• Opportunity to work at Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment (PLACE), a national not-for-profit organisation that supports the adoption and impact of place-based approaches across Australia.
• Join at an exciting time, as the PLACE team builds its foundational team during its establishment phase, in preparation for its first steps of growth as a new organisation.
• Wurundjeri Country (Melbourne) with Hybrid conditions
• $90,000 - $110,000 (FTE) per annum excluding superannuation.
• Full time (1.0) fixed-term position

The Executive Assistant will provide high-level executive and administrative support to the CEO and contribute to the effective operation of PLACE during a critical phase of growth. This role plays a central part in ensuring the CEO’s time and priorities are managed effectively, internal coordination runs smoothly, and organisational commitments are delivered with care and professionalism.

Working closely with the CEO the Executive Assistant will support a broad range of functions including calendar and communications management, stakeholder liaison, meeting and event coordination, and administrative support. The role requires a highly organised, proactive, and adaptable professional who thrives in a dynamic, purpose-driven environment.

Who you are (selection criteria):

• You have relevant tertiary qualifications in a related field, or possess equivalent professional experience supporting senior executives.
• You have extensive experience providing high-level executive support in dynamic and fast-paced environments, ideally within purpose-driven organisations or the not-for-profit sector.
• You demonstrate exceptional organisational and time-management skills, with a proven ability to manage complex calendars, prioritise competing demands, and coordinate logistics with precision and foresight.
• You possess excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to draft professional correspondence, prepare high-quality documentation, and liaise confidently with internal and external stakeholders.
• You are highly skilled in managing travel, events, and meetings, ensuring smooth operations and thoughtful stakeholder experiences.
• You have a high degree of initiative and discretion, with a strong track record of handling confidential information and supporting executive-level decision-making with accuracy and integrity.
• You are comfortable in a start-up environment; you manage multiple competing priorities with a proactive and adaptable approach.
• You demonstrate a commitment to PLACE’s vision, values and principles, particularly around community leadership and shared decision-making.

Research indicates that while men apply to jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, women and other marginalised individuals often wait until they fulfil every requirement. If you believe you have the attributes to do the job but don't match every point on the job ad, we welcome and encourage your application.

Key responsibilities:

• Act as the CEO point of contact, analysing and assessing requests to prioritise matters to support optimal use of the CEOs time.
• Provide high-level support to the CEO including managing calendars, scheduling meetings, arranging travel bookings and expense tracking.
• Manage a dynamic calendar with competing priorities, balancing internal collaboration with external stakeholder obligations.
• Organise and support meetings and events, including room bookings, catering, tech setup, and other logistical arrangements.
• Manage communication and correspondence with internal and external stakeholders, including preparing written correspondence, and reviewing the submissions of others to the CEO.

Please see the Executive Assistant to CEO Job Description for more.

Who we are:

Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment (PLACE) is a not-for-profit organisation, committed to collaborative, community-driven approaches to create impactful and lasting change. By leading a national workforce strategy, we support community needs through place-based solutions.

It is our vision to enable communities and governments to jointly decide on matters that are most important to our lives. We lead national initiatives to develop workforce strategies, enhance place-based practices and improve data monitoring and evaluation.

At PLACE, we are dedicated to creating lasting change through understanding, action and empowered governance.

What we offer:

• True flexibility and a strong focus on agility in the workplace; we prioritise making flexible work arrangements possible for all employees.
• Access to Fringe Benefits Tax options, in addition to base salary and superannuation.
• A team of supportive and passionate people committed to maintaining a positive workplace culture and making an impact.
• 5 weeks of Annual Leave for every 12 months of employment.
• Two days volunteering leave for every 12 months of employment.
• A leadership team that truly wants you to flourish and make your mark on the organisation.
• A workplace that prioritises both diversity and inclusion, allowing everyone to bring their authentic selves to work in an environment that ensures psychological and physical safety.
• Hybrid work environment and flexible working arrangements.
• Cultural and Ceremonial leave.
• A Learning and Development budget per employee, prioritising professional development for our employees.

How to apply:

To express your interest, submit an online application through this portal and include a professional resume. All applicants must also provide brief responses to the application questions that are included as part of the online application.

Note: we do not accept cover letters as part of our application process.

This job advertisement does not have an official closure date as applications will be reviewed upon receipt, so we highly encourage interested candidates to not delay their applications.

If you require additional adjustments, or would like to discuss any access needs as a part of the application and recruitment process, then please contact us via email [email protected], using the subject line: Executive Assistant to CEO enquiry via EthicalJobs.

A position description is attached.

PLACE is an equal opportunity employer and strives to maintain a workplace environment that is fair and free of discrimination, is safe and accessible for all employees, and provides working arrangements that accommodate the diverse needs of our staff. We strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, people from culturally- and linguistically-diverse backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ people and people of every ethnicity, faith, ability, culture, language, gender identity, age, and sex.

Employment in this position is conditional upon reception and maintenance of a Working With Children Check. As part of our employment screening process, we do run police checks. But don’t worry—having a criminal record doesn’t automatically disqualify you.