Chief Executive Officer

NGO Recruitment; Sydney; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Executive coaching

Flexible working arrangements

Leadership alignment with board

Competitive salary + super

Job summary

Caretakers Cottage is seeking an accomplished chief executive to lead a 40‑strong team in Sydney, guiding strategic growth, governance and sustainable funding. The role emphasizes safeguarding, high-quality services for children and young people, and close collaboration with the board and leadership team.

The new CEO will balance strategic thinking with hands-on operational leadership, drive outcomes, and strengthen partnerships with government, funders and community stakeholders to ensure

Qualifications

• Experience at executive/senior leadership level within the not-for-profit or community services sector.
• Proven governance, risk and stakeholder engagement capabilities.
• Commitment to safeguarding, trauma-informed and culturally safe practice.

Responsibilities

• Partner with the board on governance, risk and organisational sustainability.
• Strengthen outcomes measurement and impact reporting.
• Develop leadership capability and foster a positive organisational culture.
• Champion child safety, safeguarding and quality practice while supporting service development and growth.

Skills

Executive leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Governance & risk

Trauma-informed practice

Job description

• Lead a respected youth services organisation with 50 years of impact
• Partner with the board to drive strategy, growth & operational capacity
• Suits candidates from OOHC, homelessness, housing and related sectors | Sydney

About the Organisation

Caretakers Cottage supports children and young people through out-of-home care, youth homelessness, transitional housing programs and early intervention services in Eastern, Inner and Southern Sydney. Established in 1977, the organisation has built a strong reputation for supporting vulnerable young people, including those with complex needs who may not readily engage with traditional service systems.

With 40 staff and a strong values-based culture, Caretakers Cottage is known for its flexible, child-centred approach, commitment to safeguarding, and focus on achieving meaningful outcomes for children and young people.

Following the retirement of its founding CEO after more than 50 years of service, the board is seeking an exceptional leader to build on this legacy and guide the organisation into its next phase of impact and sustainability.

Benefits and Culture

• $180,000 - $220,000 + Super & Packaging (expectations outside of this range will be considered)
• Work alongside a passionate and committed leadership team
• Board-funded executive coaching or peer supervision
• Flexible working arrangements by negotiation

The Role

You will provide strategic, operational and cultural leadership and will be responsible for performance, financial sustainability, safeguarding, service quality, workforce leadership and stakeholder engagement.

This is a unique opportunity to lead a well-established organisation through an important leadership transition while helping strengthen its impact, sustainability and future growth. The role will suit a values-driven leader who enjoys balancing strategic thinking with hands‑on operational leadership.

You will also:

• Partner with the board on governance, risk and organisational sustainability
• Strengthen outcomes measurement and impact reporting
• Develop leadership capability and foster a positive organisational culture where advancement is supported
• Champion child safety, safeguarding and quality practice while supporting innovative service development and growth
• Build relationships with government, funders, community partners and sector stakeholders and drive funding diversification, philanthropy and long‑term sustainability.

Skills and Experience Required

You are an accomplished and authentic leader who combines strong business acumen with a genuine commitment to children, young people and community impact. You will be relationship-focused, emotionally intelligent and confident leading within a complex, government‑funded service environment.

You have experience at the executive/senior leadership level within the not‑for‑profit, community services, housing, homelessness or related sectors.

You will also have:

• Experience working with boards and governance frameworks, with the ability to navigate risk, compliance and complex stakeholder environments
• Strong relationship‑building and influencing skills, with experience engaging government, funders, partners and community stakeholders to achieve positive outcomes and organisational sustainability
• A commitment to safeguarding, trauma‑informed and culturally safe practice, with the leadership capability to guide organisational change, strengthen impact and support better outcomes for children and young people.

If you are a values‑led executive with the vision, leadership capability and commitment to make a lasting difference, we would welcome your application.

Caretakers Cottage strongly encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally diverse backgrounds, people with disability, and people with lived experience of systems affecting children, young people, families or homelessness.

NGO Recruitment values equitable recruitment practices and is committed to representing candidates reflective of the diverse organisations and communities we work with. We welcome and encourage applications from all backgrounds, ages, and identities, and are happy to adjust our recruitment process to support accessibility needs.