Head of Transformation, Customer and Velocity

Virgin Australia; Sydney; On-site; AUD 250,000 - 330,000; Full time

Job summary

Virgin Australia is seeking a seasoned Head of Transformation, Customer and Velocity to translate strategy into delivery across the Customer and Velocity portfolios. You will influence senior leaders, shape priorities and drive complex, cross-functional initiatives in a high-growth airline environment.

This executive role reports to the GM, Strategy & Ventures, with a dotted line to the Chief Customer Officer, CEO Velocity, and may be based in Sydney or Brisbane with travel to Sydney

Qualifications

• 10+ years' experience in senior strategy, transformation or executive delivery roles.
• Proven ability to translate strategy into roadmaps, milestones and measurable outcomes.
• Experience leading transformation portfolios in a large organisation.
• Strong strategic, commercial and analytical judgement connecting customer, people and financial outcomes.
• Influence at senior levels even without direct authority.
• Excellent executive communication for Board and investment forums.
• Track record of anticipating risks and keeping multiple priorities moving.

Responsibilities

• Translate multi-year strategy into an integrated transformation roadmap and priorities.
• Partner with senior leaders to keep the leadership agenda focused on key priorities.
• Lead operating rhythm across Customer Division and Velocity with visibility of decisions and risks.
• Coordinate cross-functional delivery across Customer, Marketing, Product and Velocity.
• Oversee transformation milestones, paths, risks and benefits.
• Identify blockers and provide constructive challenge for timely decisions.
• Lead or co-lead high-priority projects from problem definition to implementation.
• Prepare clear materials and recommendations for executive and board reviews.
• Continuously improve planning, governance and use of technology for productivity.

Skills

Strategy translation

Executive communication

Leadership

Cross-functional delivery

Portfolio delivery

Agile ways of working

Risk management

Education

Bachelor's degree in business/commerce/economics/strategy

Job description

Head of Transformation, Customer and Velocity

At Virgin Australia, our ambition is to be Australia's most loved airline. To get there, we're focused on creating great experiences for our guests, building strong loyalty through Velocity Frequent Flyer and turning our strategy into meaningful results.

We're looking for an accomplished senior leader to join us as Head of Transformation, Customer and Velocity.

This is a highly influential role at the centre of the Customer and Velocity portfolios. You'll work closely with the Chief Customer Officer and CEO Velocity, helping translate strategic priorities into clear plans, bringing focus to the leadership agenda and ensuring our most important initiatives move from ambition to delivery.

What you'll be doing

This is a unique opportunity that blends the strategic partnership and executive coordination of a Head of Office role with the delivery focus of a Strategy and Transformation leader.

You'll work closely with senior executives to shape priorities, drive the leadership agenda and ensure the Customer and Velocity North Star strategy translates into meaningful outcomes. From influencing high-level decisions to leading complex transformation initiatives, you'll play a critical role in connecting strategy with execution across the Virgin Australia Group.

The role can be based in Sydney or Brisbane, with regular travel to Sydney required for Brisbane-based candidates. You will report to the GM, Strategy & Ventures, with a dotted line to the Chief Customer Officer, CEO Velocity.

If you're a senior leader who enjoys operating at the heart of executive decision-making, bringing clarity to complexity and turning strategic ambition into action, we'd love to hear from you.

You’ll:

• Translate our multi-year strategy into an integrated transformation roadmap, annual value creation plan and clear delivery priorities.
• Partner closely with the Chief Customer Officer, CEO Velocity and senior leaders to keep the leadership agenda focused on the priorities that matter most.
• Lead the operating rhythm across Customer Division (including Velocity), ensuring decisions, actions, risks and dependencies are visible and followed through.
• Bring together leaders across Customer, Marketing, Product, Velocity and the broader Virgin Australia Group to deliver complex, cross-functional priorities.
• Oversee transformation performance, including milestones, critical paths, dependencies, risks and benefits.
• Identify issues early, resolve blockers and provide constructive challenge to support timely, high-quality decision-making.
• Lead or co-lead selected high-priority projects on behalf of or in partnership with senior leaders, taking them from problem definition through to implementation.
• Prepare clear, high-quality materials and recommendations for executive, ELT, Board, investment and performance forums.
• Continuously improve how the division plans, governs and delivers work, including identifying opportunities to use technology and AI to lift productivity and decision quality.
• Lead and develop a small, high-performing team with a strong culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.

What you'll bring

You're an experienced senior leader who knows how to turn strategy into execution. You're comfortable operating with senior executives, navigating ambiguity and bringing structure to a broad and fast-moving portfolio.

You'll bring:

• 10+ years' experience in senior strategy, transformation, chief of staff, executive office, portfolio or program delivery roles.
• Demonstrated experience translating strategy into roadmaps, priorities, OKRs, milestones and measurable outcomes.
• Experience leading complex transformation portfolios and cross-functional delivery in a large organisation.
• Strong strategic, commercial and analytical judgement, with the ability to connect customer, people and financial outcomes.
• The ability to influence at senior levels, including where you don't have direct authority.
• Strong executive communication skills, with experience preparing Board, executive, investment or performance materials.
• A track record of anticipating risks, resolving complex issues and keeping multiple priorities moving at pace.
• Strong financial literacy and an understanding of how strategic initiatives translate into value.
• Experience leading and developing high-performing teams.
• A bachelor's degree in business, commerce, economics, strategy or a related discipline.

Experience in aviation, loyalty, retail, banking, digital platforms or another complex customer-led environment would be highly regarded, as would experience with Agile ways of working, benefits tracking, investment governance or transformation methodologies.

When everyone is included, everyone wins

We're all individuals. And we love that. That's why we encourage applications from Indigenous Australians, people with disability, those from diverse cultural backgrounds, our friends in the LGBTQI+ community, and anyone else who wants to join our family.

Applications close Wednesday, 11th November at 5pm EST.