Client Services Director

Carpentaria; Darwin; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive executive base salary + 12

Relocation assistance

Vehicle with home garaging

Mobile phone and laptop

Parking space at Harry’s Place

Professional development funding

Job summary

Carpentaria in Darwin, NT, seeks an executive leader to hold strategic and operational accountability for its disability service portfolio across the Northern Territory, including 24/7 SIL and complex supports. The role drives financial performance, safeguarding, risk management and regional operations, ensuring service continuity and high-quality outcomes for participants.

You will translate strategy into person-centred, rights-based service delivery, lead a dispersed management team, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree or higher in Disability, Human Services, Social Work, Psychology, Nursing, Allied Health, Community Services, Health Management or another relevant human services discipline.
• Substantial senior leadership experience in disability services with knowledge of contemporary practice and NDIS requirements.
• Experience managing geographically dispersed, multi-site disability service portfolios including 24/7 services.
• Proven capability managing large operational budgets, financial performance and occupancy.
• Strong knowledge of NDIS Practice Standards, safeguarding, incident management and risk frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Hold strategic and operational accountability for Carpentaria's disability service portfolio across the Northern Territory, including 24/7 SIL, complex and non-complex supports, Pathways and regional operations.
• Translate organisational strategy into person-centred, rights-based and consistently delivered services across the portfolio.
• Ensure operational stability, service continuity and strong performance across all programs and regional sites, including after-hours escalation and business continuity for 24/7 services.
• Drive financial performance and sustainable service delivery with oversight of budgets, occupancy and workforce costs.
• Maintain safeguarding integrity and executive oversight of participant safety, incident management, complaints and continuous quality improvement.
• Lead risk management and address risks threatening safety, compliance, financial sustainability or reputation.
• Lead and develop the service management team, clarifying accountabilities and fostering cohesive teamwork toward outcomes.

Skills

NDIS Knowledge

Senior Leadership

Budget Oversight

Risk & Safeguarding

Governance & Compliance

Strategic Planning

People Management

Education

Bachelor or higher in Disability/Human Services/Health Management

Job description

• Hold strategic and operational accountability for Carpentaria's disability service portfolio across the Northern Territory, including 24/7 SIL, complex and non-complex supports, Pathways and regional operations.
• Translate organisational strategy into person-centred, rights-based and consistently delivered services across the portfolio.
• Ensure operational stability, service continuity and strong performance across all programs and regional sites, including effective after-hours escalation and business continuity arrangements for 24/7 services.
• Drive financial performance and sustainable service delivery, including oversight of budgets, occupancy, participant funding utilisation, workforce costs and responsible growth.
• Maintain safeguarding integrity and provide executive oversight of participant safety, incident management, restrictive practices, complaints, reportable incidents and continuous quality improvement.
• Lead proactive risk management by identifying, escalating and addressing risks that could threaten participant safety, service continuity, regulatory compliance, financial sustainability or organisational reputation.
• Lead and develop the service management team, clarifying accountabilities and ensuring managers and teams work cohesively toward participant outcomes and organisational priorities.
• Bachelor degree or higher in Disability, Human Services, Social Work, Psychology, Nursing, Allied Health, Community Services, Health Management or another relevant human services discipline.
• Substantial senior leadership experience in disability services, with demonstrated knowledge of contemporary disability practice, safeguarding and NDIS requirements.
• Demonstrated senior leadership experience managing geographically dispersed, multi-site disability service portfolios, including 24/7 residential or accommodation-based services for people with complex and non-complex support needs.
• Proven capability managing large operational budgets, financial performance, occupancy and cost ratios within funded service environments.
• Strong working knowledge of the NDIS Practice Standards, NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission requirements, incident management and reportable incidents, behaviour support and restrictive practices, the SCHADS Award and workforce cost drivers, and contemporary risk and safeguarding frameworks.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, coach and hold to account multiple layers of operational management responsible for large, dispersed and continuously operating workforces.
• Experience balancing participant outcomes and choice, safeguarding, service continuity, workforce sustainability, financial performance and responsible growth in complex service environments.
• Demonstrated capability in providing structured reporting to the Executive and contributing to Board-level assurance.
• Strong commercial acumen, with the ability to interpret financial performance and implement corrective action.
• Sound judgement and decision-making, with the ability to perform effectively under regulatory and reputational pressure.
• Current Ochre Card, Criminal History Check, NDIS Worker Screening Clearance, NDIS Worker Orientation Module, First Aid & CPR Certificate and NT Driver Licence.

