Executive Manager Disability
Contract type
Full Time
Location
Sydney
Industry
Executive & Management
Contact name
Josh Kyle
Contact email
josh@orchardtalent.com.au
Contact phone
02 9157 6222
Date published
28.08.2026
The organisation
Challenge Community Services is a long-established, community-based not-for-profit with more than 65 years of history supporting individuals, families and communities across New South Wales and Queensland. Founded in Tamworth in 1958, Challenge now supports thousands of people across more than 100 communities, delivering services spanning disability supports, foster care, allied health and supported employment, underpinned by a strong regional presence and values-led workforce.
The opportunity
Challenge is seeking to appoint an Executive Manager, Disability Services to provide strategic and operational leadership across one of the organisation’s largest and most complex portfolios.
Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer and working as part of the Executive Leadership Team, the Executive Manager will hold broad accountability for service delivery, workforce capability, financial performance, safeguarding, practice quality and regulatory compliance across a geographically dispersed service network.
This is a significant change and performance leadership mandate. A central focus will be strengthening the operating model, creating greater clarity, accountability and consistency across regions, while building leadership capability and ensuring people are well supported to perform.
The Executive Manager will bring disciplined oversight to service performance, workforce utilisation and financial sustainability, while maintaining a strong focus on safe, high-quality and person-centred services. The role will strengthen existing services, improve participant experience and retention, and position the portfolio for sustainable growth.
Working closely with the CEO and Executive Team, the Executive Manager will contribute to broader organisational strategy, provide advice on emerging NDIS trends, risks and opportunities, and maintain trusted relationships with participants, families, the NDIA, regulators, government and sector partners.
About you
You are an accomplished senior executive with experience leading complex, multi-site services across disability or a closely related human services environment.
You bring strong operational and commercial capability, with demonstrated experience improving service performance, developing capable leaders and creating greater clarity and accountability. You understand how workforce, service quality, participant outcomes and financial performance intersect, and are comfortable balancing competing priorities and making considered decisions.
You have successfully led through change and can assess an operating environment quickly, identify what needs to be strengthened and translate strategy into practical action. You are comfortable moving between executive-level thinking and operational detail, challenging established ways of working where required and holding senior leaders accountable while bringing people with you.
Experience within the NDIS will be highly regarded, alongside a strong understanding of person-centred practice, safeguarding, quality and the regulatory expectations associated with complex human services.
Your leadership style is visible, confident and people-focused. You bring clarity to expectations, sound judgement and resilience, and are motivated by the opportunity to strengthen services and deliver better outcomes for people with disability.
How to apply
For a confidential discussion or role-related questions, please contact Simon Wybenga, Partner or Josh Kyle, Associate Director, Orchard Talent Group, at challenge@orchardtalent.com.au.
To apply, please submit your current CV via the application link. Applicants must have the legal right to work in Australia.
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.
Challenge Community Services is a long-established, community-based not-for-profit with more than 65 years of history supporting individuals, families and communities across New South Wales and Queensland. Founded in Tamworth in 1958, Challenge now supports thousands of people across more than 100 communities, delivering services spanning disability supports, foster care, allied health and supported employment, underpinned by a strong regional presence and values-led workforce.
The opportunity
Challenge is seeking to appoint an Executive Manager, Disability Services to provide strategic and operational leadership across one of the organisation’s largest and most complex portfolios.
Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer and working as part of the Executive Leadership Team, the Executive Manager will hold broad accountability for service delivery, workforce capability, financial performance, safeguarding, practice quality and regulatory compliance across a geographically dispersed service network.
This is a significant change and performance leadership mandate. A central focus will be strengthening the operating model, creating greater clarity, accountability and consistency across regions, while building leadership capability and ensuring people are well supported to perform.
The Executive Manager will bring disciplined oversight to service performance, workforce utilisation and financial sustainability, while maintaining a strong focus on safe, high-quality and person-centred services. The role will strengthen existing services, improve participant experience and retention, and position the portfolio for sustainable growth.
Working closely with the CEO and Executive Team, the Executive Manager will contribute to broader organisational strategy, provide advice on emerging NDIS trends, risks and opportunities, and maintain trusted relationships with participants, families, the NDIA, regulators, government and sector partners.
About you
You are an accomplished senior executive with experience leading complex, multi-site services across disability or a closely related human services environment.
You bring strong operational and commercial capability, with demonstrated experience improving service performance, developing capable leaders and creating greater clarity and accountability. You understand how workforce, service quality, participant outcomes and financial performance intersect, and are comfortable balancing competing priorities and making considered decisions.
You have successfully led through change and can assess an operating environment quickly, identify what needs to be strengthened and translate strategy into practical action. You are comfortable moving between executive-level thinking and operational detail, challenging established ways of working where required and holding senior leaders accountable while bringing people with you.
Experience within the NDIS will be highly regarded, alongside a strong understanding of person-centred practice, safeguarding, quality and the regulatory expectations associated with complex human services.
Your leadership style is visible, confident and people-focused. You bring clarity to expectations, sound judgement and resilience, and are motivated by the opportunity to strengthen services and deliver better outcomes for people with disability.
How to apply
For a confidential discussion or role-related questions, please contact Simon Wybenga, Partner or Josh Kyle, Associate Director, Orchard Talent Group, at challenge@orchardtalent.com.au.
To apply, please submit your current CV via the application link. Applicants must have the legal right to work in Australia.
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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