ABOUT YWCA AUSTRALIA

YWCA Australia is an evolving intersectional feminist organisation. We are working to develop a strong, intersectional feminist understanding across the organisation and ensure our decisions are informed by principles and criteria for intersectional decision-making, impact and sustainability.

Gender equality requires systems thinking and systems change. We need to understand how systems, structures and processes can drive different outcomes and experiences for women and people of marginalised genders in all their diversity. Intersectionality considers colonial, racial, social and political contexts and recognises the discrimination and oppression enforced by systems on individuals and their experiences. We cannot achieve gender equality without an intersectional lens in all that we do, advocate for and seek to change.

THE ROLE

YWCA Australia is seeking to appoint 3 Directors, 2 of whom must be Young Women aged 30 or under at the time of appointment, whose skills align with the strategic direction of the organisation and complement the current skills and experience mix of the Board.

The Board is comprised of 10 Directors, 60% are elected by Members and the balance appointed by the Board. At least 1/3 of the Board must be Young Women. Directors of YWCA Australia are also appointed as Directors of the subsidiaries, YWCA National Housing and YWCA Housing. The Board has adopted a Board Charter which sets out the roles, responsibilities and principles within which it operates. The Charter reflects the requirements of the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission and can be accessed here.

SELECTION CRITERIA: SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

YWCA is seeking candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences, and we strongly encourage gender-diverse individuals and Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people to apply for these positions. Candidates with experience in the housing, finance or corporate governance sectors are also strongly encouraged to apply. You might have a little experience or a lot in any of these fields – we encourage applications with all levels of experience!

Not sure if this applies to you? Examples of what experience in these fields could look like is detailed below:

Housing

• An understanding with housing policy and strategy.
• Familiarity with the housing regulatory environment.
• Experience with the operations of housing providers.
• Comfort with oversight of housing investment and capital structures

Corporate Governance

• An understanding of the roles and legal responsibilities of directors.
• Familiarity with the regulatory requirements of an organisation. This may be in the housing, not-for-profit or corporate space.
• Experience with managing risk.
• Familiarity with the governance of a not-for-profit organisation and good governance practices in general

Finance

• Experience with organisational and/or strategic financial analysis.
• An understanding of the budgeting and cost management process for an organisation.
• An understanding of the financial compliance requirements of an organisation.
• The ability to read and interpret financial statements.
• An understanding of the financial audit process.
• Comfort with investment analysis.
• Experience with overseeing debt financing.

Other Qualities

• You have an enthusiasm for taking on leadership roles.
• This might be your first Board role.
• You’re aligned to the purpose and values of YWCA.
• You’re collaborative, curious and courageous.
• You’re eligible to be appointed as a Director within the requirements of the Constitution, the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) and the ACNC Act.
• You’re a member of YWCA Australia. Not a member yet? Join here.
• You’re an independent candidate , as per the YWCA Board Charter.

When considering your suitability, please reflect on your professional, volunteer and life experience as well as your education, which may be ongoing. Generally, men will apply for positions when they meet as little as 60% of the required skills or experience, but women will only apply if they meet 100% of the requirements. If you believe you could bring your passion or experience to this role, you are encouraged to outline this in your cover letter. We consider a broad array of candidates across various experiences, backgrounds and workplaces, both formal and informal.

How to Apply

Interested candidates are asked to submit a cover letter that outlines their experience and interest in the role, and a resume.

Applications will be reviewed by the YWCA Nominations Committee and shortlisted candidates will be interviewed in mid-September. Successful candidates will be placed on the election ballot, to be voted on by YWCA Members and announced at the YWCA Australia AGM in November.

Position Description.