Tasks And Responsibilities

• Hold strategic and operational accountability for Carpentaria's disability service portfolio across the Northern Territory, including 24/7 SIL, complex and non-complex supports, Pathways and regional operations.
• Translate organisational strategy into person-centred, rights-based and consistently delivered services across the portfolio.
• Ensure operational stability, service continuity and strong performance across all programs and regional sites, including effective after-hours escalation and business continuity arrangements for 24/7 services.
• Drive financial performance and sustainable service delivery, including oversight of budgets, occupancy, participant funding utilisation, workforce costs and responsible growth.
• Maintain safeguarding integrity and provide executive oversight of participant safety, incident management, restrictive practices, complaints, reportable incidents and continuous quality improvement.
• Lead proactive risk management by identifying, escalating and addressing risks that could threaten participant safety, service continuity, regulatory compliance, financial sustainability or organisational reputation.
• Lead and develop the service management team, clarifying accountabilities and ensuring managers and teams work cohesively toward participant outcomes and organisational priorities.

Essential Criteria

• Bachelor degree or higher in Disability, Human Services, Social Work, Psychology, Nursing, Allied Health, Community Services, Health Management or another relevant human services discipline.
• Substantial senior leadership experience in disability services, with demonstrated knowledge of contemporary disability practice, safeguarding and NDIS requirements.
• Demonstrated senior leadership experience managing geographically dispersed, multi-site disability service portfolios, including 24/7 residential or accommodation-based services for people with complex and non-complex support needs.
• Proven capability managing large operational budgets, financial performance, occupancy and cost ratios within funded service environments.
• Strong working knowledge of the NDIS Practice Standards, NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission requirements, incident management and reportable incidents, behaviour support and restrictive practices, the SCHADS Award and workforce cost drivers, and contemporary risk and safeguarding frameworks.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, coach and hold to account multiple layers of operational management responsible for large, dispersed and continuously operating workforces.
• Experience balancing participant outcomes and choice, safeguarding, service continuity, workforce sustainability, financial performance and responsible growth in complex service environments.
• Demonstrated capability in providing structured reporting to the Executive and contributing to Board-level assurance.
• Strong commercial acumen, with the ability to interpret financial performance and implement corrective action.
• Sound judgement and decision-making, with the ability to perform effectively under regulatory and reputational pressure.
• Current Ochre Card, Criminal History Check, NDIS Worker Screening Clearance, NDIS Worker Orientation Module, First Aid & CPR Certificate and NT Driver Licence.

Preferred Criteria

• Experience operating in regional or remote service contexts.
• Experience leading both SIL and day program services, including services supporting people with high and complex support needs.
• MBA or postgraduate qualification in leadership, governance or health management.

Remuneration And Benefits

A generous remuneration package is available for the successful candidate, including:

• Competitive executive base salary + 12% super
• Salary packaging available (through Paywise)
• Professional development and executive leadership funding
• A mobile phone and laptop
• Access to a fully serviced shared vehicle, for use in the execution of role and entitlement to full private use of the vehicle including home garaging
• An allocated underground parking space at the Harry’s Place precinct
• Relocation assistance (where applicable)

Contacts and further information

For further information please see the role profile - https://carpentaria.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Role-Profile-Director-of-Client-Services-1.pdf

For the position description please access https://carpentaria.org.au/wp-content/uploads/PD-Director-of-Client-Services-September-2026.pdf

For questions or to express your interest in this unique opportunity, contact Kirrily Freson, Director of People and Learning on [e-mail] or 0438 718 423.

Further information about Carpentaria is available at carpentaria.org.au