About YWCA Canberra

YWCA Canberra is a respected feminist, not-for-profit community organisation which has been providing community services and representing women’s issues in the Canberra community since its establishment in 1929. Today, we provide leading and innovative services to women and the broader Canberra community in the areas of children’s services, community services, housing, youth services, personal and professional training, and women’s leadership.

Our Childrens Services programs care for around 3000 children each week and have a reputation for delivering high quality programs whilst developing and creating learning environments that reflect the children and families we work with, the community we live in and the values of our organisation. We currently operate 7 Early Childhood Education and Care Centres, 12 School Age Care sites and 5 School Holiday programs across the ACT.

About the Executive Director position:

Reporting to and under the broad direction of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), this autonomous senior executive role is responsible for leading the children’s services portfolio and ensuring business development, quality assurance, consistent, and sustainable service delivery, and growth across the portfolio. The role is an integral leadership role that sits within the Executive Team and manages the Children’s Services Portfolio consisting of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC), School Age Care (SAC) Services, and School Holiday programs across Canberra and the region.

Your primary responsibilities will include but will not be limited to:

• Identifying and determining, the strategic business direction of the Children’s Services portfolio, aligned with the Board approved strategic plan, the organisation’s mission, vision and values.
• Manage the Portfolio’s best practice framework and review, develop and implement policies and procedures to ensure high quality service delivery.
• Ensure the portfolio always operates within Child Safe Principals.
• Ensure staffing and resourcing services are legislatively and ratio compliant and within budgetary frameworks and practices.
• Provide support and guidance to the Childrens Services leadership team to manage the day-to-day operations in Centres/Programs.
• Actively lead and contribute to organisational change management processes to ensure an elevated level of motivation towards, and understanding of, the YWCA Canberra becoming a Children’s Services market leader.
• Provide written reports and papers to the CEO and the Board on business development performance (KPI’s), including opportunities, risks and emerging issues
• Contribute to maintaining the external accreditation and regulation such as Australian Children’s Education Care and Quality Authority, ACT Childrens Education and Care Assurance and CCS (Child Care Subsidy).
• Operate within the organisations risk management frameworks, with responsibility for the oversight of risk management for the portfolio.

About You:

The role requires strong executive leadership and management capabilities coupled with demonstrated business acumen and highly attuned communication skills. To be successful in this role you will possess:

• Tertiary qualifications in Business Management or equivalent experience.
• Tertiary qualifications in ECEC/Education (highly desirable) together with demonstrated success in a similar field.
• Demonstrated experience delivering successful business growth and services excellence within a competitive geographic region and community focussed environment.
• Proven expertise in the strategic oversight of large, complex budgets, ensuring optimal resource allocation and program effectiveness.
• Current industrial relations knowledge and people development capabilities
• Understanding and current knowledge of the regulatory and compliance requirements
• Experience in leading quality improvement cycles
• ACT Working with Vulnerable People Registration and NSW Working with Children Check

Benefits and Culture:

• A generous salary commensurate with experience
• Salary packaging options that can improve your take home pay by $5K annually
• Additional 3 days paid annual leave between Christmas and New Year
• Flexible working options including 9-day fortnights, compressed 4 day working week and varied hours to accommodate your work-life balance
• Access to 2 days paid study leave annually
• 14 weeks paid parental leave with no qualifying period of service
• FREE annual flu vaccinations
• Access to free guidance and counselling through our Employee Assistance Program
• Work for the only Canberra-based Employer of Choice for Gender Equality (WGEA)

How to Apply

Visit https://ywca-canberra.org.au/about-us/careers/ to access the position description and job demands checklist.

Please submit your application including an CV and a cover letter addressing key criteria together by clicking 'Apply Now'.

Interviews will be conducted week commencing 20th May 2024.

YWCA Canberra is committed to the safety of children and young people. As such, successful applicants will be required to participate fully in all child protection risk management recruitment processes and ongoing character checking and assessment processes.

YWCA Canberra is an equal opportunity employer. People from diverse backgrounds and with diverse life experiences are encouraged to apply. We specifically encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to apply.

Want more information?

For a confidential discussion or further information please contact Frances Crimmins (CEO) on 02 6185 2008 or via email at [email protected] using the subject line: Executive Director - Childrens Services enquiry via EthicalJobs.