GENERAL MANAGER, SOCIAL WORK ADVANCEMENT
* Peak body for Australian social workers (appointee can be located anywhere in Australia)
About the organisation
The Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) is the peak professional body for social workers in Australia, representing more than 17,000 members. AASW sets benchmarks for professional education and practice, and advocates on matters of social justice, human rights, and quality of life. Operating nationally, the association delivers education, programs, services, and advocacy for the benefit of its members and the broader profession. Australian Association of Social Workers is preparing for a significant milestone with the formal registration of social work as a regulated profession in Australia.
About the role
Reporting to the CEO and sitting on the Executive Leadership Team, the General Manager - Social Work Advancement leads a newly integrated portfolio that brings together Professional Advancement and Member Advancement. The GM is responsible for driving AASW's membership growth and engagement strategy, with clear objectives to grow the membership base, reduce churn, and improve engagement across all career stages. This includes leading the development and delivery of key national initiatives and programs, an expanded National Advisory Program, and a National Mentoring Program, as well as a comprehensive suite of practice and career resources for social workers. The GM oversees the translation of research and evidence into practice, the development of evidence-based guidelines and resources, and the strengthening of partnerships with branches, universities, NGOs, and government agencies. People leadership, budget management, and performance oversight across a multidisciplinary team are central to the role, as is contributing to CRM development, business intelligence, and income diversification through events programming.
About you
You are a senior leader with extensive executive-level experience in the social services, health, or community sectors, ideally with exposure to membership or professionally networked organisations. Your ability to integrate programs across complex portfolios, build productive stakeholder relationships, and translate strategy into operational outcomes sets you apart. You bring demonstrated experience managing multidisciplinary teams, developing evidence-informed resources, and leading high-impact membership engagement campaigns. You are politically astute, a confident public communicator, and skilled at writing clear and concise management and committee reports. You are comfortable operating in a complex governance environment and are adept at managing competing priorities under pressure. Tertiary qualifications in Social Work, with eligibility for AASW membership, are required; postgraduate qualifications in leadership, management, or public policy are advantageous.
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