The Role

The Executive Assistant provides high-quality executive support to the Chief Executive Officer and, as required, to the executive leadership team. The role is the primary point of coordination for the CEO’s office, managing scheduling, correspondence, travel, board support, and a wide range of administrative and organisational functions that keep the executive function running effectively.

This is a role that requires exceptional judgement, discretion, and development of organisational knowledge. The Executive Assistant will frequently handle sensitive matters, including confidential board and governance material, stakeholder correspondence, and internal personnel matters and must be trusted to manage these with confidentiality and professionalism.

The role sits at the centre of a busy national organisation and requires someone who can anticipate needs, manage competing demands, maintain composure under pressure, and communicate clearly with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders. They will understand that effective executive support is not administrative in a narrow sense, it is what makes strategic leadership possible.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the CEO’s calendar, scheduling and correspondence, ensuring the CEO’s time is well organised and priorities are protected.
• Prepare and coordinate briefing materials, agendas, correspondence and papers for the CEO in advance of meetings, events and engagements.
• Draft and review correspondence, emails and communications on behalf of the CEO to a high standard.
• Coordinate travel, accommodation and logistics for the CEO, and as required, executive leadership team members.
• Provide administrative support to the executive leadership team as directed by the CEO.
• Coordinate meeting logistics including scheduling, venue or virtual platform arrangements, and distribution of papers.
• Prepare and collate paper packs, agendas and supporting materials in accordance with agreed timelines.
• Record and distribute accurate minutes and action items from meetings, and track progress against actions.
• Maintain registers, records and documentation in an organised and up-to-date state.
• Liaise professionally with internal and external stakeholders on scheduling, correspondence and logistics.
• Maintain effective filing and records management systems for the CEO’s office, including confidential and sensitive materials.
• Manage incoming and outgoing correspondence of shared mailboxes, ensuring items are triaged, tracked and actioned appropriately.
• Support the coordination of internal meetings, including all-staff communications and executive leadership team meetings.
• Handle sensitive matters with discretion and maintain confidentiality at all times.
• Undertake other duties as required

Selection Criteria

• Demonstrated ability to work respectfully within an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership organisation, including understanding of cultural protocols, self-determination and the importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership.
• Demonstrated experience providing high-quality executive support, including diary management, correspondence, internal and external stakeholder coordination, and the preparation of written materials to an executive standard.
• Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities, meet deadlines consistently, and maintain accuracy and quality of work under pressure.
• Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive and confidential matters with discretion, exercise sound judgement, and communicate professionally with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated organisational skills and attention to detail, including the ability to maintain reliable records, tracking systems and administrative processes across a busy executive office.

About Gayaa Dhuwi

Gayaa Dhuwi is the national peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing, mental health, and suicide prevention. As a members based, community-controlled organisation, we are governed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experts and peak bodies.

Our vision is the highest attainable standard of social and emotional wellbeing, mental health, and suicide prevention outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. Our role is to lead and advocate for systemic change that places the voices, strengths, and needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples at the centre of national policies and reforms.

We work in a fast-paced national policy and reform environment where priorities can shift quickly in response to government processes, parliamentary inquiries, sector developments, member priorities, emerging evidence, and national reform opportunities. As a result, our team needs to be made up of individuals who can understand complex policy and service systems, work respectfully within an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership and organisations, and produce high-quality work across social and emotional wellbeing, mental health, and suicide prevention.

Gayaa Dhuwi’s work is long-term with progress often requiring sustained advocacy, careful relationships, strong evidence and the ability to keep work moving over time. People who thrive at Gayaa Dhuwi are steady, thoughtful, organised, respectful, clear in their communication and able to maintain perspective while working on issues that matter deeply to our peoples and communities.

Eligibility

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged to apply for this opportunity under section 51 of the Equal Opportunity Act 1984.
• Applicants must be an Australian citizen or have permanent residency status pending the granting of Australian citizenship. All successful applicants for the position will be asked to complete pre-engagement checks including national police check and a working with vulnerable people check.

A position description is attached.