The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) position at the National Mental Health Consumer Alliance (Alliance) is a pivotal leadership role within Australia's consumer lived experience and mental health sector. This role requires the incumbent to bring their personal, professional and socio-political worlds together in unique ways to drive meaningful change.

The CEO plays a crucial strategic role in amplifying the voice, influence, and leadership of people with lived experience of mental health issues. The CEO ensures that all advocacy, representation, and projects undertaken by the Alliance are by, for, and with the Australian lived experience community.

The CEO provides leadership within the Alliance in areas such as organisational strategic direction and culture, systemic advocacy, governance, and business growth. Externally, the CEO actively develops strategic and influential partnerships, always guided by the collective insights and contributions of the lived experience community to achieve greater impact.

As the CEO of the Alliance, you will:

Champion and influence progressive outcomes for, by and with people with a lived experience of mental health issues, on national mental health related topics.

• Lead the Alliance’s strategic direction, culture, compliance, finance, governance and business growth informed by the collective insights and contributions of the lived experience community.
• Develop and lead a high performing team of professionals working across all States and Territories.
• Build strong working relationships and facilitate connection and collaboration with all levels of government, sector leaders, allies, and a range of national key stakeholders.
• Develop and deliver the Alliance’s national advocacy program to ensure advocacy work across government is informed by lived experience.

In this busy and fast-moving sector, you will develop and lead a team of professionals situated around Australia. You will be supported by experts in policy, communications, governance, State and Territory consumer councils, State and Territory consumer peaks, as well as First Nations, multicultural, and regional and remote subject-matter experts.

Core skills and attributes for this position

• Values Driven: Ability to demonstrate kindness, respect, acceptance, empathy, collaboration and integrity.
• Flexibility: Demonstrated resilience and adaptability to work and act flexibly in an often challenging and changing context to meet organisational goals.
• Collaborative: Demonstrated effectiveness in, and commitment to, building, motivating, managing and maintaining complex relationships with employees, mental health consumers, stakeholders and strategic partnerships, creating a culture of collaboration and trust.
• Creative and inquisitive: Ability to develop and evaluate innovative approaches with new and fresh ideas and a positive approach.
• Organisation: Ability to manage time and prioritise work projects to quickly respond to emerging issues.
• Initiative: Demonstrated ability to proactively seek out opportunities for relationship building, partnership, collaboration, additional funding sources and organisation development.

STATEMENT OF DUTIES/PERFORMACE AREAS

Strategic direction

• Provide strategic oversight and development of;
  • well-articulated policy positions, submissions, presentations and briefings on mental health related topics.
  • reporting on current and emerging issues of importance to our consumer community.
  • operational level programs and business plans.
  • Communication, stakeholder management and other plans to influence.
• Establish and maintain ongoing successful stakeholder partnerships, including with Government representatives, and develop opportunities for partnerships and collaborative ventures in line with strategic operations.
• Engage and build meaningful relationships with the Alliance membership and broader lived experience community to ensure their collective voices are defining our systemic objectives.
• Represent the Alliance at the highest levels and delegate responsibility for other representational roles.
• Plan for, and implement, organisational development and change to keep the Alliance a dynamic and responsive organisation.
• Maintain a full and thorough knowledge of the compliance and reporting requirements impacting the Alliance and delegates responsibility appropriately.
• Identify and manage risks to business operations and or program objectives.

Supervision

• Provide supervision and support to staff on a regular basis, elevating team performance through effective leadership and by cultivating a collaborative culture while steering operational excellence to drive impactful change.
• Implement staff performance and development processes.

Quality Improvement

• Generate and implement ongoing evaluation and quality improvement activities and programs.
• Develop and maintain policies and procedures to guide the organisation.

General

• Identify and manage risks to business operations and program objectives.
• Deliver outputs and outcomes within agreed timeframes and to required standards.
• Conduct all activities in compliance with relevant legislation, including Equal Employment Opportunity, Occupational Health and Safety, and all policies, procedures, and guidelines as determined from time to time.

Reporting Requirements

• This role reports to: Board of Directors

SELECTION CRITERIA

Qualifications

• Relevant tertiary qualifications in a related discipline (community development, social science, public health, public policy etc.) and/or equivalent knowledge, skills and experience.

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

Lived Experience

• It is a genuine occupational qualification of this position to have a consumer lived experience of mental health/social and emotional wellbeing issues and recovery, with firsthand experience navigating the mental health system.

Leadership, advocacy and stakeholder engagement

• Previous experience as a Chief Executive Officer within community services, and ideally with a membership-based organisation. Experience in managing the startup phase of a not-for-profit organisation will be highly regarded.
• Demonstrated understanding of the mental health consumer movement.
• Knowledge of mental health sector policy, commissioning, programs, services, and systems.
• Proven ability to develop and maintain effective partnerships and stakeholder relationships and adaptability to work in a complex environment.
• Demonstrated knowledge of individual and systemic advocacy principles.
• Extensive leadership experience with a strategic mindset capable of developing and implementing plans to achieve the Alliance vision and goals.
• Demonstrated experience working with a governance body and in supporting good governance practices.
• Ability to inspire, motivate, and support others to contribute at their best within an affirming, resilient and productive culture that aligns with Alliance and consumer values.

Financial

• Financial literacy and demonstrated ability to manage a multi-million dollar budget, including short and long-term project funding and knowledge of information required for financial and accreditation audits.
• Demonstrated strong background in contract management, risk management, and compliance including for full and timely delivery on funding contracts, acquittals, grant reporting, and other accountabilities.
• High level skills in developing, writing and costing grant applications.

Administrative

• An ability to travel interstate on short notice is required.
• National Police Certificate.
• Working with Children Check.
• Certification of tertiary or other qualifications.

Next steps

Click Apply Now to submit your application. 

Additional information about the Alliance can be accessed at www.nmhca.org.au

Further enquiries, including a confidential conversation, can be made by contacting Darren Munday, Interim Chief Executive Officer, via [email protected] using the subject line: Chief Executive Officer - Remote / Work from Home enquiry via EthicalJobs.

Underrepresented Candidates

Research shows that candidates from underrepresented groups (Aboriginal, Torres Strait and Pacific Islander peoples, people of colour, women, non-binary and gender diverse people, LGBTQIA+ communities, and people with a disability) often do not apply for roles if they do not meet all the criteria – unlike majority candidates meeting significantly fewer requirements. We strongly encourage you to apply if you are interested, we would love to know how you can amplify our team with your unique experience.

A position description and an applicant information pack are attached.