About MCWH

The Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health (MCWH) is a nationally focused migrant and refugee women’s health promotion organisation in operation since 1978. With extensive specialist expertise in the key issues affecting migrant and refugee women, including gender equality, violence against women and sexual and reproductive health, MCWH’s work is evidence-informed and is based on human rights, feminist, and intersectional frameworks.

MCWH’s staff team is made up of highly skilled and qualified women and gender-diverse people who provide multilingual health education and information to women in a range of languages. MCWH also delivers specialist training to health professionals, the community sector and to bilingual and bicultural workers, as well as research, policy development consultation, advocacy, and projects.

MCWH is an integral part of the multicultural community. We understand the dynamic environment in which migrant and refugee women live, and we play a key role in representing their needs, perspectives, and voices, and forming an important bridge between research and practice. MCWH shares expertise across Australia, assisting employers, the health and community sectors, educators and policy makers to better understand migrant and refugee women’s perspectives and voices and to incorporate principles of intersectionality, inclusivity and cultural and linguistic diversity, into their policy and service delivery.

About the Board

MCWH is governed by its Board which is the legal entity responsible for ensuring the organisation is operating lawfully, ethically and in accordance with the purposes set out in its Rules. The Board is made up of a maximum of 8 members, and is led by a Chair, elected among its members.

The Board’s work is supported by three Committees: Finance, Audit and Risk Committee, Governance Committee, and Advocacy, Stakeholder Engagement and Fundraising Committee. The Committees support the decision making of the Board by providing expert strategic and technical guidance and advice.

MCWH’s Board is seeking to recruit at least two Committee members to Finance, Audit and Risk Committee, and Advocacy, Stakeholder Engagement and Fundraising Committee, two members to each Committee.

The Finance, Audit and Risk Committee oversees and provides strategic advice and guidance on financial governance and risk management. The Advocacy, Stakeholder Engagement and Fundraising Committee provides strategic advice and guidance on stakeholder engagement, advocacy, communications and business development.

The Finance Committee meets monthly; the Advocacy, Stakeholder Engagement and Fundraising Committee meet quarterly. All Committee meetings are held virtually.

Membership of the Committees is made up of the CEO, members of the Board, and members of the MCWH Senior Leadership Team. Committee members with specific expertise and experience may also be recruited from the community.

Skills and attributes

MCWH is seeking Committee members with specific skills and experience in the following:

• Finance, Audit and Risk
  • Accounting and financial governance
  • Risk management
• Advocacy, Stakeholder Engagement and Fundraising
  • Strategic advocacy
  • Stakeholder engagement, including government relations
  • Communications and marketing
  • Fundraising
• Capacity to apply specific skills and expertise to the implementation of the Committee’s responsibilities
• Capacity to assimilate and synthesise complex information, and consider options, for the purposes of decision making
• Membership of, and/or a strong connection to, migrant and refugee communities
• Commitment to taking a feminist approach to achieving equality for migrant women, and respect for diverse voices, identities, cultures, rights and aspirations
• Passion for migrant and refugee women’s health and wellbeing
• Integrity, emotional intelligence and good judgement
• Capacity to actively contribute with genuine interest in the organisation, its purpose and business
• Capacity to commit to the following:
  • Attendance at regular Committee meetings per year
  • Participation in Committee activities and email discussion between Committee meetings

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and technical guidance, advice and review to support Board’s decision making
• Contribute to the Committees as required
• Participate in Committee activities as required.

Remuneration

All Board and Committee members serve in a voluntary (unpaid) capacity. Travel expenses where required are covered by MCWH.

Period of appointment

The term for Committee positions is two years with the possibility of renewal. Committee members may be based in any Australian state or territory.

A Position description is attached.