Executive Director – Women's Legal Services Australia

Unique opportunity for an experienced leader to drive the strategic direction, advocacy and impact of Women’s Legal Services Australia, shaping the future of gender equality and access to justice.

Women’s Legal Services Australia (WLSA) | Melbourne CBD | Hybrid working model | Full time or Part time - negotiable (minimum 0.8 FTE) | Ongoing

• Be a part of a feminist network influencing policy and law reform to create better outcomes for Australian women
• A fantastic opportunity to work with experts in family and sexual violence.
• Competitive remuneration, 5 weeks annual leave and flexible work arrangements.

Wlsa Mission

Women’s Legal Services Australia (WLSA) is the peak body for Women’s Legal Services, with 13 members across the country, including Women’s Legal Service Victoria (Women’s Legal).

WLSA's mission is to promote a legal system that is safe, supportive, non-discriminatory and responsive to the needs of women, particularly victim-survivors of gender-based violence.

WLSA advocates for policy, law reform and systemic change in key focus areas, including:

• Increased access to specialist legal and support services for women engaged in legal and other systems
• Family law
• Domestic and family violence
• Criminal justice system for victim-survivors of sexual violence
• Child protection
• Migration law systems for women on temporary visas experiencing violence

About The Role

WLSA has evolved considerably over the past couple of years. A new role of Executive Director has been established to lead this next phase of WLSA’s impact.

The Executive Director will provide strategic leadership, operational management and external representation for WLSA, working closely with the Chair of WLSA and CEO of Women’s Legal to deliver on WLSA’s mission, financial sustainability and sector impact.

• Lead the development and implementation of WLSA’s strategic plan
• Represent WLSA with government, media, funders and external stakeholders
• Drive advocacy initiatives on gender equality, legal systems and law reform
• Support and collaborate with WLSA members to strengthen sector capacity
• Oversee financial management, compliance and reporting requirements
• Lead a small team and foster a high-performing, values aligned culture

About You

You are an inclusive and strategic leader who thrives in collaborative environments and bringing people together around a shared vision. You are confident in navigating complexity, building trust with diverse stakeholders and influencing change at the highest level.

Key to your success is your:

• Proven senior leadership experience, ideally in the not-for profit or peak body sector
• Strong understanding of governance, operational management and financial accountability
• Demonstrated ability to influence people and lead advocacy at a national level
• Exceptional communication, negotiation and stakeholder engagement skills
• Commitment to equity, social justice and the Women’s Legal values
• Ability to motivate, lead and support staff to achieve organisational goals.

Why Women’S Legal?

We Offer:

• Competitive remuneration
• 5 weeks annual leave, plus bonus leave between Christmas and New Year!
• Paid parental leave and reproductive health leave
• Cultural leave
• A strong commitment to your professional development, personal development, and wellbeing
• A hybrid working model and a flexible working environment that supports work/non-work balance
• NFP salary packaging benefits (up to $15,900 in tax-free pay every year) plus meal and entertainment benefits (up to $2,650 tax-free pay per year)
• Fresh fruit available in the office
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program and other workplace wellbeing initiatives

To Apply

Submit a resume and covering letter to tell us how you are the right candidate for this role. Please ensure the cover letter addresses the key selection criteria as described in the attached position description.

All successful candidates will be required to produce a national criminal history check prior to the commencement of their employment.

Disclosure of a criminal record does not necessarily preclude appointment by Women’s Legal, but if needed, we invite applicants to address this issue early in the application phase. Should a criminal record disclosure be advised by a candidate, Women’s Legal will endeavour to provide clarity over whether the conviction would preclude a candidate from being able to carry out the position duties.

Please note, all staff employed by Women’s Legal Service Victoria are required to comply with Section 121 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law.

Enquiries

Enquiries can be emailed to Ruth McKendrick, HR Officer at hr@womenslegal.org.au.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We recognise our work benefits greatly from the unique knowledge, skills, and expertise of individuals with diverse experiences, including people who are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, with disability, with lived experience of family and sexual violence, and from migrant, refugee, culturally and racially marginalised backgrounds.

If this is you, we strongly encourage you to apply.

Women's Legal relies on an exception under the Equal Opportunity Act to employ women only.

Applications close: 9am, Tuesday 30 September.