Organisation description

SWOP is Australia’s largest and longest established community-based peer education sex worker organisation with a mission to provide New South Wales (NSW) sex workers with the same access to health, safety, human rights and workplace protections as other Australian workers.

SWOP was established in 1983 as the Australia Prostitutes’ Collective and in 1990 as Sex Workers Outreach Project became the first sex worker organisation in the world to receive government funding.

See SWOP NSW’s 2022-2025 Strategic Plan for further information.

Position Overview

Accountable to the Committee of SWOP NSW, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) has overall responsibility to effectively and efficiently lead and drive all aspects of the organisation to achieve its strategic and operational objectives, visions, and mission statement.

Position Detail

• Hours per Week: 38 (Full Time)
• Classification: SCHADS Award Level 7.1 - 8.1 commensurate with skills and experience (Salary Packaging available)
• Probation: 6 months
• Rate of Pay: (7.1) $53.07 - (8.1) $57.58 per hour plus superannuation and annual leave loading
• Position reports to: SWOP NSW Governance Committee
• Direct reports: Policy Officer, Outreach Manager, Finance
• Location: 7/110 Botany Rd, Alexandria, NSW 2015

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Representation

• Remain aware of developments impacting the health, wellbeing, safety and rights of NSW sex workers, and ensure SWOP's program of activities, advice and advocacy remains current, relevant and effective.

• Maintain current knowledge of STI and BBV prevention, testing, and treatment, particularly in relation to NSW sex workers. Contribute to development and implementation of key NSW strategies.

• Keep SWOP NSW focused on its strategic plan as a key guiding document that represents the organisation's values, goals and actions.

• Represent SWOP NSW as a lead agency in sex industry policy development.

• Participate in meetings and other forums with government and non-government agencies to ensure representation on matters impacting NSW sex workers.

• Ensure SWOP's policy position is appropriately presented and incorporated into collaborative decisions regarding changes in strategies, laws, policies, practices and partnership.

• Represent SWOP NSW (or identify the appropriate delegate) on panels, at conferences, forums and on committees, advisory bodies and to government and other organisations.

• Develop and maintain an understanding of government processes to inform effective policy engagement.

• Develop and implement SWOP NSW’s culture and values.

Financial Management

• Ensure sound financial management in accordance with industry best practice including undertaking budget reviews, tracking expenditure against budget, in line with delegations and ensuring practices to prevent, identify and report fraud or theft are implemented and convening regular meetings with the Treasurer and President.

• Overview of financial processes ensuring accurate, timely, processing and reconciliation of accounts.

• Manage the preparation of annual and project budgets, monthly financial report, annual audit of financial statements and make recommendations to the Governance Committee regarding financial operations.

Personnel Management

• Lead and manage the daily operations of SWOP NSW.

• Provide direct supervision to the policy officer, outreach manager and financial staff. As well provide leadership, support, and mentoring to all staff.

• Ensure the efficient management of human resources, including recruitment, training, work plan development, supervision, performance appraisal and management, and professional development.

• Regularly meet with management and role model best practice supervision practices and accurate documentation.

• Identify staff knowledge gaps and provide appropriate workplace training opportunities.

Governance

• Ensure the Governance Committee is supported by the organisation’s infrastructure and has access to training.

• Ensure the Governance Committee has access to the reports and information it needs to make informed decisions, particularly drawing early attention to issues that fall within the Governance Committee's responsibilities, or present a potential risk to the organisation.

• Provide strategic advice to the Governance Committee through briefs, monthly written reports and requested input to meetings.

• Meet regularly with, and brief the President on operations, policy, human resources, financial management and strategic matters.

• Take direction from the Governance Committee (via the Committee delegated supervisor) and participate in regular meetings and processes related to supervision, work plan development and performance review of the CEO role.

Relationship Management

Continuously build and improve the organisation’s relationships with:

• NSW sex workers, including SWOP NSW members, promoting engagement and access to the organisation's activities. Act as the contact point to receive and respond to complaints.

