Chief Operations Officer

destinyrescue; Sunshine Coast Regional; Hybrid; AUD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary sacrificing benefits

Job summary

Destiny Rescue Australia is seeking an experienced Chief Operations Officer to lead our Australian operations, reporting to the CEO and Executive Team. You will steer Partnerships, Supporter Experience and core functions to drive sustainable growth while upholding the organisation’s mission to protect vulnerable children.

This role requires senior leadership, proven fundraising and stakeholder management, and a passion for not-for-profit impact.

Qualifications

• Significant senior executive experience at COO or equivalent.
• Proven track record translating strategy into execution.
• Experience leading fundraising growth, donor engagement and campaigns.
• Experience building and developing high-performing teams.
• Strong financial and operational judgement, budgeting and reporting.
• Experience working with CEOs, Boards and senior stakeholders.
• Not-for-profit or mission-driven sector familiarity.
• Strategic understanding of CRM, data and process improvement.
• Genuine alignment with Destiny Rescue’s mission and values.
• Willingness to travel nationally and internationally.

Responsibilities

• Lead executive strategy and growth with oversight of partnerships, supporter experience and broader operations.
• Drive cross-functional alignment across supporter journeys, campaigns, communications, advocacy and media.
• Oversee operational effectiveness across systems, processes and technology.
• Manage performance, budgets, governance, risk and regulatory obligations.
• Develop functional leaders and foster a high-performing, values-driven culture.
• Provide clear reporting to the CEO, Executive Team and Board, and represent Destiny Rescue with stakeholders.
• Manage a focused portfolio of major donors and long-term giving.

Skills

Senior leader

Strategy execution

Fundraising growth

Donor engagement

Team development

Budget & governance

Board reporting

Not-for-profit experience

CRM & data systems

Travel willingness

Job description

Chief Operations Officer – Destiny Rescue Australia

Executive Leadership | Sunshine Coast, Queensland | Hybrid

About Destiny Rescue

Destiny Rescue is a global Christian not-for-profit organisation that has restored hope to thousands of children affected by sexual exploitation and human trafficking through rescue operations and reintegration programs across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Our Australian office plays a vital role in supporting these international efforts through fundraising, advocacy, and donor engagement, enabling transformational change for vulnerable children around the world.

About the Role

We have an exciting opportunity for a Chief Operations Officer to join Destiny Rescue Australia and play a key role in our next stage of growth. Working closely with the CEO and Executive Team, you will provide executive leadership across Partnerships, Supporter Experience and broader operational functions, ensuring the organisation is aligned, effective and positioned for sustainable growth. This is an opportunity to bring your executive leadership and operational expertise to an organisation where the work has meaningful impact on the lives of vulnerable children.

Key Responsibilities

• Executive Leadership and Strategy: Work as part of the Executive Team to execute organisational strategy, priorities and growth, with oversight of Partnerships, Supporter Experience, fundraising and broader operations.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Drive alignment and collaboration across these functions, ensuring clear priorities, accountabilities and coordinated execution across supporter journeys, campaigns, communications, advocacy and media. Work with Heads of Function to establish clear acquisition, retention, income and engagement targets and ensure accountability for agreed outcomes.
• Operational Effectiveness: Lead continuous improvement across systems, processes, technology and ways of working to support efficiency and sustainable growth.
• Performance, Budget and Compliance: Oversee performance, financial and resource management, governance, risk and regulatory obligations, ensuring strong accountability and effective controls.
• Leadership and Organisational Capability: Lead and develop functional leaders, strengthening leadership capability and fostering a high-performing, values-aligned culture.
• Reporting and Representation: Provide clear reporting to the CEO, Executive Team and Board on performance, risks and strategic opportunities, and represent Destiny Rescue professionally with key stakeholders, at events and industry forums.
• Strategic Portfolio: Manage a focused portfolio of major donors and philanthropic partners, strengthening engagement, retention and long-term giving.

Who We Are Looking For

You are an experienced executive leader who brings strategic thinking, strong operational discernment and the ability to turn strategy into coordinated execution. You understand the drivers of organisational growth, including fundraising, partnerships, supporter engagement and income generation. You build trust, create clarity and develop leaders, while maintaining a strong focus on performance and organisational outcomes.

You are motivated by more than organisational performance. You have a genuine heart for the issue of child exploitation and want to use your leadership experience to contribute to Destiny Rescue’s mission and the impact it has on vulnerable children around the world.

Qualifications and Experience

• Significant senior executive experience at COO, General Manager or equivalent level, with accountability across multiple functions.
• Proven track record of translating strategy into execution and driving organisational performance and growth.
• Strong experience leading fundraising growth, acquisition, retention and supporter engagement, including supporter journeys, campaigns and income generation.
• Experience leading and developing senior leaders and building high-performing teams.
• Strong financial and operational judgement, including experience overseeing budgets, resources and organisational performance.
• Experience working with CEOs, Boards and senior stakeholders, including Executive and Board-level reporting.
• Experience in a not-for-profit, fundraising or mission-driven organisation.
• Strategic understanding of systems, data, CRM and process improvement.
• Genuine alignment with Destiny Rescue’s mission, vision and values.
• Willingness to travel nationally and internationally.

What We Offer

• Opportunity to contribute to an organisation making a measurable global impact for vulnerable children.
• Work with an internationally recognised organisation with a clear and compelling mission.
• Senior executive influence and the opportunity to help shape the next stage of organisational growth.
• Travel and engage firsthand with programs and communities, experiencing the impact of your work.
• Competitive executive salary package with salary sacrificing benefits.

Destiny Rescue has the highest commitment to child safety. A police check is required for the successful applicant. Applicants must be currently residing in Australia with full working rights. As a child-safe organization, Destiny Rescue is committed to safeguarding children and preventing all forms of abuse, exploitation, harassment, misconduct, and unethical behavior. All employees are required to comply with our Code of Conduct and safeguarding policies.

Employment is subject to satisfactory reference and screening checks. Destiny Rescue participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, through which we may request information from previous employers regarding any substantiated findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, sexual harassment or other serious misconduct, as well as ongoing investigations at the time employment ended. By submitting an application, applicants acknowledge and consent to these recruitment and screening processes. For more information, visit the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme website: https://misconduct-disclosure-scheme.org/