General Manager, Club and Member Development

Surf Life Saving Queensland Inc; City of Brisbane; Hybrid; AUD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary Packaging

Paid parental leave

Fitness Passport

Employee assistance program (EAP)

Onsite parking

Hybrid working options

Job summary

Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) is seeking a General Manager, Club and Member Development to lead the growth, sustainability and success of our clubs, members and volunteer network across Queensland. The role reports to the CEO and forms part of the Executive Leadership Team, shaping strategic direction and delivering practical solutions.

You will oversee club governance, regional engagement, membership, volunteer leadership, and youth pathways, while building strong relationships with clubs,

Qualifications

• Significant senior leadership experience leading diverse teams.
• Experience within membership, volunteer, community, sporting or not-for-profit organisations.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills with credibility at all levels.
• Experience supporting governance, organisational capability and sustainable performance.
• Strong commercial, financial and risk management capability.
• Excellent judgement, communication and emotional intelligence.
• Ability to navigate complex and sensitive stakeholder matters with professionalism.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership across club development, regional engagement, membership, volunteer leadership and governance.
• Ensure connections between clubs, branches and members while driving sustainability.
• Lead a high-performing team and foster a culture of service and continuous improvement.
• Advise the CEO and Board on matters impacting clubs, members, volunteers and regional communities.
• Develop strategies to grow membership and volunteer engagement and inclusion.

Skills

Senior leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Governance

Commercial/financial risk management

Communication

Emotional intelligence

Stakeholder management

Education

Relevant tertiary qualifications

Job description

General Manager, Club and Member Development

South Brisbane, Queensland 4101, Australia

Full-time Permanent Mid-level Senior

Description

Lead the future of one of Queensland's most respected volunteer movements!

We're seeking an exceptional leader to join our Executive Leadership Team as General Manager, Club and Member Development, leading the growth, sustainability and success of our clubs, members and volunteer network across Queensland. This is a rare opportunity to make a lasting impact on a purpose-driven organisation that plays a vital role in communities right across the state.

Why SLSQ?

• Contribute to an organisation that saves lives!
• Increase your take home pay with Salary Packaging
• Paid parental leave available
• Membership to Fitness Passport
• Employee assistance program EAP for health and wellbeing
• Convenient office location in South Brisbane
• Flexible and hybrid working options
• Onsite parking

What You'll Do:

Reporting directly to the CEO, you will provide executive leadership across club development, regional engagement, membership, volunteer leadership, governance, integrity support and youth pathways. You will ensure Surf Life Saving Queensland remains closely connected to its clubs, branches and members, while driving initiatives that strengthen club capability, volunteer engagement and long-term sustainability.

This role is both strategic and hands-on. You'll work alongside club leaders, volunteers, boards, branches and internal stakeholders to create practical solutions, build strong relationships and enhance the overall member experience.

Leading Club Health and Sustainability

• Strengthening the capability and long-term sustainability of Surf Life Saving Clubs and Supporter Clubs across Queensland.
• Supporting clubs to build strong governance, leadership, financial resilience and succession planning.
• Ensuring clubs receive responsive, practical and contemporary support tailored to their unique needs.

Driving Membership and Volunteer Engagement

• Developing strategies that attract, retain and engage members and volunteers.
• Creating meaningful opportunities for members to grow, contribute and remain connected throughout their SLS journey.
• Championing diversity, equity and inclusion across the movement.

Strengthening Regional and Branch Relationships

• Providing leadership to Regional Managers and regional teams.
• Building trusted partnerships with Branch Presidents, Boards and key stakeholders.
• Ensuring local challenges and opportunities inform state-wide decision making.

Governance, Integrity and Capability Building

• Supporting clubs with governance, compliance and organisational capability.
• Providing oversight of complaints, grievances and integrity matters.
• Delivering education and resources that help volunteer leaders and club committees succeed.
• Contributing to organisational strategy and business performance as a member of the Executive Leadership Team.
• Leading a high-performing team and fostering a culture of service, collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Advising the CEO and Board on matters impacting clubs, members, volunteers and regional communities.

About You:

• Significant senior leadership experience leading diverse teams and functions.
• Experience within membership, volunteer, community, sporting or not-for-profit organisations.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills with the ability to build credibility and trust at all levels.
• Demonstrated experience supporting governance, organisational capability and sustainable performance.
• Strong commercial, financial and risk management capability.
• Excellent judgement, communication and emotional intelligence.
• The ability to navigate complex and sometimes sensitive stakeholder matters with confidence and professionalism

Experience within Surf Life Saving, emergency services, sport or another federated membership organisation will be highly regarded, but is not essential. Relevant tertiary qualifications are desirable, and governance or legal expertise will be viewed favourably.

About SLSQ:

Surf Life Saving Queensland is a dynamic, purpose‑driven organisation committed to saving lives and building safer communities. Established in 1930, SLSQ now supports:

• 36,000+ members
• 57 surf lifesaving clubs
• 600+ staff
• Programs reaching 462,000+ community participants annually

Our proud history is built on volunteer dedication, community engagement and a lifelong commitment to beach safety.

Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) is committed to creating a fair, inclusive, and representative organisation. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, including women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, culturally and linguistically diverse individuals, people who identify as LGBTQIA+ and people with disability. We are proud to be recognised as an employer of choice for women by Work180.

Company Overview

Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) was formally established in 1930, is the governing body for surf lifesaving in Queensland and comprises of 57 affiliated surf lifesaving clubs in six regional branches which service more than 34,000 members. SLSQ employs over 550 people throughout Queensland and is an efficient and vibrant organisation.