Contracts Director

Diabetes Australia 📍 Brisbane, Sydney or Canberra | Full-time, Permanent

At Diabetes Australia, we're leading the national response to one of Australia's biggest health challenges. Every day, we work to improve the lives of people living with diabetes, advocate for positive change, and deliver services that make a real difference to individuals, communities and the health system.

We're now seeking an experienced and strategic Contracts Director to establish and lead a new organisation-wide contracts management function. This is a rare opportunity to shape a national Centre of Excellence, influence executive decision-making, and play a key role in delivering some of Australia's most important health service contracts.

If you're a commercially astute leader who thrives on building capability, strengthening governance, and driving high-performing outcomes, we'd love to hear from you. Based in Brisbane, Sydney or Canberra, you'll join a respected national organisation where your leadership will directly contribute to better outcomes for millions of Australians.

Reporting to the Executive Leadership Team, the Contracts Director will provide strategic oversight of Diabetes Australia's portfolio of contracts, including responsibility for the governance, performance and delivery of the National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) contract and other significant contractual arrangements.

This newly established senior leadership role will bring together previously dispersed contract management activities into a centralised function, creating consistency, excellence and improved organisational capability.

Leading a team of four (with potential for future growth), you'll partner closely with executives, government stakeholders, program leaders and external providers to ensure contracts are effectively managed, risks are mitigated and services continue to deliver exceptional value and impact.

• Establish and lead a centralised contract management function and Centre of Excellence

• Develop organisation-wide contract governance frameworks, policies and processes

• Provide expert commercial and contractual advice to executives and senior stakeholders

• Ensure contracts align with organisational strategy and funding objectives

• Oversee the full contract lifecycle from negotiation through to renewal

• Lead governance, compliance and risk management activities

• Monitor contract performance, budgets and commercial outcomes

• Drive value-for-money assessments and commercial negotiations

• Build trusted relationships across government, funding bodies and delivery partners

• Act as the senior point of contact for contractual matters

• Collaborate across program delivery, finance, legal, risk and executive teams

• Leverage data, insights and digital tools to optimise performance

• Drive innovation, process improvement and organisational capability uplift

• Develop and mentor a high-performing contracts team

You're a strategic and confident leader with significant experience managing complex contracts in large, multifaceted environments.

You bring:

✅ Tertiary qualifications in Law, Commerce, Business, Procurement, Finance or a related discipline

✅ Extensive senior-level experience in contract management, procurement or commercial leadership

✅ Strong knowledge of governance, compliance and contractual risk management frameworks

✅ Experience leading complex contract portfolios and enterprise-wide contract lifecycle management

✅ Highly developed stakeholder engagement and influencing skills

✅ Strong commercial acumen, financial management and negotiation expertise

✅ A track record of building high-performing teams and driving organisational improvement

Experience within healthcare, government, community services or the not-for-profit sector will be highly regarded.

At Diabetes Australia, our people are united by a shared purpose: creating a healthier future for all Australians.

When you join us, you'll experience:

Make a genuine difference through work that impacts the lives of people living with diabetes across Australia.

Partner with senior executives, government agencies and key health sector stakeholders.

Lead the establishment of a strategically important national contracts function and leave a lasting legacy.

Join an organisation that is compassionate, committed, accountable, authentic and collaborative in everything we do.

Work from Brisbane, Sydney or Canberra with a national team and stakeholder network.

If you're an accomplished contracts leader looking for a role where commercial excellence meets social purpose, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply now and help shape the future of diabetes services in Australia.

We want every candidate to feel supported throughout our recruitment process. If you have any additional requirements or would benefit from workplace adjustments or accommodations at any stage of the hiring process, please contact our Talent Acquisition Specialist, Joy at ••••@diabetesaustralia.com.au .

We're committed to creating an inclusive experience and welcome conversations about how we can best support your needs.