or chief of staff role within a large or complex organisation.
• Demonstrated ability to operate with significant autonomy in a high-trust, high-discretion environment supporting C-suite leadership.
• Familiarity with governance, board and committee processes, and executive-level communications.
• Executive-level written and verbal communication skills across a broad range of formats and audiences.
• Exceptional organisational capability with the capacity to manage competing priorities without loss of quality.
• Sound strategic judgement and the confidence to act and decide on behalf of the COO’s office.
• Strong stakeholder management skills - credible and effective at senior and board levels.
• A tertiary qualification in business, management, or a related discipline is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day operation of the Office of the COO, coordinating executive office functions, board and committee processes, and communications.
• Establish systems and rhythms to ensure consistent, high-quality executive support.
• Manage the COO’s diary with strategic intent and forward planning.
• Draft and oversee correspondence on behalf of the COO, including sensitive or external-facing communications.
• Lead engagement with board and committees, manage governance calendar, and drive action tracking.
• Act as primary contact for the COO’s office, handling enquiries and relationships on the COO’s behalf.
• Model high standards of judgement, discretion, and professionalism across the office function.
• Coordinate reporting activities to ensure accurate, timely governance reporting.
• Coordinate risk and asset security reporting with executive leadership.
• Provide secretariat support for forums and committees chaired by the COO.
• Drive strategic initiatives with milestones and on-budget delivery.

Skills

Senior executive support

Autonomy

Governance & boards

Executive communication

Organization & multitasking

Strategic judgement

Stakeholder management

Education

Tertiary qualification in business/management

Job description

Introduction

Housing Australia is the Australian Government's independent housing delivery agency. It supports the delivery of Government programs to improve the supply of sustainable, long-term social and affordable housing, and supports home ownership for more Australians. Our purpose is to improve housing outcomes for Australians - so when you join us, you're not just building a career, you're building a better Australia.

Description

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer and working with a range of internal and external stakeholders, this role operates as a senior and trusted partner to the Chief Operating Officer, ensuring the Office of the COO functions with precision, professionalism, and strategic discipline. The role carries broad responsibility for the executive office function, asset security and risk reporting coordination, secretariat support for executive-level committees, and supports general business coordination across the Operations Group. The role acts with a high degree of autonomy and is trusted to represent and act on behalf of the COO’s office across a wide range of matters.

Executive Office Leadership

• Lead the day-to-day operation of the Office of the COO managing executive office functions, board and committee coordination, and communications. Support the general business coordination needs of the Operations Group, facilitating cross-divisional activity, tracking group-wide priorities, and ensuring operational matters are progressed and escalated appropriately.
• Establish systems and working rhythms that ensure consistent, high-quality executive support.
• Manage the COO’s diary with strategic intent, protecting time for priorities, resolving conflicts proactively, and ensuring the COO is well-prepared for all engagements.
• Draft and oversee correspondence and communications on behalf of the COO, including sensitive, board-level, and external-facing communications, maintaining the appropriate voice and standard.
• Lead the COO’s engagement with board and executive committees, running secretariat functions for the COO including executive-level committees as required - managing the governance calendar, overseeing paper preparation and quality, developing agendas, and driving rigorous action tracking through to completion.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for the COO’s office, exercising sound judgement in managing enquiries, requests, and relationships on the COO’s behalf.
• Model high standards of judgement, discretion, and professionalism across the office function.

Asset Security

• Coordinate the organisation’s asset security framework, ensuring policies, controls and practices remain current and fit for purpose.

Reporting

• Support and coordinate reporting activities, ensuring reporting to the COO and governance forums is accurate, timely and decision ready.
• Coordinate broader reporting and information flows across the Operations Group, ensuring consistency, quality, and timeliness of group-wide reporting to the COO and governance forums.

Risk

• Act as the key contact for internal audit and assurance activities, and for material asset security matters, liaising directly with the COO and executive leadership as required.

Secretariat and Meeting Management

• Provide secretariat management support for forums and committees chaired by the COO.
• Organise group and executive meetings, including agenda development and paper coordination.

Strategic Initiatives

• Drive strategic initiatives on request, including producing project milestones and actioning on time and to budget.

Skills and Experiences

• Substantial experience in a senior executive support, business management, or chief of staff role within a large or complex organisation.
• Demonstrated ability to operate with significant autonomy in a high-trust, high-discretion environment supporting C-suite leadership.
• Familiarity with governance, board and committee processes, and executive-level communications.
• Executive-level written and verbal communication skills across a broad range of formats and audiences.
• Exceptional organisational capability with the capacity to manage competing priorities without loss of quality.
• Sound strategic judgement and the confidence to act and decide on behalf of the COO’s office.
• Strong stakeholder management skills - credible and effective at senior and board levels.
• A tertiary qualification in business, management, or a related discipline is preferred.

What We Offer

Meaningful Impact: Contribute to Australia's housing solutions and work together with stakeholders who have a shared ambition to facilitate more housing for more Australians.

Flexible Work: Our hybrid operating model helps support work-life integration and fosters meaningful connection and collaboration.

Growth Opportunities: We invest in the development and wellbeing of our people to support personal and professional growth.

Collaborative Culture: Join a purpose-driven team that works as One Team supporting each other and striving for excellence.

We are an equal opportunity employer who values and celebrates diversity.