• Current and potential funders - to ensure sufficient resourcing of operations activities; effective implementation of the funding agreements; acquittal of grants on a timely basis; and to provide advice in relation to the sex industry in NSW, particularly as it relates to the health and safety of sex workers.

• Local Health Districts, Research Centre’s and other Government and non-Government agencies - to develop and maintain partnerships with Local Health Districts, sexual health programs and services; to promote best practice approaches to research; and to support improved access to SWOP and NSW sex workers

• Scarlet Alliance and its member organisations - to partner with and work collaboratively with Scarlet Alliance and its member organisations to contribute to the sex worker rights movement in Australia.

Compliance and Reporting

• Develop, monitor and review SWOP NSW systems, policies and procedures (in consultation with the SWOP NSW governance committee).

• Ensure SWOP NSW adheres to all legislative requirements including those related to WHS and industrial relations.

• Coordinate and submit reports and acquittals to funders. Manage the tracking and reporting of KPIs, contract negotiations and acquittal to funders. Oversee and contribute to the preparation of funding submissions.

• Ensure SWOP maintains a robust records management system to ensure appropriate information collection and storage, and an appropriate historical/archival record.

• Ensure records are kept of meetings and work undertaken, staff supervision and performance management and the safe keeping of those records.

• Ensure that SWOP NSW activities comply with relevant legislation, codes of practice and ethics, organisational policies and procedures, delegation of authority, contractual requirements, and budgets.

Policy and Communications

• Directly supervise the Policy Officer

• Manage strategic development of policy materials ensuring they are accurate, evidence based and in line with the SWOP NSW objectives.

• Coordinate media responses and represent SWOP NSW and its positions in print, radio, television and internet- based media.

• Monitor SWOP NSW promotional activities, resources and public profile, including online, social media and community events.

• Maintain policies and procedures to support effective operations in line with the strategic plan and meet legal responsibilities.

Other

• Retaining awareness and transparency regarding workload capacity and personal limitations, with an eye to avoid burnout and prepare for necessary delegations.

• Perform other duties as assigned by the Governance Committee.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Essential:

• Sex work experience and understanding of the sex worker rights movement, particularly locally and nationally.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and a high level of technological literacy.

• Proven leadership experience, including staff management, and knowledge of industrial relations and management of a community-based peer project/organisation. This includes showing integrity, accountability and confidentiality.

• Strong forward planning and strategic-thinking skills in managing risk, continuous learning when faced with knowledge gaps, and organisational change.

• High level knowledge and experience of the key ethical, social, health, legal and education issues related to sex workers and the sex industry in NSW to ensure SWOP NSW’s programs, advice, communications, advocacy and policy positions remain at the cutting edge of current knowledge and practice.

• Demonstrated cross-cultural skills and knowledge and demonstrated knowledge of culturally appropriate work practices.

• Demonstrated understanding of the value, success and application of peer education, outreach, community development and consultation practices, health promotion and harm reduction in sex work settings.

• Experience in working collaboratively with a diverse community, community leaders, volunteers, and stakeholders and in developing partnerships to achieve organisational goals.

• Financial management experience and skills, including planning, budgeting, reading financial reports, contract and grants management.

• Understanding of governance and demonstrated ability to work effectively with a Governance Committee.

• Demonstrated understanding of government processes in order to enable SWOP NSW’s advice and advocacy work to influence decision making. This includes developing and maintaining relationships with ministers and ministerial advisors.

• Experience in managing media and communication strategies. As well as skills and willingness to represent sex work issues in a range of media and public forums, and experience managing communication activities including resources and social media.

Desirable:

• Tertiary qualifications or equivalent experience in health promotion, public health, health services or community organisation management, social services or a similar field; or equivalent work experience
• Availability and willingness to travel nationally and internationally if required.
• Experience in managing sex worker organisations, projects or collectives as an executive director and/or CEO.
• Note: If you are interested in the position but unsure whether you meet the selection criteria please contact the SWOP NSW president via [email protected] with any questions using the subject line: Chief Executive Officer enquiry via EthicalJobs.

An application kit is attached.