* Be the trusted public voice for a critical sector
* Drive impact through collaboration and purpose
* Lead system-wide reform across Victoria and nationally
Safe and Equal is Victoria's peak body for organisations specialising in family and gender-based violence across the full continuum of prevention, early intervention, response, and recovery. Representing more than 80 specialist services across the state, Safe and Equal plays a central role in shaping policy, practice, and workforce capability to improve safety and outcomes for women, children, and communities. Formed through the merger of Domestic Violence Victoria and the Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria, the organisation commenced operations in 2021 and quickly established itself as a trusted and influential voice within a complex and evolving system. Safe and Equal is an explicitly intersectional feminist organisation, grounded in evidence, lived experience, and strong commitments to Aboriginal self-determination, cultural safety, and inclusion for marginalised communities.
As Chief Executive Officer, you will partner closely with the Board and executive leadership team to consolidate and implement the organisation's strategy, positioning Safe and Equal as a credible and influential peak body at both state and national levels. This is a system leadership role, requiring strong capability in shaping reform, influencing policy and funding decisions, and ensuring the voices of specialist services and victim-survivors inform government action. You will lead engagement across Victorian and Commonwealth governments and play a key role in shaping responses to major reforms, including the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children and proposed coercive control legislation.
Critical to your success will be your ability to operate at the intersection of policy, practice, and politics. This will involve translating evidence, data, and frontline experience into persuasive advocacy while maintaining the trust of members and victim-survivor advocates. You will bring confident public leadership, navigating complex and sometimes contentious debates with clarity, nuance, and a strong focus on safety and unintended consequences, particularly for marginalised communities. In doing so, you will strengthen Safe and Equal's value to its diverse membership by supporting workforce sustainability, quality practice, and practice leadership across the sector. The role will require you to build and sustain strong coalitions across specialist services, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, and mainstream systems such as housing, mental health, and alcohol and other drugs, recognising the growing impact of these interfaces on the family violence system.
The successful candidate will be an experienced executive leader with a strong track record leading complex, values-driven organisations through reform and scrutiny. Your background may include senior leadership in family violence, women's health, gender equity, or adjacent human services systems such as mental health, AOD, homelessness, or local government, with deep understanding of how policy decisions affect frontline practice and outcomes for women and children. You will be recognised for your calm, measured, and emotionally intelligent leadership style, with strong crisis leadership and media capability. Highly regarded for your integrity, authenticity, and ability to communicate complex issues clearly and persuasively, you will provide credible public narrative leadership while maintaining cohesion across a diverse sector.
This is a career-defining opportunity to lead at a critical moment of reform and consolidation. Safe and Equal is a well-established organisation with a strong reputation, trusted relationships, and significant influence on policy and practice, offering the opportunity to shape the future of the family and gender-based violence system in Victoria and nationally.
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Natasha Diamond
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or
Kate Rowe
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Davidson acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we work and live. We are committed to equal opportunity and actively promote diversity, inclusion, belonging, flexibility, and accessibility in all that we do. Adjustments are available throughout the recruitment process.