Executive Director Assurance and Accreditation

Return to Life Without Barriers; Sydney; Hybrid; CAD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading social purpose organization is seeking a Director to manage risk-based assurance and continuous improvement in governance. You will engage with stakeholders, lead a team, and ensure compliance with quality standards across service delivery. This role requires strong leadership, deep understanding of governance, and experience in the community services sector, set within a flexible work environment.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Competitive salary with salary packaging benefits

Qualifications

• Proven ability to manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality outcomes.
• Expert knowledge of relevant legislative and regulatory environments.
• Expertise in risk and assurance systems specific to community services.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Assurance and Accreditation strategy, ensuring effective governance.
• Advise Board and Executives on current and future risks.
• Oversee internal audits and integrate improvements into operational practices.

Skills

Quality Assurance

Risk Management

Governance

Stakeholder Engagement

Leadership

Education

Tertiary qualifications in law, business management, or finance

Job description

About the Organisation

Make a real difference in the lives of vulnerable people in our community with this unique opportunity to provide both corporate expertise and community support. With a focus on people, not profit, Life Without Barriers' corporate services team partners with our direct support staff, clients, and their families to ensure we continue our mission to change lives for the better. If a truly inclusive, collaborative, and fast-paced work environment sounds like your next career move, this is an opening not to be missed.

Life Without Barriers is a leading social purpose organisation with 8,000 employees working in over 500 communities across Australia. We support children, young people, families, people with disabilities, older people, those with mental illness, the homeless, refugees, and asylum seekers. Join us and help break down barriers.

We aim to employ people who reflect the diversity of our clients to support each individual's needs. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people with disabilities.

About the Role

You will engage with internal and external stakeholders to manage the delivery of risk-based financial and non-financial assurance and continuous improvement, in accordance with relevant governance frameworks across four lines of assurance (Operational, Systems, Risk, and Regulatory).

Reporting to the Chief Safeguarding & Quality Governance Officer, you will lead a team of experts and provide organisation-wide guidance on audit assurance and accreditation activities required to meet quality standards, policies, legislative requirements, and contractual obligations.

To succeed, you will be a strong leader with dynamic problem-solving skills, proven experience building strategic partnerships, stewardship, assurance, and an advisory approach. You will influence through contemporary methods to achieve outcomes in a large community sector organisation. A strong understanding of law, governance, legislation, and the nuances of human services is essential.

We are flexible regarding the location of this position and are committed to providing access to office environments while enabling flexible work arrangements.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the Assurance and Accreditation strategy, monitoring the implementation of system improvements.
• Provide sector leadership and advocacy to influence assurance and accreditation approaches in the best interest of service recipients.
• Advise and assure the Board, Executive, and Senior Managers on current and future risks.
• Chair and co-chair Governance Committees, manage internal audits, systemic reviews, and strategic planning for quality improvements.
• Engage with Executives and Managers to ensure assurance outcomes are implemented and improvements integrated into practice.
• Oversee regulatory engagement, ensuring a balanced approach to assurance, safeguarding, and risk management.
• Manage responses to regulatory breaches, partnering with business units to mitigate risks.
• Report on performance regarding accreditation standards and regulatory requirements.
• Provide expert advice on accreditation to internal stakeholders.
• Lead responses to external audits, including Corrective Action Plans.
• Identify key accreditation risks, maintain assurance mapping, and ensure organisational readiness for accreditation milestones.

Qualifications & Experience

• Tertiary qualifications in law, business management, finance, or relevant fields.
• Experience in accreditation, governance, risk management, assurance, and practice within the community services sector.
• Experience leading large-scale implementation of improvement strategies within complex organisations or government agencies.
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality outcomes within deadlines.
• Expert knowledge of relevant legislative and regulatory environments.
• Expertise in risk and assurance systems, tools, and practices specific to the community services sector.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to foster shared understanding and commitment to LWBs Purpose and Values.

Benefits

• Join one of Australia's largest and leading social purpose organisations with strong values and culture.
• Flexible working arrangements.
• Competitive salary with excellent salary packaging benefits through Maxxia.

How to Apply

Click 'Apply' and follow the prompts. For a full copy of the position description or inquiries, including accessibility adjustments, contact David Meere. Applications close Tuesday, 3rd June 2025.

Required Experience: Director

Key Skills

Quality Assurance, FDA Regulations, ISO 9001, Root Cause Analysis, Biotechnology, Clinical Trials, Quality Systems, Food Processing, Quality Control, Quality Management, cGMP, HACCP

Employment Type : Full-Time

Experience : Years

Vacancy : 1