Chief Executive

Karinya House; Canberra; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 156,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PBI salary packaging

Annual leave loading

Employer-funded parental leave

Job summary

Karinya House in Canberra invites a values-led Chief Executive Officer to lead with purpose, uphold a culture of care and build on trusted government and philanthropic partnerships. The role focuses on stewardship, strategic delivery, and sustaining the organisation's distinctive approach to supporting women and their children.

You will guide a multidisciplinary team, work with the Committee on priorities, manage governance and risk, advocate for clients, and safeguard children, while overseeing

Qualifications

• Strong alignment with Ethic of Care, Vision, Mission and Values.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and fostering inclusive, respectful and effective workplaces.
• Strategic governance and financial capability, including working with a Committee or Board.
• Ability to build productive relationships, influence, advocate and secure partnerships across government, community and funding environments.
• Sound judgement in managing organisational resources, risk and sustainability.
• Demonstrated commitment to child safety, safeguarding and culturally safe practice, including working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
• Understanding of, and commitment to, Trauma-Transformative Practise Framework.

Responsibilities

• Champion the Ethic of Care, Vision, Mission and Values.
• Lead and empower a multidisciplinary team, fostering collaboration and a safe, respectful workplace.
• Work with Services Directors to ensure high-quality services and meaningful connections with the women supported.
• Partner with the Committee to deliver strategic priorities, governance and organisational sustainability.
• Strengthen government, community, philanthropic and corporate relationships, alongside advocacy and fundraising activities.
• Oversee financial performance, funding agreements, organisational risk, compliance and safeguarding.
• Support service improvement, innovation and positive outcomes for women and their children.

Skills

Leadership

Governance

Financial capability

Partnerships

Stakeholder management

Trauma-informed practice

Child safety

Job description

Lead with purpose, impact lives, and guide an organisation already making a meaningful difference in the lives of women and their children.

You’ll inherit a financially sound organisation, trusted government and philanthropic partnerships, and an experienced, passionate Executive Leadership Team and dedicated staff who are deeply committed to the work they do.

Rather than being tasked with turning an organisation around, your opportunity is to build on what is already working — providing steady, thoughtful leadership, protecting the distinctive culture of care and delivering strategic priorities.

For a values-led executive, this is a chance to combine meaningful community impact with genuine organisational stewardship, supported by capable colleagues and an engaged Committee.

Generous PBI salary packaging arrangements, annual leave loading and employer-funded parental leave add to the overall package.

What you’ll do

This appointment is as much about stewardship as it is about leadership - maintaining the stability, culture and relationships that underpin the organisation's success, while delivering its strategic plan and guiding continued development.

Specifically, you will:

• Champion the Ethic of Care, Vision, Mission and Values.
• Lead and empower a multidisciplinary team, fostering collaboration, reflexive praxis and a safe, respectful workplace.
• Work alongside the Services Directors to ensure high-quality services and maintain a meaningful connection with the women supported.
• Partner with the Committee to deliver strategic priorities, sound governance and organisational sustainability.
• Maintain and strengthen government, community, philanthropic and corporate relationships, alongside advocacy and fundraising activities.
• Oversee financial performance, funding agreements, organisational risk, compliance and safeguarding.
• Support service improvement, innovation and positive outcomes for women and their children.

What you’ll need

• Strong alignment with the organisation's Ethic of Care, Vision, Mission and Values.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and fostering inclusive, respectful and effective workplaces.
• Strategic, governance and financial capability, including working collaboratively with a Committee or Board.
• The ability to build productive relationships, influence, advocate and secure partnerships across government, community and funding environments.
• Sound judgement in managing organisational resources, risk and sustainability.
• Demonstrated commitment to child safety, safeguarding and culturally safe practice, including working respectfully with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
• Understanding of, and commitment to working from a Trauma-Transformative Practise Framework
• Previous CEO experience is not essential. We welcome experienced executives with the capability, values and readiness to take this next step.

About the organisation

For more than two decades, this specialist, non-government, non-religious and non-judgemental organisation has walked alongside women who are pregnant or parenting newborn babies and experiencing homelessness or other periods of crisis, providing residential accommodation, outreach case management and individualised support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

At the heart of its work is an Ethic of Care for the women it supports, its staff and volunteers, community partners and one another. Its approach is grounded in social justice, and works from a Trauma-Transformative Practise Framework, recognising women's strengths, autonomy and individual circumstances.

Diversity, inclusion and child safety

The organisation is committed to inclusive, culturally safe recruitment and welcomes applications from women of diverse backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, culturally and linguistically diverse women and women with disability.

Being female is a genuine occupational qualification under section 34 of the Discrimination Act 1991 (ACT).

The organisation is committed to child safety and wellbeing. Appointment is subject to relevant pre-employment checks, including Working with Vulnerable People registration, police and child protection checks, and other requirements under organisational policy.

Applicants must have the right to work in Australia.

We are working with a trusted community support organisation to find their next leader.

Position and remuneration

Employment: Ongoing, 70 hours per fortnight

Classification: SCHADS Award, Social and Community Services Employee Level 8

Remuneration: Approximately $150,218–$156,140 per annum including superannuation and current employer-funded loadings, based on 70 hours per fortnight

Benefits: PBI salary packaging arrangements, annual leave loading and employer-funded parental leave.

• $150,218–$156,140 including super& current employer-funded loadings, based on 70 hours /fortnight