Chief Operating Officer

Chief Operating Officer

Utilise your strategic financial expertise and strong leadership and innovative skills to make an impact in a leading state cultural institution, Museums of History NSW (MHNSW), committed to enhancing access and sharing NSW’s unique history.

What the opportunity is:

• Employment with Museums of History NSW.
• Senior Executive Band 2. Remuneration package to be negotiated.
• Full-time temporary employment for a period up to 12 months.
• The role will work across Sydney, including CBD and Kingswood.

What we do
MHNSW brings together the museums, historic houses and associated collections including a vast collection of more than 13 million items held at the NSW State Archives. This includes one of the world’s most complete and important collections documenting colonisation.

Providing greater access to and understanding of our state’s rich and varied histories, stories and cultures is paramount to MHNSW with truth–telling and respect at the core of our approach. With a formidable asset base worth $1.6 billion, we are focused on growing, managing, preserving and providing public access to the State Archives Collection and the objects, materials, buildings, places and stories that shape the historical, social, political and cultural identity of NSW.  

MHNSW also operates commercial services that contribute significantly to the organisation’s sustainability, including retail, food and beverage, venue hire, commercial records storage, records management, digitisation and consultancy services.

What you’ll do with us
The Chief Operating Officer leads the strategic financial direction of MHNSW, building budget stability through advocacy at a senior level, responding to commercial risks and ensuring strong and capable leadership. This role supports the Chief Executive Officer in the development of organisational strategies and priorities including operations, and responding to commercial and budgetary context, to drive financial performance.

The COO provides executive leadership and direction to three divisions within the organization. The Corporate Services Division oversees the finance, people & culture, internal communications, ICT, facilities, capital projects and procurement functions. The Museums Division oversees museum operations (City Museums Portfolio and House Museums Portfolio), horticulture, venue hire, retail and visitor contact services. The Commercial Operations Division oversees commercial digitization and logistics, and commercial development functions.

For more information on the role, please contact Mary Darwell, Chief Executive Officer on 02 8805 5341.

Click here for the role description including the capabilities required for this role.

What you need to do to apply 
To apply you will need to submit the following:

• A one-to-two-page cover letter outlining how your skills and experiences meet the essential requirements for this role,
• Respond to the targeted question (no more than 300 words). Your response to the targeted question is to be included in the covering letter, and
• A current resume listing two referees. 

What you need to tell us - Targeted question:

• Describe your executive management experience in leading the delivery of financial functions in a complex service environment. Outline where you have demonstrated  analytical and advocacy skills at a senior level to achieve strategic organisational growth and deliver budget outcomes

Essential requirements of the role:

• Tertiary qualifications in a financial or accounting discipline and membership with an accredited professional accounting body (i.e. Institute of Chartered Accountants (Australia), CPA Australia)
• Strategic thinker with a track record of driving commercial business results and operational excellence.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation and standards
• Willingness to work across MHNSW sites and ability to travel to multiple locations.

Also note:

• For additional resources to help prepare your application and understanding of the process please refer to Applying for a job.
• Temporary roles, you need to hold a valid visa giving you permission to work in Australia as required by the role. All successful candidates will be required to undergo a criminal record check with NSW Police.
• A talent pool may be created for future ongoing and temporary roles and is valid for a period of up to 18 months.

Submit your application before the closing date: 11.59pm Sunday 28 April 2024

Diversity and Flexible Working
We are expert keepers and tellers of history, and its many stories, peoples, and cultures.  We want to create a team and workplace that reflects this diversity as well as the diversity in the communities we serve. We know through experience that different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds create a stronger and more creative work environment that delivers better, more inclusive results and connects our people to our communities, to our history, and to each other.

Our vision is to support and empower First Nations people, communities and culture, and across the sites that we care for, we are committed to shifting perspectives, truth telling and delivering honest reflections on history.

We understand that flexibility means different things to different people and are committed to offering flexible work arrangements where and when possible.

Our team can provide alternative formats to apply, make adjustments to the recruitment process and offer information about workplace adjustments and support networks. 

If you are a person who requires adjustment and would like to request assistance, please contact Liz Akerboom on 02 8239 2355 or via MHNSWRecruitment@mhnsw.au.

For more information, please visit:
Information on some of the different types of disabilities
Information on adjustments available for the recruitment process

Thank you for your interest in this role. We look forward to receiving your application.