First Nations Women’s Legal Service Qld (“FNWLSQ”) is a community-controlled community legal centre based in Townsville and Palm Island, providing legal services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in Townsville, Palm Island and outreach to other regional areas of North Queensland.

The Chief Executive Officer is a First Nations identified position. The CEO will have an overarching role in the organisation. With the support and supervision of the management committee, the CEO will oversee and implement the strategic direction of the service at all levels. The CEO will support the organisation’s role in promoting the interests and rights of First Nations women in Queensland at all levels in community, with stakeholders and government departments and agencies.

The CEO will be responsible for:

• Implementing organisational policy;
• Ensuring all contractual, strategic and government compliance and Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) are achieved.
• Achieving strategic objectives as per the Strategic Plan;
• Engaging with and fostering strong relationships with key internal and external stakeholders, including government departments and other key influencers.
• Identifying and delivering opportunities for the long-term viability and sustainability of the organisation;
• Providing leadership and driving positive and effective organisational culture; and
• Overall management and performance of the organisation

Primary duties include:

• Reporting to the Management Committee
• Providing strategic leadership for the organisation.
• Meeting KPI’s.
• Overseeing the effective management of high-quality service delivery, infrastructure maintenance and the development and maintenance of a cohesive culture committed to continual improvement and quality.
• The CEO will develop strong relationships with key government stakeholders as well as key industry stakeholders demonstrating an ability to build influential relationships and network at a Queensland State and national level articulating the vision, performance and capacity of FNWLSQ to existing and potential partners.
• The CEO will also ensure a high level of organisational accountability and transparency to all stakeholders, delivering on the organisation’s Strategic and Operational Plans through KPI’s and performance management.
• The CEO will at all times demonstrate inspirational leadership by action and support delivered to all team members congruent with FNWLSQ values and behavioural competencies

Key behavioural competencies of the CEO will include:

• A high level of cultural competency
• Developing effective and professional internal and external workplace relationships
• Listening to staff and stakeholders.
• Demonstrating empathy and leadership and ability to provide guidance, (advocacy where appropriate) and assistance to staff within the organisation.
• Positive attitudes and an excellent understanding of workplace rights and human rights and will uphold the rights of other workers.
• Adherence to high ethics and FNWLSQ’s Code of Ethics and Conduct
• A demonstrated understanding and compliance with high Workplace Health and Safety standards.

Planning / Work Management

Planning and Management skills will include:

• Effective time management and resource management to ensure that work responsibilities are completed efficiently and effectively, with a strategic focus on productivity, setting and achieving goals, and when required to achieve outcomes
• Successfully establishing procedures to monitor the results of their key accountabilities, assignments or projects
• Regular supervision and support with the FNWLSQ Chairperson and identify issues and risks
• Effective, productive, timely and well-planned meetings with stakeholders and staff

Positive and Proactive Attitude

• Demonstrate and cultivate a positive attitude within the work environment toward colleagues as well as problem solving.
• Demonstrate high initiative and be proactive in identifying areas for improvement and support effective solutions in collaboration with other senior staff and management committee.
• Taking responsibility and accountability for their personal behaviour and attitude within the work environment
• Taking ownership and enacting change where behaviour falls outside of the organisation’s ethics and vision or workplace culture.

Communicating Ideas and Information

• Ability to express ideas effectively verbally and in written form
• Respect the ideas and contributions of other team members who can express ideas both on a one-to-one basis and in group situations (including non-verbal communication).
• Responsibility for responding to communications in an appropriate manner and within required timeframes.
• Respect and understand that effective communication is critical in the workplace
• Appropriate and timely responsiveness to community and national issues including cultural issues, political issues impacting on the organisation or on First Nations communities.

Flexibility

• Maintain productivity and effectiveness in varying environments, including difficult tasks, duties, and people, while ensuring results and compliance within a demanding environment.
• Support for colleagues where required and appropriate to meet common goals.
• Ability to diversify and adjust work schedule when faced with competing priorities.

Internal Staff and Management

• Support and assistance when required to other staff, Operations Manager and Management Committee members.
• Cultural Support as required to First Nations staff in addition to any external cultural supervision being provided to staff.
• Capacity to maintain the team orientation of working towards common strategic and Operational goals as well as managing personal and team workflow responsibilities.
• Identify and work with the strengths of respective team and colleagues
• Encouraging personal and professional development.

Integrity / Self-Management

• A good understanding and compliance with the Code of Ethics
• Demonstrated loyalty to the organisation.
• Professional and respectful communication with stakeholders, staff and clients.
• Adherence to FNWLSQ’s core values and mission and behaviour in line with these values.
• Demonstrated ethical behaviour in conduct and represent the organisation’s brand and values both internally and when networking externally.

FNWLSQ offers a full-time 18 month contract and ongoing subject to funding

Salary initially at Level 7.1 – 8.1 SCHADS award (Social, Community, Homecare and Disability Award) – Fair Work (Transitional Provision and Consequential Amendments) Amendment Regulation 2012 ($110,907-$120,331), with salary sacrifice options.

next steps

For Position Description or further information Ph 07 4721 6007 and request to speak to Cathy Pereira or Jane Andreassen at [email protected], using the subject line: CEO enquiry via EthicalJobs.

A position description is attached.