Executive Director

Australian Furniture Removers Association (AFRA); Sydney; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Australian Furniture Removers Association (AFRA) is seeking an experienced Executive Director to lead AFRA and related entities from its Castle Hill offices. The role will drive governance, financial stewardship, membership growth and industry advocacy while coordinating with councils, boards and key partners.

You will balance strategic direction with hands-on execution, ensuring regulatory compliance and practical guidance for a diverse membership in a dynamic removals and storage sector.

Qualifications

• Proven executive or senior leadership experience in an association or not-for-profit environment.
• Strong financial governance and budget experience.
• Ability to translate regulation and policy into practical guidance for diverse membership.
• Excellent relationship-building and communication skills.
• Strategic mindset with ability to execute Council direction.
• Experience working with boards and committees.

Responsibilities

• Lead AFRA and related entities; act as principal governance adviser to Council and Boards.
• Oversee budgeting, investments and financial sustainability of all entities.
• Represent AFRA to government, regulators and media; build relationships with peak bodies and partners.
• Manage a small administration team and oversee the annual conference and Council meetings.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and reporting to authorities.
• Translate complex regulation into practical guidance for members.

Skills

Executive leadership

Governance

Financial acumen

Regulatory translation

Stakeholder relations

Strategic agility

Resilience

Industry exposure

Job description

For over three decades, the Australian Furniture Removers Association has been the peak body for excellence, professionalism and consumer confidence in the removals and storage industry. AFRA's approximately 220 accredited members represent more than half of the industry's national revenue, and the Association's reach extends internationally through the Australian International Movers Association (AIMA/IIMA), the peak body for cross-border moves.

AFRA is entering a pivotal chapter, transitioning from an incorporated association to a modern company structure ahead of anticipated regulatory change. This is a rare opportunity to lead an organisation with genuine industry influence, financial substance, and a clear mandate for the next phase of its evolution.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Reporting to the AFRA Council, the Executive Director is the professional face and operational leader of AFRA and its related entities, including AIMA, FIDI Australia, and the AFRA Foundation. The role carries a suite of statutory appointments (Public Officer, Company Secretary, Board Member) across these entities, making this a governance-rich role as much as an executive one.

You'll be stepping into an organisation with a strong foundation: a proud member-first culture, a well-run international division with deep institutional knowledge, and a Council that knows exactly what it needs from its next leader. This is not a role for someone looking to set unilateral strategy from day one; it's a role for a trusted operator who can execute Council direction with judgement, credibility and care.

WHAT MAKES THIS ROLE DISTINCTIVE

• A seat at the table on multiple boards: Company Secretary and Director responsibilities across AFRA, AFRA Foundation and AIMA provide real governance authority, not just an operational mandate.
• A meaningful social purpose: leadership of the AFRA Foundation and Support Fund, established to support families affected by tragedy within the industry. Empathy and genuine care are part of the job here, not just the culture deck.
• A hands-on, member-facing culture: this is a role for someone who stays close to the detail and enjoys direct engagement with members, rather than someone who has moved too far from the coalface.

WHAT YOU'LL OWN

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE

Lead the strategic direction and day-to-day management of AFRA and its related entities. Act as principal governance adviser to Council and Boards. Ensure compliance across multiple legal structures, including reporting to ASIC, NSW Fair Trading and the ACNC.

FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP

Own the budget, monitor performance, oversee investments and reserves, and ensure the financial sustainability of every entity under the AFRA umbrella, including signatory responsibility over significant international rebate disbursements.

MEMBERSHIP & INDUSTRY ADVOCACY

Lead membership strategy, growth and accreditation. Represent AFRA to government, regulators and media. Build and protect relationships with peak bodies and key commercial partners.

TEAM & OFFICE LEADERSHIP

Manage a small, close-knit administration team, own the annual conference and Council meetings, and keep the organisation running efficiently day to day.

COMPLIANCE, TRANSLATED

Turn complex and shifting regulation, from consumer law to the incoming Heavy Vehicle National Law changes, into clear, practical guidance members can actually act on.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

We're not looking for a technical compliance specialist or an international logistics expert; AFRA's experienced committees and long-tenured staff provide that depth. What Council needs is a leader who brings:

• Proven executive or senior leadership experience, ideally within an association, membership body, or not-for-profit environment
• Strong financial acumen and demonstrated budget and governance experience
• The ability to translate regulation and policy into practical guidance for a diverse membership base
• Genuine relationship-building skill, comfortable one-on-one, in small groups, and occasionally on stage
• Strategic agility balanced with a willingness to execute Council-set direction rather than set it independently
• Resilience and interpersonal savviness to navigate a competitive Council made up of industry operators
• Transport, logistics or removals industry exposure is a plus, but not a prerequisite; AFRA's history shows this role has been led successfully by talented outsiders

THE DETAILS

• LOCATION Office-based (Castle Hill)
• REPORTING LINE AFRA National Council
• DIRECT REPORTS Small administration team (up to four staff)