• Contract duration: 5 Years
• Employment Basis: Full-time Executive Contract
• Location: Melbourne based

About Us

At Oxfam Australia, we believe all lives are equal and no-one should live in poverty. We are a member of Oxfam International, a global confederation working with partners and local communities in 87 countries.

Would you like to join this global movement of people working together to eliminate the inequalities that keep people in poverty?

We are currently seeking a strategic and dynamic Chief Operating Officer (COO) to lead organisational operations and ensure alignment between strategy and execution.

The Role

Reporting to the Chief Executive, you will play a pivotal role in driving operational excellence, risk management, and cultural transformation across the agency.

As the Chief Operating Officer (COO), you will work alongside the Chief Executive to drive the development, monitoring and implementation of the agency’s Strategic and Operational Plans.

This is a rare opportunity to join our Executive Leadership Team and influence the future direction of Oxfam Australia.

A little about you (the key selection criteria)

• Demonstrated ability to translate complex organisational strategy into integrated operational plans with measurable performance outcomes across multiple functions.
• Demonstrated ability to both lead and adapt effectively in changing organisational contexts whilst maintaining a strong focus on outcomes.
• Demonstrated experience managing risk and compliance frameworks that meet legal and accreditation standards.
• Strong ability to foster collaboration across departments to achieve shared goals whilst lifting leadership capability to drive accountability and empower decision making.
• Evidence of decision making that balances compliance and regulatory requirements (such as DFAT accreditation) with cultural and wellbeing impact.
• Proven experience in developing and implementing financial strategies that ensure long-term organisational sustainability.

What we can offer you

• Superior leave benefits and access to a generous not-for-profit salary packaging program (up to $18,450 of your salary tax-free).

• The opportunity to use your talents and expertise to make a positive impact around the world.

• We value flexibility and seek to support our people in ways that meet their work/life commitments and support their wellbeing.

• Cultural leave.

• Superannuation matching.

Our culture is shaped by our values, which reinforce what we care about and how we do things, not just what we do. Our core values of Equality, Empowerment, Solidarity, Inclusiveness, Accountability and Courage drive everything we do at Oxfam.

Oxfam is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work, including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct. We are committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. Oxfam expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us. Therefore, our people are required to comply with the One Oxfam Child Safeguarding and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse policies and sign the Oxfam Australia Child Safeguarding and One Oxfam Employee Codes of Conduct.

Next steps

Click "Apply Now" and complete the online application form, then, as three separate documents, upload:

1. A cover letter that tells us why you want to join Oxfam Australia, and how your professional history and lived experience make you the right candidate.
2. Your CV.
3. Your response to the key selection criteria outlined in the advertisement.

Please view the Position Description here or attached below.

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. We care deeply about creating a safe and inclusive workplace where our people feel valued, respected and empowered. We are committed to providing equal opportunities and encourage applicants with personal experience of the forms of injustice we seek to address to apply for opportunities at Oxfam Australia.

Applicants will be required to show proof of their right to work in Australia the subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks, which include Police Checks and Misconduct Disclosure Scheme outcomes, before commencement. Pre-employment checks are not used by Oxfam Australia to prevent any applicant from applying for this position. Each application will be considered on its merits.

Australian work visas

Oxfam Australia will not recruit international candidates who do not hold visas permitting them to work in Australia. Oxfam Australia does not provide visa sponsorship.

Additional information

For ongoing roles, candidates will be required to have a minimum of 2 years' Australian work rights from the date of commencement of their employment with Oxfam Australia. For fixed-term roles, candidates will be required to have work rights for the full duration of the contract.

At Oxfam Australia, we are committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable culture where everyone's rights are recognised and respected. Guided by feminist principles and core values, we embrace different perspectives and work to eliminate systemic inequities that perpetuate discrimination. We centre and amplify the voices of people with lived experience and work in solidarity to build a future where no one is left behind.

Our commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is reflected in our actions, Oxfam Australia:

• Supports employee-led committees

• Promotes consultative ways of working and decision making

• Maintains a comprehensive enterprise agreement that prioritises employee well-being, as demonstrated through multiple leave types

• Provides ongoing awareness and training on unconscious bias, inclusion, and respectful workplace practices, ensuring alignment with Oxfam’s values

• Ensures a fair and accessible recruitment process