About the role

Flat Out is seeking a values-aligned, strategic and courageous Chief Executive Officer to lead the organisation into its next phase of advocacy, growth and impact.

This appointment follows the retirement of our highly respected Chief Executive Officer, Karen Fletcher, later this year, and offers an opportunity to build on her exceptional leadership and the organisation’s strong foundations.

We seek an experienced senior leader who will work closely with our Board of Management to provide decisive leadership across our service provision, governance, strategy, people and culture, financial management and systemic advocacy. You will ensure the delivery of our Strategic Plan, strengthen a collaborative and trauma-informed workplace, and drive innovative service delivery grounded in abolitionist and intersectional feminist principles.

A key part of this role is leading Flat Out’s systemic advocacy work — championing the rights and experiences of criminalised women, trans and gender diverse people; contributing to campaigns and inquiries; and building powerful partnerships across government, community, philanthropic and research sectors. This is a rare opportunity to lead a respected, abolitionist organisation with a proud history of activism and a clear vision for transformative change.

This is an exciting time to join Flat Out, with the organisation expanding its leadership in family and sexual violence advocacy and co-designing a new case management service for women, trans and gender diverse people affected by incarceration.

About Flat Out

Flat Out is an organisation born of intersectional feminist and grassroots activism. Established in 1988 through sustained community protest against the former Fairlea Women’s Prison, Flat Out has always been committed to challenging criminalisation and state violence.

Today, we remain steadfast in our purpose: to support and advocate alongside women, trans and gender diverse people to get out and stay out of prison, and to live free from violence — including state violence. Our support work is non-judgemental, respectful and collaborative. We fight to keep people alive in unsafe systems while working toward those systems’ closure.

We see ourselves as both a vital part of the community sector and a force for radical change. Our long-term vision is a future where prisons are recognised as antiquated, cruel and ineffective institutions. Flat Out is committed to anti-carceral practice and strives to be a place of freedom and belonging, where relationships, care and connection are prioritised over risk, punishment and control.

What you will bring

Your background may include senior leadership in family and sexual violence, community legal, women's health, public health, and/or human services systems such as mental health, AOD or homelessness.

We are looking for someone who has:

• A commitment to abolitionist and intersectional feminist principles.
• Senior leadership experience in a relevant sector, with a track record of fostering inclusive, trauma-informed and collaborative workplaces.
• Strong governance capability and the ability to work effectively with a Board of Management.
• Demonstrated success in government relations, policy advocacy, law reform or campaigning within a social justice context.
• Highly developed stakeholder engagement skills, including working with funders, government departments, community agencies and people with lived experience of incarceration.
• Experience in organisational oversight, financial management and budgeting within a not-for-profit environment.
• A proven ability to secure funding, diversify revenue streams, manage grants and cultivate philanthropic partnerships.

Benefits

• Flexible working options with a supportive, collaborative workplace culture that is committed to abolitionist, feminist and trauma-informed practice
• Play a pivotal role in shaping systemic change in Victoria
• Mentorship and leadership development opportunities
• Access to salary packaging and five weeks annual leave (pro rata)

Next Steps

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so please apply as soon as possible.

To submit your application please click ‘Apply Now’ by the closing date.

Please submit your CV and a cover letter addressing the key selection criteria.

Candidates with lived experience of criminalisation are strongly encouraged to apply.

For further information

For further information about this position please contact Sheena Colquhoun at: [email protected] using the subject line: Chief Executive Officer enquiry via EthicalJobs.

For more information about Flat Out, visit flatout.org.au or homesnotprisons.org.au.

A position description is attached.