Chief People Officer
Contract type
Full Time
Location
Sydney
Industry
Charity & Voluntary
Contact name
Simon Wybenga
Contact email
simon@orchardtalent.com.au
Contact phone
9157 6219
Date published
02.06.2026
The organisation
Aruma is a leading Australian for-purpose organisation supporting more than 5,000 people with disability and complex needs to live great lives – the lives they want, and the lives they choose. Operating throughout Eastern Australia, Aruma employs more than 5,000 people and delivers services across hundreds of communities through a values-based culture underpinned by their BRAVE behaviours: Bold, Respectful, Accountable, Value Teamwork and Excellent.
As one of the nation's largest providers of disability accommodation and support services, Aruma is entering a period of significant opportunity and change. With sector reform, workforce transformation and future growth firmly on the agenda, Aruma is focused on building the capability, systems and culture required to deliver exceptional outcomes for participants while creating a sustainable platform for long-term expansion.
The opportunity
Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief People Officer will lead Aruma's People & Culture portfolio and play a central role in shaping the organisation's future. As a member of a stable and experienced Executive Leadership Team, the CPO will be responsible for leading a people function of more than 100 professionals spanning people services, payroll, workforce planning, learning and development, workplace and industrial relations, compliance and organisational development. The role oversees a workforce of more than 5,000 employees operating across a highly distributed national footprint.
Leading a team of senior people leaders, the CPO will shape and execute a contemporary people strategy that delivers a capable, engaged and future-ready workforce aligned with Aruma’s strategic objectives. The role will play a critical part in supporting organisational transformation, ensuring staff retention, embedding a high-performance and values-driven culture, and ensuring Aruma remains an employer of choice within the sector.
Working closely with the CEO, Board and Executive Leadership Team, the CPO will provide trusted strategic advice on workforce, culture and organisational effectiveness. The role will also lead enterprise-wide initiatives, while ensuring strong governance, compliance and risk management practices across the people portfolio.
This is a rare opportunity to influence organisational strategy, drive enterprise-wide transformation and leave a lasting legacy in one of Australia's most important human services organisations.
About you
You are an accomplished executive people leader who has successfully led large-scale workforce environments through complexity, transformation and growth ideally within community services, health or similarly unionised environments is highly regarded. Throughout your career, you have operated in highly regulated, workforce-intensive organisations where workforce capability, safety, industrial relations, compliance and culture are critical to organisational success.
You bring demonstrated experience leading significant organisational change, including workforce redesign, cultural transformation, operational modernisation and the implementation of contemporary people practices. You understand how to balance commercial discipline with purpose-led outcomes and are comfortable making difficult decisions in complex stakeholder environments. You will have successfully influenced across the Executive and Board previously bringing a pragmatic, collaborative and authentic leadership style.
Candidates who bring lived experience of disability, neurodiversity or a strong personal connection to the communities Aruma supports will be highly regarded, reflecting Aruma’s commitment to inclusion, representation and authentic leadership.
How to apply
If you are a transformational people leader motivated by purpose, workforce innovation and organisational impact, we invite you to apply. For a confidential discussion or role-related questions, please contact Simon Wybenga or Sarah Curran of The Orchard Talent Group at aruma@orchardtalent.com.au. To apply, please submit your current CV and a brief cover letter (maximum two pages) outlining your motivation and the skills you would bring to Aruma. Please note applicants must have the right to work in Australia.
Applications close Friday 30th June, 2026.
The Orchard Talent Group acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work. We pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging, for they hold the memories, traditions, culture and hopes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Aruma is a leading Australian for-purpose organisation supporting more than 5,000 people with disability and complex needs to live great lives – the lives they want, and the lives they choose. Operating throughout Eastern Australia, Aruma employs more than 5,000 people and delivers services across hundreds of communities through a values-based culture underpinned by their BRAVE behaviours: Bold, Respectful, Accountable, Value Teamwork and Excellent.
As one of the nation's largest providers of disability accommodation and support services, Aruma is entering a period of significant opportunity and change. With sector reform, workforce transformation and future growth firmly on the agenda, Aruma is focused on building the capability, systems and culture required to deliver exceptional outcomes for participants while creating a sustainable platform for long-term expansion.
The opportunity
Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief People Officer will lead Aruma's People & Culture portfolio and play a central role in shaping the organisation's future. As a member of a stable and experienced Executive Leadership Team, the CPO will be responsible for leading a people function of more than 100 professionals spanning people services, payroll, workforce planning, learning and development, workplace and industrial relations, compliance and organisational development. The role oversees a workforce of more than 5,000 employees operating across a highly distributed national footprint.
Leading a team of senior people leaders, the CPO will shape and execute a contemporary people strategy that delivers a capable, engaged and future-ready workforce aligned with Aruma’s strategic objectives. The role will play a critical part in supporting organisational transformation, ensuring staff retention, embedding a high-performance and values-driven culture, and ensuring Aruma remains an employer of choice within the sector.
Working closely with the CEO, Board and Executive Leadership Team, the CPO will provide trusted strategic advice on workforce, culture and organisational effectiveness. The role will also lead enterprise-wide initiatives, while ensuring strong governance, compliance and risk management practices across the people portfolio.
This is a rare opportunity to influence organisational strategy, drive enterprise-wide transformation and leave a lasting legacy in one of Australia's most important human services organisations.
About you
You are an accomplished executive people leader who has successfully led large-scale workforce environments through complexity, transformation and growth ideally within community services, health or similarly unionised environments is highly regarded. Throughout your career, you have operated in highly regulated, workforce-intensive organisations where workforce capability, safety, industrial relations, compliance and culture are critical to organisational success.
You bring demonstrated experience leading significant organisational change, including workforce redesign, cultural transformation, operational modernisation and the implementation of contemporary people practices. You understand how to balance commercial discipline with purpose-led outcomes and are comfortable making difficult decisions in complex stakeholder environments. You will have successfully influenced across the Executive and Board previously bringing a pragmatic, collaborative and authentic leadership style.
Candidates who bring lived experience of disability, neurodiversity or a strong personal connection to the communities Aruma supports will be highly regarded, reflecting Aruma’s commitment to inclusion, representation and authentic leadership.
How to apply
If you are a transformational people leader motivated by purpose, workforce innovation and organisational impact, we invite you to apply. For a confidential discussion or role-related questions, please contact Simon Wybenga or Sarah Curran of The Orchard Talent Group at aruma@orchardtalent.com.au. To apply, please submit your current CV and a brief cover letter (maximum two pages) outlining your motivation and the skills you would bring to Aruma. Please note applicants must have the right to work in Australia.
Applications close Friday 30th June, 2026.
The Orchard Talent Group acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work. We pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging, for they hold the memories, traditions, culture and hopes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
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