Chief Executive Officer

The Gap Youth and Community Centre Aboriginal Corporation 

Position:  Chief Executive Officer (CEO)  

Position Reports to: Gap Youth and Community Centre Aboriginal Corporation Board

Remuneration: 150-165k dependent on experience, 6 weeks annual leave, 17.5% leave loading, superannuation, and option to salary sacrifice.

Location:  The Gap Youth and Community Centre, 91 – 93 Gap Road, The Gap, Alice Springs NT 0870

Hours: Full-time plus additional overtime as required 

Eligibility:  Indigenous applicants strongly encouraged to apply

About the Gap Youth and Community Centre

The Gap Youth and Community Centre Aboriginal Corporation (GYCC), a not-for-profit community-based organisation, has been providing assistance and support to at-risk children, young people, their families and their communities in Alice Springs since 1977. As a multi-service organisation funded by Territory and Federal government, Gap provides a range of support programs and activities to assist and empower young people to make positive choices and decisions for their future.

For 45 years, the organisation has been providing support and assistance to children and young people based on individual need including assistance with educational engagement, housing and homelessness, vocational training, employment assistance, crime prevention and intervention, information, referral, advocacy, practical assistance, drop-in, and recreational activities.

Role Description

The purpose of the CEO role is to guide and shape GYCC strategic plan and ensure effective operational management and dynamic growth. The CEO is responsible for setting the strategic goals and objectives of the organization and ensuring that the necessary resources are in place to achieve them.

Responsibilities

Main Duties

• Work adaptively and transparently with the Board to develop, implement, and monitor strategic goals to achieve the organisation’s mission.
• Assist and communicate effectively with the Board to bring informed decisions and support governance and regulatory compliance.
• Provide detailed reports to the Board on operational, financial and strategic matters routinely.
• Develop and maintain strategic and collaborative relationships with relevant Ministers, parliamentarians, public servants, youth sector organisations and other key stakeholders.
• Explore and pursue partnership opportunities with organisations to achieve GYC strategic plan in the best interests of young people.
• Represent the organisation publicly.
• Provide visionary and adaptive leadership to grow the organisation in the best interests of young people.
• Responsible for day-to-day operational aspects of GYC.
• Lead and manage executive and middle level managers.
• Have oversight over all financial matters.
• Adhere to all funding contractual obligations in a timely manner.
• Meet set KPI’s set by the Board, e.g. financial targets, program success rates or other KPI’s. 
• Require that the CEO’s strategic plans and major operational decisions receive approval from the Board before implementation. 
• Attend all Board meetings, or at a minimum, at a defined number of meetings per year.
• CEO to report on risk management strategies and issues to the board as aligned with the funding requirements and within GYC handbook. 
• CEO responsible for maintaining an organizational culture of ethics and compliance, with mandatory reporting of any ethical or compliance issues to the Board.
• Establish a formal feedback mechanism where employees and key stakeholders can provide input about the CEO’s performance to the Board, ensuring a more 360-degree evaluation process.
• Involve the Board in the process of succession planning for the CEO role, ensuring they have a say in future leadership continuity. 
• Include a stringent conflict of interest policy, requiring the CEO to disclose any potential conflicts to the Board and abstain from related decisions.

Work Health and Safety:

• Take reasonable care for your own health and safety and for the health and safety of others in the workplace.
• Work in accordance with the GYCC’s Health and Safety Policies, the WHS Act, Regulations and Code of Practices. 
• Ensure reporting of WHS non-conformances or incidents/injuries 

Values and Behaviours:

• Conduct all work in line with the organisation’s values of Social Justice.
• Apply strict confidentiality practices and guidelines to all client information

Selection Criteria:

Essential

1. Formal qualifications or extensive relevant experience in Management/ Finance/ Community Services/ Human Resources required for the role.
2. Relevant experience in a similar CEO or General Manager role required.
3.  Communication: the ability to communicate clearly and concisely, varying communication style depending upon the audience.
4.  Attention to detail: Excellent attention to detail and written skills when communicating with others, both internally and externally.
5.  Decision-making: Excellent informed decision-making skills and judgement demonstrated.
6.  Company representation: Strong demonstration of communication in presenting the company’s vision and strategy effectively and build strong relationships with key stakeholders.
7. Finance management: Strong practical knowledge of managing organisation finances. This includes creating and managing budgets, monitoring performance, and making important financial decisions. They must also ensure that the company is compliant with all legal and regulatory requirements.
8.  Long-term goal setting: Clearly demonstrate long-term goal setting on the organisation’s growth and development. This includes identifying and pursuing new opportunities, developing new products and services, and expanding into new markets.
9. Demonstrated understanding and experience in working with Aboriginal children, young people and families within the principles of trauma informed and strengths-based approaches; and demonstrated understanding of factors that may lead to involvement in the Youth Justice system.
10. Demonstrated interpersonal and listening skills together with excellent written and verbal communication skills with a track-record building and maintaining collaborative relationships with a wide range of internal and external clients, partners and stakeholders in an environment requiring cultural sensitivity. 
11. Demonstrated ability to work with sensitive information and maintain complete confidentiality.
12. High levels of self-motivation and the ability to use initiative, solve problems, and make informed decisions to organise work priorities 
13. Demonstrated experience of working with Aboriginal children, young people and families; and an awareness of the sensitivity to Aboriginal culture, history and knowledge of issues impacting on the lives of Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory.
14. Hold a current NT drivers’ licence, or the ability to obtain.

Desirable

1. Professional approach (essential)
2. Confident manner (essential)
3. Positive approach to change/adaptability (essential)
4. Ability to speak a local Aboriginal language
5. An awareness of, and sensitivity to Aboriginal culture, history and knowledge of issues impacting on the lives of Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory.

Employment with Gap is conditional on the employee providing:

1. NT Working with Children Check (Ochre Card). 
2. Satisfactory Criminal History Check. 
3. Persons considered for a position with the organisation may be required to undergo a pre-employment medical examination and drug screen to determine fitness to perform nominated duties.
4. Proof of full COVID-19 vaccination.

TO SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

Please include a one page cover letter, response to the selection criteria, and provide your current CV with 3 contactable referees. 

Applications close 25 March 2024

Authorised by: GYCC Board on 29 February 2024

The Gap Youth and Community Centre Aboriginal Corporation