• Peak body for social workers
• Operations leadership across a $15M+ budget
• Advancing social work and its values

About the organisation

The Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) is the peak professional body for social workers in Australia, representing more than 18,400 members. Operating from a national office, the AASW sets benchmarks for professional education and practice, and advocates on matters of social justice, human rights and issues affecting the quality of life of all Australians. The organisation delivers education, programs, services, networking and connection for the benefit of members and the broader profession. The AASW is guided by values of respect, collaboration, integrity, accountability and responsiveness.

About the role

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) leads the operating platform that enables the AASW to deliver on its purpose, serve members effectively and meet its governance, financial and regulatory obligations. The COO holds executive oversight across finance, risk and compliance, ICT, CRM and data, membership services, customer experience, facilities, and people and culture. Stewardship of budgets exceeding $15 million sits within this remit, alongside responsibility for enterprise risk management, business continuity and organisational resilience. The COO works closely with the CEO, Board, Company Secretary and Executive Leadership Team to translate strategy into disciplined execution and provides high-quality advice and reporting to Board Committees, including the Finance Audit and Risk and the People and Culture Committees. Driving continuous improvement across operations, technology-enabled member services and organisational capability is central to the role.

About you

You are a commercially astute, values-led senior executive with a proven track record as a COO, General Manager, Executive Director or equivalent, ideally within a mid-sized not-for-profit, membership or purpose-driven organisation. You bring broad executive operational leadership across finance, people and culture, ICT, risk and compliance, and member services, with the ability to translate strategy into disciplined execution and operational excellence. Equally comfortable advising Boards and Board Committees as leading organisational transformation, you combine strong commercial and financial acumen with a deep understanding of not-for-profit governance, enterprise risk and digital service delivery. Tertiary qualified in business, commerce, finance or a related discipline, you are an authentic and collaborative leader who builds high-performing teams, communicates with clarity and influence, and is driven by delivering sustainable outcomes that advance organisational purpose and create lasting value for members and stakeholders.

How to apply

Click ‘ Apply ’ to submit your CV along with a covering letter. For more information prior to application, please contact Bruno Conti at SHK on 0439 033 518 or via email on Bruno.conti@shk.com.au, quoting reference 3594931. Direct and third-party applications will be forwarded to SHK.