Chief Operating Officer

Luminary; City of Brisbane; On-site; AUD 300,000 - 380,000; Full time

Job summary

Luminary is seeking a Chief Operating Officer to lead national operations and an integrated commercial portfolio within a large, multi-site human services organisation. The role reports to the CEO and sits on the Executive Leadership Team, with primary accountability for the operating P&L across the national network.

You will own the operating plan and budget, drive revenue, EBITDA and margin improvements, and ensure safety and quality are non-negotiable.

Qualifications

• Senior executive with full P&L accountability in a distributed, multi-site environment.
• Proven track record delivering revenue, EBITDA and margin growth with safety and quality outcomes.
• Experience deploying operating models, transformation and large-scale integration.

Responsibilities

• Own operating P&L, annual operating plan and budget, delivering revenue and margin improvement.
• Prioritise safety in all growth, cost and operating decisions with first line controls.
• Integrate marketing, commercial and field operations into a single customer journey to drive occupancy, revenue and retention.
• Develop accountable leadership across states, areas and sites with clear roles and succession planning.
• Drive labour productivity, cost discipline and forecast accuracy while maintaining service quality.
• Lead readiness and integration for acquisitions and major change; deputise for the CEO when needed.

Skills

P&L accountability

multi-site leadership

safety and quality focus

transformation & integration

boardroom influence

Job description

Our client is a large, national organisation operating an extensive multi-site network across Australia, delivering essential, high trust services to local communities. Operating in a regulated human services environment, the organisation is committed to safe, superior quality service delivery and is investing in its leadership, operating model and commercial capability to support sustainable growth.

They are seeking a Chief Operating Officer to lead national operations and an integrated commercial portfolio, bringing safety, quality, customer and financial performance together under one accountable executive.

About the Role

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Executive Leadership Team, the Chief Operating Officer holds primary accountability for the operating P&L across the national network. The portfolio spans state operations, commercial, marketing and property, with State Managers and General Managers reporting directly to the role.

• Owning the operating P&L, annual operating plan and budget, and delivering revenue, EBITDA and margin improvement
• Making safety the overriding priority in every growth, cost and operating decision, with strong first line controls, early escalation and sustained remediation
• Integrating marketing, commercial and field operations into one customer journey that converts demand into sustainable occupancy, revenue and retention
• Building an accountable state, area and site leadership chain through clear roles, coaching, a consistent operating rhythm and succession planning
• Driving labour productivity, cost discipline and forecast accuracy while protecting service quality and standards
• Leading operational readiness and integration for acquisitions, new sites and major change
• Contributing to enterprise strategy, investment and portfolio decisions, and deputising for the CEO when required

About You

You are a senior executive who has led a large, distributed, multi-site human services organisation with full P&L accountability.

You bring:

• A proven record of delivering revenue, EBITDA and margin growth alongside strong safety, quality and people outcomes
• Experience in a regulated or high-trust sector where safety and quality are non-negotiable
• Demonstrated success deploying operating models, leading transformation and integrating businesses at scale
• Fluency in the drivers of customer demand, pricing, labour and margin, and the discipline to turn insight into results
• A track record of leading leaders, not just teams, and holding them to clear accountability
• Sound enterprise judgement to make whole‑of‑business trade‑offs, and the composure to hold standards under pressure
• Credibility and influence with Boards, shareholders and stakeholders at every level of the business
• A curious, low‑ego, calm and decisive leadership style

The role involves regular interstate travel and will require the successful candidate to obtain relevant probity and background clearances.

Why This Role?

This is a rare opportunity to take on a broad, enterprise-level mandate in an organisation where the work genuinely matters. With a clear operating framework, a committed executive team and the mandate to lift performance across a national network, it is an ideal role for a leader who combines commercial rigour with an uncompromising commitment to safety and quality, and who wants the scope to grow their enterprise leadership over time.

A competitive executive remuneration package, including a short‑term incentive, will be offered.

This search is strictly confidential. Further details will be shared once there is a good alignment with the role. An NDA will be required in order to access more specific details.

Applications close: Midnight, Sunday 25th October

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