Why World Vision…

World Vision is a global community of millions, working together for one purpose: to change the lives of vulnerable children.

Our supporters, partners and staff join forces with communities on the ground to help children achieve good health, access education for life, experience the love of God and their neighbours and are cared for, protected and participating. Together we share proven, world-class development methods to bring food, water, education and economic change.

Our organisational culture reflects a "Partnership" of World Vision offices in nearly 100 countries and almost 37,000 staff working towards one vision: Our vision for every child, life in all its fullness. Our prayer for every heart, the will to make it so.  World Vision has profound global impact reaching one person every 10 secs with clean water, and every 60 secs a family gets access to tools and support they need to get out of poverty.

World Vision is committed to ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff are well represented and supported within the staff team. The Australia First Nations Program has a First Nations staff network that acts as a support network and safe space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff who are separated by distance but connected by culture. The network also provides advice to the Australia First Nations Program and the broader WV organisation regarding our work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations, communities and families. 

The Opportunity to lead a team of Changemakers…

The Head of the Australia First Nations Program will provide strategic leadership and oversight to World Vision’s development work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and communities across Australia.

The role embodies the principle of thinking globally by being an effective member of a global organisation and acting locally by maintaining World Vision’s focus on achieving increased child wellbeing as it applies in the Australian First Nations context. The position holder will do this through the delivery of effective and cost-efficient field programs and advocacy activities aligned to World Vision’s strategy, mission and goals.

A key feature of this role it to build relationships with Australian supporters, including major donors, project partners, local, state and federal governments and non-governmental organisations to generate financial and non-financial revenue. 

As major responsibilities, the Head of will be in charge to:

• Deliver on Child Well-being Outcomes and Targets:
  • Clearly demonstrate a credible account of change for the Most Vulnerable First Nations Children to our supporter;
  • Collaborate and build partnerships to catalyse movements for First Nations children’s wellbeing, locally and globally;
  • Be a credible advocate for children and child rights, mobilising change at every level by lifting the voices of Australian First Nations children, youth and their communities.
• Grow and Leverage Yield to Ministry:
  • Ensure systems are in place so that projects are managed on time and on budget to achieve the desired impact on Child Wellbeing.
• Increase and Diversify Funding Portfolio:
  • Build and maintain sustainability through diversified revenue growth in alignment with agreed targets;
  • Define vision for grants acquisition and management performance within the Program, ensuring grants are aligned to Program priorities.
• Achieve Operational and Stewardship Excellence:
  • Lead the development and execution of the Australia First Nations Program strategy through program approaches and operating plans with clear, measurable short-term and long-term targets;
  • Have overall responsibility for assessment of risks and the development of risk management planning Program.
• Recruit, Motivate, Equip, Lead and Retain Capable Staff:
  • Model a high standard of personal leadership, service and integrity work relationships, and provide guidance to staff on the WV Vision, Mission and Core Values;
  • Demonstrate strong conviction and ability to work in inter-faith and First Nations contexts and promote a trusting culture that is sustainable for impact, growth and high performance.
• Programme Quality:
  • Ensure the sustainability, quality and impact in the field by ensuring the program is achieving annual and long-term impact and performance targets;
  • Ensure measurable improvement in the well-being of First Nations children is achieved and the program can communicate a credible account of change aligned to impact goals.
• Policy & Partnering:
  • Promote social entrepreneurship by pursuing innovative solutions to social problems;
  • Build proactive external relationship with First Nations organisations and communities, government leaders, decision-makers, donors, faith leaders, private corporations and other key influencers.

Who we are looking for…

• An experienced First Nations Leader with senior management experience at CEO or -suite executive of a corporation, Aboriginal Controlled Organisation. Or an experienced senior NGO development practitioner who has served at a national director level or higher.
• Proven track record of leading a successful organisation in the development sector.
• Ability to walk comfortably in two worlds, advocating for the aspirations and goals of First Nations people within a mainstream white middle class organisation.
• Tertiary qualifications in Community Development, Business or similar would be highly regarded.
• Excellent strategic leadership skills and able to motivate teams to effectively deliver.
• Ability to engage and influence globally across multiple internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated capacity to work within a Christian organisation.

What you need to know

This role is a full-time permanent position. We will consider applicants based Australia wide subject to the person having the flexibility to travel as required to fulfil the requirements of the role which would normally be based at our head office in Burwood East, Victoria.

This is an Indigenous-identified position. Applicants must be of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander decent.

For your information, the role may be filled before the closing date.

World Vision Australia takes our Safeguarding responsibilities seriously and we provide an environment that is safe for our child and adult beneficiaries. We have strong recruitment procedures to make sure the safest and most suitable people work with the children in our programs. All successful candidates will undergo a criminal record and Working with Children check prior to employment. We provide our staff and volunteers with ongoing supervision, support and training in their work with child and adult beneficiaries. 

Why you should apply…

A career with World Vision is an opportunity to join a sector-leading humanitarian aid organisation. We collaborate in a high performing and professional culture, committed to partnering with Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities and organisations so that they can lead their own development and achieve their goals and aspirations

We help build brighter futures for vulnerable children and are seeking to support the empowerment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait families and communities.

Aside from the opportunity for broad and life-changing impact in the lives of the world’s most vulnerable, some of our other benefits include:

• Access to professional development programs that include on-the-job learning, e-learning, workshops, forums, leadership development and internal mobility.
• Policies that may accommodate flexible working and other working arrangements to tailor and encourage individual performance.
• A highly engaged team culture that is dynamic, growing in agility and pace, and committed to serve beyond the call of duty.
• A culture that encourages truth telling with grace that confronts challenges and issues to clear teams for success in a timely fashion
• Access to salary packaging tax advantages.