Executive Director Governance, Strategy & Risk

Stride Mental Health; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Stride Mental Health is seeking an outstanding Executive Director Governance, Strategy & Risk to join our Executive Leadership Team. The role shapes the next phase of organisational development, reporting to the CEO, and connecting strategy with execution across governance, risk, and performance domains.

You will work with the CEO, Board and senior leaders to implement Stride's 2030 plan, mature reporting frameworks and drive growth and impact for communities across Australia.

Qualifications

• Significant senior executive experience in a complex, regulated organisation.

Responsibilities

• Lead implementation and performance monitoring of the Stride 2030 Strategic Plan.
• Mature governance, risk, quality, assurance, policy and compliance frameworks.
• Build evidence, evaluation, outcomes and organisational insights capabilities.
• Strengthen business development and strategic growth.
• Lead stakeholder engagement, advocacy and partnerships.
• Oversee marketing and communications to support strategic objectives.

Skills

Governance

Strategy

Risk management

Executive leadership

Education

Postgraduate governance qualification

Tertiary qualification in business/health/public administration

Tools

Board reporting tools

Data analytics

Job description

Work options: Hybrid

Role can be Sydney or Brisbane based

Executive Director Governance, Strategy & Risk

Sydney or Brisbane based/Hybrid

Stride Mental Health is entering an important new phase, with a refreshed long‑term strategy and an ambitious organisational transformation agenda focused on sustainable growth and better outcomes for the communities we serve.

We are seeking an outstanding Executive Director Governance, Strategy & Risk to join our Executive Leadership Team and help shape this next chapter.

Reporting directly to the CEO, this newly established role brings together a broad and strategically important enterprise portfolio spanning strategy and performance; governance, risk, quality and assurance; evidence and evaluation; business development; stakeholder engagement, advocacy and partnerships; and marketing and communications.

This is not a traditional governance or compliance role. We are looking for an enterprise leader who can connect strategy with execution, evidence with decision‑making, governance with accountability, and organisational capability with sustainable growth and impact.

You will work closely with the CEO, Board, Executive Team and senior leaders to:

• Lead implementation and performance monitoring of the Stride 2030 Strategic Plan, strengthening the connection between strategy, operating priorities and executive accountability.
• Continue to mature Stride’s governance, risk, quality, assurance, policy and compliance frameworks and strengthen Board and Executive reporting.
• Build Stride’s evidence, evaluation, outcomes and organisational insights capability, ensuring data and evidence inform decision‑making, service improvement and demonstrate impact.
• Strengthen business development and strategic growth capability, supporting opportunities that align with Stride’s strategy and purpose.
• Lead an integrated approach to stakeholder engagement, advocacy and partnerships, strengthening relationships with commissioners, government, sector partners and communities.
• Provide strategic leadership across marketing and communications, ensuring Stride’s external positioning, reputation and communications support its strategic objectives.

We are looking for an executive who combines strategic thinking with strong execution, can operate confidently at Board and Executive level, and has the judgement and curiosity to navigate complexity and constructively challenge thinking.

Significant senior leadership experience within a complex and regulated organisation is essential. Experience across community services, mental health, health, human services, disability, NDIS or the not‑for‑profit sector will be highly regarded.

This is an opportunity to build and shape a significant enterprise portfolio and play a central role in Stride’s next phase of organisational development.

If you are an Executive who wants to do more than maintain established systems - and instead help build stronger ones, strengthen organisational performance and contribute to meaningful community impact - we would like to hear from you.

Requirements

• Relevant tertiary qualification in governance, law, business, health, risk, strategy, public administration or a related discipline.
• Postgraduate qualification in governance, business, strategy, risk or a related discipline and/or Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors or equivalent governance qualification (highly desirable).
• Significant senior executive or senior leadership experience in a complex, regulated organisation, with demonstrated experience leading enterprise governance, strategy, risk, assurance, performance or related functions.
• Strong understanding of contemporary corporate governance, Board reporting, enterprise risk and assurance frameworks, and experience translating organisational strategy into measurable operational delivery.
• Strong analytical capability and ability to interpret complex organisational information, use evidence to inform decisions and translate complex matters into clear Executive and Board advice.
• Demonstrated experience leading significant organisational change and capability uplift and influencing senior executives, Boards and diverse organisational stakeholders.
• Demonstrated commitment to consumer‑centred, safe and accountable service delivery.
• Highly desirable: executive leadership experience in community services or the not‑for‑profit sector, including government‑funded, commissioned and/or diversified service models.
• Highly desirable: experience in mental health, community health, human services, disability, NDIS or other complex community‑based service delivery environments, including multi‑jurisdictional or geographically dispersed organisations.
• Highly desirable: direct experience with Boards and Board Committees, ACNC governance requirements, accreditation, quality and clinical governance, and organisational performance/outcomes frameworks.

Stride is committed to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable people. All applicants applying for roles within Stride must undergo required screening processes prior to their successful appointment.

Stride is an inclusive workplace and we encourage applications from diverse backgrounds. This includes but is not limited to people with a lived‑experience of mental health recovery, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, LGBTQIA+, and people with disabilities.

Applications will be viewed and actioned upon receipt, with a final closing date for applications on 02 October 2026. Please note the closing date may end sooner if we receive sufficient applicants.

For any queries please email [e-mail]