Director of Executive Operations and Company Secretary

Barker College; Sydney; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Barker College invites a senior leader to serve as Director of Executive Operations & Company Secretary, reporting to the COO with a direct line to the Chair of Council. The role leads governance and executive operations across multiple functions, embodying discretion and strategic execution.

Responsibilities include Secretary duties, coordinating governance cycles, and delivering executive reporting. The role emphasizes integrity, collaboration, and aligning with the school’s Christian ethos.

Qualifications

• Bachelor-level degree or equivalent professional experience in a relevant discipline.
• Governance qualifications desirable.
• Proven capability in executive operations, governance support, strategy delivery or complex coordination.
• High-level written communication and board prep experience.

Responsibilities

• Act as Company Secretary to the School Council and ensure compliance with governance obligations.
• Coordinate governance processes: agendas, papers, minutes, resolutions, action tracking and decision registers.
• Maintain governance records and statutory registers with integrity and access controls.
• Coordinate annual governance obligations, including reporting cycles and policy reviews.
• Serve as governance liaison between Council, Committees and Executive; support the Chair, Head of Business Operations and COO.
• Support COO with governance briefings, correspondence and strategic advice.
• Promote governance best practices across documentation, reporting and information governance.

Skills

Executive operations

Governance & board support

Strategy delivery

Cross-functional coordination

Communication skills

Discretion & integrity

Education

Business Administration/Management/Finance degree

Governance qualifications desirable

Job description

People & Culture

Position Description

Director of Executive Operations & Company SecretaryOVERALL PURPOSE OF THE POSITIONThe Director of Executive Operations & Company Secretary is a senior operational leadership role that serves the mission of the School by enabling effective functioning of the School’s executive and governance processes.The role reports operationally to the Chief Operating Officer, with a direct functional reporting line to the Chair of Council in relation to Company Secretariat and governance matters.Acting as a trusted adviser and central point of coordination, the role exercises leadership through service, wisdom and accountability, working laterally across the Business Operations functions to enable clarity and accountability and supporting leaders to work diligently and steward resources responsibly.The Director of Executive Operations is expected to actively support and embody the Christian ethos of the School through their professional practice and leadership.

PRIMARY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Executive, Council and Company Secretary

• Act as Company Secretary to the School Council, ensuring compliance with all statutory, regulatory and governance obligations.
• Lead the coordination, preparation and quality assurance of Council, Committee and Key Leadership Team governance processes, including agendas, papers, minutes, resolutions, action tracking anddecision registers.
• Maintain governance records, statutory registers, declarations and related documentation, ensuring accuracy, integrity and appropriate access controls.
• Coordinate annual governance obligations, including reporting cycles, director attestations, policy reviews and compliance monitoring.
• Serve as the primary governance liaison between the Council, Committees and Executive, ensuring timely information flow, alignment of expectations and effective communication.
• Support the Chair, Head of Business Operations and COO through governance briefings,correspondence and strategic advice.
• Promote governance best practice across documentation, reporting, recordkeeping, privacy and information governance frameworks.

COO Priority Management and Delivery

• Act as a trusted adviser to the COO on executive operations, organisational effectiveness and strategic execution.
• Lead or support strategic initiatives, reviews and transformation projects on behalf of the COO.
• Translate strategic priorities into coordinated workplans, milestones and accountability frameworks across Business Operations.
• Establish disciplined processes to monitor progress, manage interdependencies, identify risks and provide executive reporting on delivery outcomes.
• Prepare high-quality briefings, presentations and supporting materials for Executive, Council and stakeholder engagements.

Operational Integration

• Support the conversion of strategic priorities into operational plans, projects and performance measures across Business Operations.
• Monitor implementation progress and provide oversight of alignment, sequencing, capacity and organisational readiness.
• Facilitate collaboration across functions, reducing duplication and improving consistency in project delivery, executive reporting and decision-making practices.
• Support annual and multi-year planning processes to ensure operational priorities remain aligned to strategic objectives.

ESSENTIAL PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL ATTRIBUTES

• Ability to operate within a complex, multi‑stakeholder governance environment, requiring discretion, sound judgement and alignment with the values of an independent school setting
• Experience acting as Company Secretary, or supporting Board/Council governance at a senior level
• Executive presence with a calm, credible and enabling style.
• Strong relational capability and influence without line management.
• High integrity, confidentiality and professional judgement.
• Pragmatic, solution focused and delivery oriented.
• Alignment with the values and Christian ethos of the school
• Significant experience in executive operations, governance support, strategy delivery or complex organisational coordination
• Strong understanding of governance principles and executive decision‑making rhythms.
• Proven ability to track delivery across multiple priorities without direct authority.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with strong judgement and discretion.
• Highly organised, detail oriented and able to manage competing demands in a high trust

QUALIFICATIONS

• Tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline such as Business Administration, Management, Strategy or Finance, or equivalent professional experience.
• Governance qualifications through the Governance Institute of Australia desirable
• Demonstrated professional capability in executive operations, governance support, strategy delivery or complex organisational coordination
• High level written communication capability, including experience preparing Executive and Board

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

• Chair of Council
• Head of Barker College
• Chief Operating Officer
• Business Operations Leaders and Managers
• PA to COO
• External consultants as directed

Child SafetyBarker College has an abiding commitment to the safety, protection and well‑being of all children and young people in our care. All staff members will be held accountable for ensuring adherence to the policies of the School, in particular those relating to the safeguarding of children. General Breaches to a staff member’s responsibilities and/or authority will be managed through the School’s Disciplinary Management Procedures. This defined accountability is underpinned by Barker College’s Code of Conduct and the Complaints Procedures.

Work Health and SafetyAll staff members will be held accountable for their actions and omissions where it affects their own or another person’s workplace safety

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

• Attendance at early morning, evening or occasional weekend meetings, including Board or committee meetings were directed by the COO
• Availability during peak planning, budgeting or strategic cycles.