The Role

The General Manager leads Gayaa Dhuwi’s organisational operations across governance, finance, risk, communications, human resources and administration. The role ensures the organisation has the internal systems, processes and capacity to deliver its national policy and reform mandate effectively and sustainably.

This is a senior leadership role with responsibility for the full operational backbone of a small, high-performing national peak body. The General Manager works closely with the CEO on business sustainability, board governance, funder reporting, risk management, and organisational planning, and leads a team of three direct reports who together cover communications, compliance and operations.

The General Manager is a member of the executive leadership team alongside the Director, Policy and the Director, Reform. The role requires strong operational judgement, financial literacy, clear communication and the ability to build and maintain systems that give the organisation the stability and compliance assurance it needs to focus on its core mission.

This role will suit a senior leader who is equally comfortable in developing board papers and procurement processes, who understands the governance obligations of a community-controlled not-for-profit, and who brings genuine commitment to the mission alongside the operational rigour to support it.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the operations function, setting clear priorities, maintaining accountability across operational workstreams, and ensuring the organisation has the systems and capacity it needs.
• Contribute to organisational planning, business sustainability and risk management as a member of the executive leadership team.
• Identify operational risks and emerging issues, and provide clear, practical advice to the CEO.
• Represent Gayaa Dhuwi in operational, procurement and administrative contexts with professionalism.
• Lead, supervise and develop the operations team, providing clear expectations, regular guidance, constructive feedback and quality review of work.
• Actively build the capability of operations staff, identifying development needs and supporting staff to grow into more complex and independent work over time.
• Manage performance constructively and in accordance with organisational processes, addressing issues early and with clarity.
• Coordinate HR processes across the organisation, including recruitment, onboarding, performance management and staff wellbeing, in collaboration with the CEO and external advisors.
• Lead board governance processes, including board meeting logistics, paper preparation, minute coordination, and maintenance of governance registers and records.
• Manage relationships with external advisors including the CFO, Company Secretary and legal counsel, coordinating their input into organisational governance and compliance.
• Oversee funder reporting and acquittals, ensuring obligations are met accurately and on time.
• Lead risk, compliance and contract management across the organisation, maintaining registers and ensuring obligations are identified and tracked.
• Oversee funding proposals and grant applications in collaboration with the CEO and relevant program leads.
• Lead procurement, operations and administration functions, ensuring effective and value-for-money organisational systems.
• Oversee the national conference and organisational events from an operational and logistics perspective.
• Lead the communications function through the Communications Manager, providing strategic direction on communications strategy, media releases, website, digital content and the annual report.
• Oversee merchandise management and other business sustainability activities.
• Undertake other duties as required.

Selection Criteria

1. Demonstrated ability to work respectfully within an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership organisation, including understanding the importance of culture, self-determination, community control and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership.
2. Demonstrated experience leading organisational operations across governance, compliance, finance, HR and administration in a not-for-profit or peak body setting.
3. Demonstrated experience managing board governance processes, funder reporting and risk and compliance obligations, including the ability to produce high-quality governance documentation.
4. Demonstrated ability to lead staff across diverse functions, build team capability, manage competing priorities and maintain operational systems to a high standard.
5. Demonstrated financial literacy and experience overseeing budgets, acquittals and funding proposals, with sound judgement in managing organisational risk.

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.