Chief Executive Officer

YWCA Australia seeks an exceptional leader to drive the next chapter of one of Australia's most respected feminist organisations. With 140+ years of impact, YWCA's purpose is making Young Women's Leadership and Women's Housing their priority for gender equity in Australia and has evolved into a national leader in gender-responsive housing and homelessness solutions.

In pursuit of its vision to champion gender equality and create pathways for women and gender-diverse people to thrive, YWCA Australia provides and operates a wide range of services across the country, including community housing, specialist homelessness services, domestic and family violence support, early intervention programs, and young women's leadership initiatives. YWCA Australia operates a strong financial base, has ambitious growth plans and also operates the award winning, 4 star profit-for-purpose Song Hotel to assist in funding its agenda.

The incoming Group CEO will inherit a financially stable and sustainable organisation with a significant base and impressive momentum. In 2025 YWCA Australia provided 496 safe homes, and delivered 27 programs, supporting almost 7600 people. Last year, 36 new houses were delivered with 200 more planned by 2028. 

The organisation is made up of more than 200 passionate professionals across 16 locations. You can find more information about YWCA Australia at www.ywca.org.au.

The Opportunity:
The Group Chief Executive Officer (Group CEO) of YWCA Australia is responsible for the strategic leadership, sustainable management, and operational excellence of the organisation. As the leader of a proudly feminist organisation, the Group CEO champions feminist principles in all aspects of leadership, ensuring that YWCA Australia's purpose, vision, values, long-term outcomes, and sustainability are delivered. This includes fostering inclusive, intersectional, and participatory approaches that advance gender equality and social justice.

The Group CEO will be responsible to work together with the team to:

• Develop and implement the Strategy delivering growth, sustainability and impact
• Foster a collaborative, values-driven culture that amplifies the organisation’s impact
• Champion YWCA’s profile, services, programs, and strategic initiatives across diverse stakeholder groups
• Drive innovation and continuous improvement in the development and delivery of programs, services, and support processes for improved client outcomes
• Cultivate strong relationships with funders, partners, and the Board to enhance visibility, influence, and revenue generation
• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and maintain the organisation’s reputation for integrity and accountability

The Ideal Candidate:
YWCA Australia seeks a visionary leader who combines commercial acumen with unwavering social purpose. The successful candidate will understand that not every decision is purely commercial - they can balance social impact with organisational sustainability.

Essential Experience:

• Proven leadership of complex, multi-jurisdictional organisations at relevant scale (organisations greater than $50 million in revenue)
• Financial/commercial sophistication – P&L management, resource allocation, and confidence with complex financing structures
• Track record of building inclusive, high-performing and engaged teams across distributed locations
• Strong government relations and advocacy capability - navigating federal/state stakeholders, securing funding, managing advocacy cycles
• Demonstrated commitment to marginalised communities through action and lived experience

Leadership Capabilities:

• Authentic stakeholder engagement across generations and communities
• Lived understanding of intersectional feminism - embedding equity in process, decision-making and team building
• Genuine commitment to amplifying young women's voices and building succession pipelines

Candidate information: Please click on the "Additional Information" button to download a copy of the Candidate Information Pack. For more information, please contact Jack Evison at apply@derwentsearch.com.au or call (03) 9691 1333 quoting reference number: 33524

To apply: Please provide a cover letter highlighting your suitability for the role and a resume by the due date. Applications close: Monday 8th December 2025

YWCA Australia is an Equal Opportunity Employer encouraging applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people with disabilities, and people of all genders and sexualities. YWCA is dedicated to creating an accessible and inclusive hiring process. If you need any adjustments or modifications to support your access needs at any stage please contact apply@derwentsearch.com.au.

YWCA Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we work, live and play and pay our respects to Elders past and present. We recognise First Nations people as the custodians of the lands, seas and skies, with more than 60,000 years of wisdom, connection and relationship in caring for Country.