• Classification: Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Award. Social and community services employee 7.1 to 8.1, depending on experience. Better Renting pays above award rates equivalent to an annual salary of $116,773 to $131,442, pro-rata. The award includes leave loading of 17.5%. Salary packaging/fringe benefits available.
• Location: Negotiable — we do not have a central office. Current staff are based in Adelaide, Melbourne, and Canberra.
• Time commitment: Permanent part-time, 0.8 FTE (Better Renting staff work 30 hours per week, typically as 5 six-hour days). Weekly workload can be flexible according to your needs.
• Probation period: Six months.
• Reports to: Better Renting Board Chair.
• Position begins: March 2025.

About Better Renting

Better Renting is a community of renters working together for stable, affordable, and healthy homes. With more Australians locked out of homeownership, more of us are renting, and renting for longer. But renters are denied the rights and protections of homeowners. We can't all own a house — but we should all be able to rent a home. Renting can be a genuine alternative to ownership — and Better Renting exists to make it happen.

You can learn more about us from our Impact Reports from 2021-22 (https://www.betterrenting.org.au/better_renting_impact_report_2021_2022) and 2018-2020 (https://www.betterrenting.org.au/impact_report)

About the role

We are recruiting for Better Renting’s Executive Director, to succeed our Founding Director. This is a big moment for Better Renting but we have built towards this transition and we look forward to how the right candidate will enable Better Renting to continue to evolve.

The Executive Director will be responsible for all key operational aspects of the organisation, including: delivering on the mission of the organisation’s purpose and strategic plan, financial matters, management of staff, delivery on organisational projects. The Executive Director will be supported by a Board of Directors.

The role will involve

Fundraising

You are responsible for raising funds so that Better Renting can continue to operate.

• Identifying grant opportunities and submitting grant applications.
• Acquitting grants and reporting back to funders.
• Developing and maintaining relationships with philanthropists and other funders.
• Fundraising from other sources including our email list and regular giving.

Strategy and planning

You will work with the Board to develop long-term plans for Better Renting and then take responsibility for developing short-term plans and working with staff to establish and achieve goals. We are a campaigning organisation and you will need to be able to think your way through challenging strategic contexts to determine how Better Renting can make a difference.

• Developing campaign strategies and plans.
• Identifying new work areas for Better Renting and developing suitable plans.
• Overseeing project timelines and execution.
• Above the level of individual campaigns, thinking about organisational strategy and working to build Better Renting as an enterprise.

Media engagement

As Executive Director you will be our primary spokesperson, communicating about our work and readily available for comment. You will help to amplify the impact of our work and support renters’ voices by creating and leveraging media opportunities. You will build relationships with journalists and establish Better Renting as a trusted go-to voice on renting and housing issues. You’ll use this to build Better Renting’s profile, help promote our narrative, and ultimately secure policy outcomes.

• Developing a working knowledge of relevant journalists/media contacts and building relationships with them.
• Being readily available for media comment, including on weekends.
• Developing key messages around significant campaign moments and working proactively to secure media coverage.
• Providing media support for other staff and renter volunteers.
• Developing long-term communications strategy to inform the messages and the target audiences.

Political engagement

You will represent Better Renting in meetings with elected officials/Parliamentarians and their staff, and occasionally department officials/public servants.

• Seeking and securing meetings.
• Developing briefing papers for meetings.
• Building ongoing relationships with MPs and staffers.

Stakeholder engagement

Better Renting is a small organisation and our relationships with other organisations contribute to achieving our mission. You’ll play a role in establishing new relationships and strengthening existing ones, finding opportunities to work together for mutual benefit.

Management

You are responsible for creating a great team culture and supporting the growth and performance of a strong team.

• Coordinating recruitment for staff or volunteers.
• Manage and develop staff and volunteers.
• Ensuring safe and healthy workplaces for all staff, including remote staff.

Operations

You will be responsible for the administrative aspects of the organisation, such as:

• Basic bookkeeping functions using Xero,
• Compliance reporting to regulators such as ACNC,
• Tracking and reporting on budgets and finances, &
• Maintaining up-to-date insurances.

Desired skills and attributes

Fundraising

You can use a range of methods, particularly grant applications, to secure funding for the ongoing operation of Better Renting, including projects and core costs.

Media and communications

You are excellent at using the media as a way of achieving organisational and project goals: not only an effective communicator in a range of media, but also adept at earning media coverage and building effective relationships with journalists/media contacts. Your skills in communication extend to social media and written communications.

Strategy

You can develop long-term goals, identify different ways to build towards those goals, and put a plan into action. You are good at getting your head around a complex strategic situation and revising a strategy as you learn more.

HR and Management

You can develop job descriptions and recruit new staff as needed. You know how to develop a strong team that will grow stronger while achieving its purpose. You can support individual team members to develop and deepen their commitment to Better Renting’s mission, while sensitively handling any conflict or issues that may arise.

Working with external stakeholders

You are excellent at building lasting relationships across organisations to work together towards shared objectives. You can proactively identify opportunities to build new connections including with diverse and unexpected allies.

Notes

If you have any questions you can contact us via [email protected] using the subject line: CEO enquiry via EthicalJobs.

We plan to complete interviews and make an offer early in March 2025, looking for a candidate to start as soon as possible from then.

Better Renting is an equal-opportunity employer. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, LGBTQI people, and people with a disability are encouraged to apply.