The organisation

State Schools Relief was founded in 1930, when the Principal at Elsternwick State School brought together colleagues concerned about children living in extreme hardship. Almost a century later, the organisation removes barriers to education for Victorian government school students facing financial hardship, providing uniforms, shoes, glasses, learning resources and technology, quickly and without stigma.

In 2025 it responded to more than 96,000 requests for support, reached over 68,000 students across more than 1,340 schools, and delivered $7.9 million in direct savings to families.

State Schools Relief is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. It is funded primarily by the Victorian Department of Education, and it also runs a genuinely commercial social-enterprise uniform business, Equal Threads, which generates surplus for reinvestment into Victorian students experiencing hardship. It is not a conventional grant-dependent charity, and its governance reflects this.

The opportunity

The Board is undergoing a planned leadership transition, with a new Chair stepping up from within the existing Board at the 2026 Annual General Meeting. This recruitment fills the resulting Non-Executive Director vacancy.

It is a substantial moment to join. The organisation is scaling toward its centenary, investing significantly in systems, data and technology, building its commercial business towards sustainable surplus delivery, and meeting demand that continues to rise, all while protecting a charitable purpose. The Board is deliberately renewing and professionalising itself for that task.

What we are looking for

This is deliberately not a school-based appointment. The organisation’s connection to Victorian government schools is already secured through existing positions, and the Board is well represented in education and the not-for-profit sector. This appointment brings governance and commercial-strategic capability that complements the existing Board.

Essential:

• Governance — an experienced, formally qualified contemporary director (GAICD or equivalent expected), with a deep practical understanding of board process, delegation, conflicts, and the role of a board versus management in a company limited by guarantee.
• Commercial judgement and appetite for growth — demonstrated commercial acumen, and the ambition to help the organisation grow while operating a commercial business inside a charitable purpose.
• Risk — practical experience overseeing enterprise risk, controls and compliance in a growing, multi-stream organisation.
• Strategy — the ability to test and shape strategy at board level, not merely endorse it.

 Highly desirable:

• Experience of significant systems or technology investment, and of building infrastructure for growth.
• Exposure to purchasing, inventory and logistics, central to the operating model of SSR.

We are seeking directors whose skills, experience and values will strengthen our Board, regardless of the sector in which that experience has been gained.

Commitment

• At least six Board meetings per year, plus an annual strategy session.
• Contribution to at least one Board committee.
• Term as provided under the Constitution. These are currently voluntary appointments.
• Appointment is subject to screening, including reference checks, a National Police Check, a Working with Children Check, and verification of qualifications.

More Information

Download a comprehensive briefing pack from: https://searchlightgroup.com.au/jobs/non-executive-director-2/

How to apply

Searchlight Group is managing this appointment on behalf of State Schools Relief. To express your interest, please submit a current CV and a brief cover letter outlining what you would bring to the Board via this webpage: https://searchlightgroup.com.au/jobs/non-executive-director-2/

For a confidential conversation, contact Michael Holdway, Managing Director, Searchlight Group, [email protected] using the subject line: Non-Executive Director enquiry via EthicalJobs or on 0400 006 513.

State Schools Relief is committed to inclusion and diversity, and warmly encourages applications from people of all backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.