Director of Community Initiatives
Hope Connect Inc | Telopea and Epping, Western Sydney | Full time | SCHADS Level 7
Our vision is simple: to love our neighbours.
For more than 50 years Hope Connect has walked alongside children, families and individuals in Western Sydney. We are looking for the leader who will take us into our next chapter.
- Executive leadership of all services, staff, finances and partnerships
- Shape the next chapter of an organisation with 50 years in the community
- Full time, SCHADS Level 7, plus superannuation and salary packaging
About Hope Connect
Hope Connect is a not-for-profit community organisation and a ministry of Epping Church of Christ. Motivated by the love and compassion of Jesus for all people, we work to meet the enduring and changing needs of individuals and families in our community, to assist healthy wellbeing.
Our services include family support, counselling, case management, material aid, emergency relief, and social and community programs. Our mission shapes why we do this work. Our services are delivered to professional standards and within our funding obligations.
About the role
As Director of Community Initiatives, you lead Hope Connect. You are accountable to the Management Committee for the performance of the organisation, and work closely with the Senior Pastor of Epping Church of Christ.
You hold full operational authority for services, staff and resources within the approved budget, policies and strategic plan. You lead a team across program delivery, administration and finance, supported by a long-standing volunteer base.
What you do
- Co-design the strategic plan with the Management Committee and church leadership, and lead its delivery
- Oversee all services and programs, within funding agreements and legal requirements
- Oversee the annual budget for Committee approval, manage financial performance, and grow and diversify income
- Shape the service portfolio around the enduring and changing needs of the community
- Lead and develop the staff team and volunteer base, and build a culture where people and mission both thrive
- Represent Hope Connect to government, funding bodies, partners and donors, and advocate for the community it serves
- Maintain engagement with the Epping Church of Christ congregation, and collaborate with the Senior Pastor and the church's other ministries to serve the broader community
What you will bring
Please address each of the essential criteria in your cover letter. The full person specification is in the position description.
Essential
- Senior leadership or executive experience in community, or child, youth and family services, including leading organisational change
- Managing an operating budget of comparable scale ($1–5M per annum) and multiple funding streams, including funding submissions and tenders
- Leading and developing a staff team, including managing performance and conduct
- Working knowledge of child safety legislation, and of trauma informed and culturally safe practice
- Commitment to champion the Christian ethos of Hope Connect, and the ability to lead an organisation that operates as a ministry of Epping Church of Christ while meeting professional and funding obligations
- Tertiary qualification in business administration, not for profit management, social work or a related field
Desirable
- Direct experience managing family support services (highly desirable)
- Working in or alongside a faith-based organisation
- Reporting to a board or management committee
- Postgraduate qualification in a related field
What we offer
- Full time, 38 hours per week
- SCHADS Level 7, plus superannuation
- Salary packaging as a not-for-profit employer
- Employee Assistance Program, training and professional development
- Pastoral support available from the Senior Pastor of Epping Church of Christ
Our commitment
Hope Connect is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. All appointees are screened. The successful applicant will hold a NSW Working With Children Check and a National Police Check, current or willing to obtain, and a driver's licence, and must have the right to work in Australia.
Hope Connect is an equal opportunity employer and appoints on merit against the selection criteria. We welcome applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and people with disability. We will consider reasonable adjustments for any applicant who needs them.
How to apply
Download the position description.
Please send your resume and a cover letter addressing the six essential criteria and any desirable criteria you can demonstrate to admin@hopeconnect.org.au by 4pm on 26 November 2026. Please include two referees, one of them a recent employer.
For a confidential conversation about the role, contact Guy Collishaw at guy.collishaw@hopeconnect.org.au. |
