Company overview

Workways Australia Ltd is a not for profit organisation delivering a range of Federal and State Government funded programs including jobactive, Disability Employment Services, Transition to Work, Jobs Victoria Employment Network, ParentsNext, and Environmental projects. As a business with an annual budget of $36M, 300+ staff and offices across Queensland, Victoria, NSW and the ACT, Workways enables people from all backgrounds to participate in the workforce. The Workways head office is located in Bairnsdale, Victoria.

Purpose:

Workways Australia Ltd is a charitable organisation established for the principal purpose of promoting the relief of poverty, distress or misfortune of individuals who are experiencing long term unemployment and other significant social disadvantages by providing programs to assist them to obtain and retain employment, or to proceed to further education and/or training.

Workways Values:

Board directors must comply with and demonstrate the organisational values of Workways Australia Ltd which are:

1. Respectful
2. Accountable
3. Ethical
4. Sustainable
5. Engaged

Workways Board

The Board is made up of a maximum of eight (8) Non-Executive Directors. Directors are generally appointed for a three (3) year term on a rotational basis, with appointments occurring annually. The Board’s annual calendar includes up to nine ordinary meetings. While most are held virtually, the Board meets in person at the head office in Bairnsdale, Victoria, four times a year. In addition to attendance at Board meetings, directors are required to serve on at least one Board sub-committee per year. Each sub-committee meets a minimum of four times per year. If required, directors must be willing and available to take part in additional meetings and teleconference calls.

Position Responsibilities

Within the overall responsibility for the effective governance and oversight of the organisation, directors are expected to participate actively in the following ways:

• Determining, reviewing and maintaining the vision, purpose and values of the organisation.
• Setting the strategic direction.
• Monitoring the achievement of the strategic plan priorities.
• Appointing and monitoring the performance of the CEO.
• Approving annual budgets and effectively monitoring financial performance.
• Oversight of risk identification and mitigation strategies.
• Effective monitoring of service delivery performance.
• Commitment to the ongoing improvement in quality and safety of service delivery.
• Supporting effective engagement with key stakeholders.
• Ensuring compliance with relevant legislation, regulation and legal obligations.

Competencies

The Board is responsible for ensuring that it has a diverse range of skills, knowledge and experience to effectively govern the organisation. Applicants for director positions are required to have the personal qualities and a range of competencies related to the skills below that would enable an effective contribution to the duties and obligations of the Board. A strong understanding of corporate governance including the legal, ethical, fiduciary and financial responsibilities is essential.

Skills for the collective Board

• Sector knowledge and engagement
  Knowledge, experience and networks within employment, youth, indigenous and/or disability sectors and within public and community settings and services.
• Information Communication Technology
  Knowledge and experience in the strategic use and governance of information management and information communication technologies, including information technology strategy, cyber security, personal information privacy and security risk management.
• Marketing and communications
  Experience and/or knowledge of traditional marketing and communications, digital marketing and business development strategies.
• Strategic
  An ability to think strategically, identify and critically assess strategic opportunities and threats, and develop effective strategies in the context of the strategic objectives of Workways Australia Ltd.
• Financial literacy
  Knowledge and experience in accounting and/or financial management and the ability to interpret and analyse financial statements, critically assess financial viability and performance, contribute to strategic financial planning and oversee budgets and the efficient use of resources, and oversee funding arrangements and accountability.
• Governance
  Knowledge and experience in best practice corporate governance structures, policies and practices and an ability to apply that knowledge to Workways Australia Ltd.
• Risk
  Ability to identify key risks to the organisation including legal and regulatory compliance, and monitor risk and compliance frameworks and systems.
• Commercial/Legal
  A range of commercial, legal and/or business experience, preferably in not for profit and small to medium enterprises in areas including business systems, practices, development and improvement.
• Leadership
  Knowledge and experience in leadership including the ability to represent the organisation, set appropriate Board and organisational culture and exercise judgement and responsibility for decisions and actions.

• People & Culture
  Specifically related to human resources expertise, workforce performance, HR processes and systems, employee engagement, legislation and workforce lifecycle management.
• Change Management
  Aligned to organisational change, including information technology, digital transition and business practices.

Key qualities:

• The ability to constructively challenge and contribute to the development and implementation of strategy;
• An open collaborator who fosters a strong culture of respect and trust that contributes to effective strategic thinking and performance management;
• An independent thinker and confident leader who operates within a framework of open feedback, strong ethics, integrity and innovation;
• An effective communicator and receptive listener who can negotiate and influence Board discussions in a respectful way while maintaining an openness to consensus decision making;
• The ability to satisfy yourself that financial information is accurate and that financial controls and systems of risk management are robust and defensible;
• Recognition that a culture of innovation, diversity and inclusion starts at the Board level;
• A commitment to making oneself available for the role, the values of the organisation and to working respectfully with the stakeholders of the organisation;
• The ability to read and analyse complex and technical information outside your own areas of experience.

Remuneration

This role is a remunerated position and is currently $20,000pa.

A position description is attached.

General enquiries to Anne Cox via email: [email protected] using the subject line: Non-Executive Director enquiry via EthicalJobs.

Please note interviews will be held virtually or in Bairnsdale, Victoria, on 18 and 19 October 2021 (subject to COVID-19 restrictions). Feedback will not be provided to applicants who do not gain an interview.