The Organisation:
Life Without Barriers (LWB) is a leading for purpose organisation delivering community services across Australia, with a clear purpose to partner with people to change lives for the better. Guided by strong organisational values, the organisation supports children, young people, families and communities experiencing vulnerability.
Child safety and wellbeing underpin all service delivery, with clear expectations around protection, respect and accountability. LWB also maintains a strong commitment to reconciliation and inclusion. Within its Children, Youth and Family (CYF) portfolio, the organisation is focused on service integrity, nationally consistent practice and evidence-informed models that strengthen safety, wellbeing and permanency outcomes.
The Position:
Reporting to the Deputy CEO, Children, Youth and Family, you will be accountable for the leadership and performance of the sizeable and complex CYF portfolio across the whole of Western Australia. Your key responsibilities will include:
* Overall leadership of a significant and complex WA Children, Youth and Family portfolio, including a team of approximately 250.
* Delivery of Out of Home Care (Residential & Foster) across the Perth Metro, Mid-West, Goldfields and South West regions of Western Australia
* Accountability for service quality, safety, financial performance and risk across the state.
* Leadership, coaching and development of a senior leadership team, including Regional Directors and specialist roles.
* Embedding nationally consistent services, policies, procedures and evidence-informed practice.
* Strengthening foster care and residential care models to improve safety, wellbeing and permanency outcomes.
* Ensuring robust clinical governance, service integrity and regulatory compliance.
* Leading a culture of service excellence, accountability and continuous improvement.
* Driving reform initiatives and operational improvements aligned to national strategy.
* Building strong relationships with government, regulators, partners and the broader sector with a focus on growth and business development opportunities
* Contributing to national Children, Youth and Family strategy and decision-making.
About You:
An experienced senior leader with a strong track record in complex community services environments, you bring a leadership style that balances clear accountability with support and development. You will demonstrate the capability to lead large, geographically dispersed operations while maintaining service integrity and strong outcomes. Additionally, you will bring:
* Experience within child protection and out-of-home care, including foster care and/or residential care is desirable.
* Demonstrated experience leading large-scale service delivery operations across multiple locations.
* Relevant tertiary qualifications in social work, psychology, a related clinical discipline or an equivalent business field.
* Proven accountability for significant budgets, workforce safety, performance and organisational risk.
* A strong commitment to child safe organisation principles and practices.
* Sound knowledge of Australian community services policy and regulatory frameworks.
* Highly developed stakeholder capability, including effective engagement with government and sector partners.
* Cultural capability and genuine alignment with reconciliation principles.
* Strategic and commercial capability, with experience leading reform, improvement and change initiatives.
* Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare high-quality reports and briefings
For more information about this opportunity, a detailed Candidate Prospectus is available by emailing **********@lesterblades.com.au. After reviewing the Prospectus, you can make further confidential telephone enquiries to Lester Blades’ Partners, James Fairbairn or Jemma Buckner, at +61 8 9221 0744.
Applications may be made in Word format to ************@lesterblades.com.au quoting Reference LB. Please include a cover letter with your application outlining why you believe you have the skills, experience and achievements for this key position.
Closing date for applications, 4pm, Thursday 26th February 2026
Candidates’ rights under the Privacy Act will be observed at all times.
Only candidates with valid work rights in Australia can be considered.
ABOUT LESTER BLADES
Lester Blades is a Western Australian owned executive search and board advisory firm with local specialisation and international reach. We focus on uncompromising excellence in service to clients in the identification of Non-Executive Directors, CEOs and a range of other senior executive and functional leadership roles.