Executive Director: People and Culture

At Blue Sky Community Services, our people are at the heart of everything we do. As a trusted community organisation delivering services that strengthen individuals, families and communities, we are committed to creating a thriving workplace where our people feel valued, supported and empowered to make a difference. 

We are seeking an experienced and values-driven Executive Director: People and Culture to join our Executive Leadership Team and lead the strategic direction of our people, culture, workforce, and safety functions across the organisation. This is a new position which we are excited to introduce as we grow our organisation. 

This is an outstanding opportunity for a highly experienced People & Culture leader who is passionate about building organisational capability, fostering a positive workplace culture, and ensuring best-practice workforce and WHS outcomes. 

We are currently offering a full-time position (38 hours per week) based in our ‘HQ’ office at Peterson Road, Coffs Harbour. This position is classified at level 8 of the SCHADS Award. 

Blue Sky Community Services values diversity and encourages applications from candidates of all backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people of all ages, and people who identify as LGBTQIA+. We welcome the skills, experiences and perspectives of all people to ensure our workforce is representative of the communities we work with and live in.     

How to Apply 

Please do not apply through SEEK. 

More information about this position is also available on our website. 

Complete your Application Form available on our website, www.bluesky.org.au emailing your resume also to ••••@bluesky.org.au (click on email address to reveal) by midnight Sunday, 13 September 2026.  

We want you to bring your best self to this application process. If you feel you may require an adjustment during the recruitment process, please contact our Inclusive Communities Manager on ••••@bluesky.org.au (click on email address to reveal) or (02) •••• •788 to discuss.      

About Us 

Blue Sky Community Services is a not-for-profit community organisation committed to supporting people to thrive and creating communities where everyone belongs. We work in partnership with individuals, families, and communities to support meaningful change through inclusive, strengths‑based, and person‑centred approaches. 

With strong roots in the Mid North Coast of NSW, Blue Sky has been supporting communities since the mid‑1970s and continues to grow and expand our reach across New South Wales. We deliver a wide range of services focused on children, young people and families, disability and inclusion, and community and sector development, always guided by our belief in people’s strengths, potential, and right to belong. 

Why Work for Us? 

• Be part of a values driven organisation where culture, kindness, and integrity genuinely guide how we work every day 

• Make a real difference for children, families, and communities and feel proud of the impact you create 

• Access salary sacrificing benefits to boost your take-home pay 

• Feel connected and supported through our active staff club and regular connection activities 

• Celebrate growth and achievement at our end‑of‑year development days and team gatherings 

• Join a workplace that prioritises belonging, trust, and collaboration 

• Work alongside passionate, purpose driven colleagues who care about each other and the work they do 

• Be supported to thrive in a positive, inclusive, and people centred environment 

About You 

The successful applicant will have: 

• Significant senior leadership experience in People and Culture, human resources, organisational development or a comparable workforce function. 

• Strong contemporary knowledge of Australian employment law, workplace relations, WHS and psychosocial risk obligations. 

• Demonstrated capability in workforce strategy, culture, organisational change, leadership development and workforce risk. 

• Strong judgement and ability to balance legal, organisational, cultural and human considerations in complex matters. 

• Relevant tertiary qualifications in human resources, employment relations, organisational psychology, business or a related discipline, or substantial equivalent experience. 

About the Role 

The Executive Director will: 

• Set strategic direction for workforce, culture, leadership capability, employee experience and workforce safety. 

• Develop and own overarching People and Culture strategies, frameworks and workforce plans aligned with organisational strategy and risk appetite. 

• Provide executive stewardship of employment frameworks, workforce systems, leadership capability, learning and development, culture, psychosocial and workforce WHS, wellbeing, injury management and return to work. 

• Ensure the organisation has contemporary, lawful and effective workforce policies, frameworks and systems, and lead their ongoing development, optimisation and improvement. 

• Use workforce data and organisational insight to identify capability, capacity, culture, succession and workforce risks and opportunities. 

• Advise the CEO and Executive Stewardship Team on complex workforce, cultural and people-risk matters. 

• Ensure leaders are equipped and accountable to manage people effectively within organisational frameworks. 

• Work across portfolios to ensure organisational change, service design and corporate decisions consider workforce impacts and psychosocial risk. 

Risk, Governance and Assurance 

• Provide strategic stewardship of workforce, employment, culture, leadership capability, psychosocial, workforce WHS, injury management and workforce sustainability risks. 

• Ensure emerging and systemic workforce risks are identified, analysed, treated and escalated where material. 

• Oversee effectiveness of workforce controls, systems, consultation and assurance mechanisms. 

• Ensure significant workplace matters and trends inform broader organisational learning and strategic workforce responses. 

Leadership and People Responsibilities 

• Lead and hold the Manager: People & Culture and other portfolio roles accountable for functional delivery and professional standards, while working alongside the team when practical contribution is required. 

• Model values-aligned, kind and accountable leadership and strengthen leadership capability across the organisation. 

• Promote effective workforce consultation, employee voice and psychologically safe work practices. 

• Support leaders to fulfil their people-management accountabilities rather than transferring routine management responsibility to the People and Culture function. 

Work Health and Safety 

• Provide executive stewardship of workforce and psychosocial WHS, worker consultation, wellbeing, injury management and return to work systems. 

• Ensure the Safety Officer provides specialist support, advice, coordination and monitoring without displacing managers’ WHS accountabilities. 

• Collaborate with Corporate Services on physical workplace and operational WHS and with Community Services on service-related safety risks. 

• Support the CEO and other officers to exercise WHS due diligence through effective information, systems and assurance. 

This position provides an excellent opportunity to join our organisation and make a positive difference in the lives of people and the community.   

Visit our website for further details or contact Ruth Thompson (Chief Executive Officer) for an informal discussion on 02 •••• •788.