Director, Youth & Young Adult Wellbeing
This is a role that stays with you. Lead 100+ people making real change through youth wellbeing, mental health, and family support programs
* Drive innovation. Change lives. Build what's next
* Help young people find safety, hope, and a future.
* 2 day WFH + flexibility
YOUR NEW EMPLOYER
Newcastle Anglican is one of the region's largest and most diverse service providers, delivering social justice, community, education, and aged care programs across the Hunter, Mid North Coast, and Upper Hunter regions. Their Youth and Young Adult Wellbeing portfolio plays a vital role in the organisation and the community, helping young people aged 12–25 find safety, connection, and hope. From mental health and homelessness programs to family violence refuges and regional Headspace centres, their work transforms lives every day. It's meaningful work, done by people who care deeply about the communities they serve.
YOUR NEW ROLE
This is a hands-on executive leadership role, one where you will set the direction, inspire your teams, and create lasting impact for thousands of young people and families. As the Director, Youth & Young Adult Wellbeing, you will lead a diverse and far-reaching portfolio with more than 100 staff, an $18 million budget, and services operating 24/7 across multiple locations.
This includes:
* Headspace centres in Cessnock, Maitland, Taree, and Kempsey.
* Youth homelessness and housing programs, including Rent Choice, Reconnect, and the Homeless Youth Assistance Program.
* Rural Young Minds and counselling programs supporting youth with complex mental health needs.
* Domestic and family violence refuges in Kempsey and Taree.
* A range of early intervention, youth engagement, and student accommodation programs.
The portfolio has seen major growth and reform over the last four years, and the foundations are now strong. The focus moving forward is on sustainability, innovation, and strategic growth. You will report to the Executive Director, Family and Community Services, and serve as their key deputy, stepping into the Executive Director role during periods of leave or transition. Your challenge will be to balance care with commerciality, continuing to deliver exceptional, trauma-informed services while identifying new opportunities to expand impact, strengthen funding relationships, and future-proof operations.
Your responsibilities include:
* Lead a high-performing, values-driven team across multiple regions.
* Strengthen proactive engagement with DCJ and other government partners.
* Go beyond compliance to co-design new programs and funding proposals.
* Build deeper partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
* Manage budgets, contracts, and service outcomes across a large, complex portfolio.
* Collaborate closely with shared services to ensure integration and efficiency.
* Represent the portfolio confidently at Board and Executive level.
ABOUT YOU
You are a leader who brings equal parts heart and head, compassionate, credible, and commercially sharp.
You understand that creating meaningful change for young people requires both care and accountability. You are comfortable in complexity, thrive on collaboration, and know how to build trust at every level, from your frontline teams to DCJ and government stakeholders.
You will also bring:
* 10+ years' senior leadership in youth, community, or mental health services.
* Strong experience managing large teams and multi-site programs.
* Deep understanding of trauma-informed practice and youth wellbeing.
* Proven commercial and financial management skills, including contract negotiation and tender writing.
* Experience partnering with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
* Relevant tertiary qualifications in Social Work, Health, Community Services, or similar (postgrad in Business or Public Policy highly regarded).
You will be joining an organisation that believes in compassion, courage, and integrity and one that's deeply committed to helping young people flourish.