Organisation : Wombat Housing Support Services
Location : Melbourne (North Melbourne)
Time required : Meetings 8 times a year, additional meetings may be necessary
Duration of project : For as long as needed
Sector : Homelessness & Affordable Housing
About the role
Wombat is governed by a Board of Directors consisting of up to nine members. The role and responsibilities of the Board are outlined in the organisation’s Governance Policy Framework.
Approach to Governance
The role of the Board is to govern Wombat to ensure its aims and objectives are met whilst also acting ethically and prudently, remaining within the law and meeting specifications set out in the organisation’s funding agreements. The Board establishes the desired ends (outcomes) and monitors the organisation’s performance in achievement of those ends, rather than focusing on the administration of the service.
The Board is committed to:
- Providing strategic leadership by articulating a clear vision for Wombat. Drive the strategic direction of Wombat.
- Working with the EO to enable Wombat to obtain the resources (fund and people) necessary to implement the strategic objectives.
- Operating on the basis of a clear distinction between the role of the Board and the role of management.
- A collective decision making process.
Specific Tasks of the Board
- Produce and review policies that define the reason for Wombat’s existence and specify in concrete terms what specific outcomes, products, results or impacts are required of the organisation (i.e., Ends Policies).
- Monitor the organisation’s achievement against these Ends
- Review reports and monitor the performance of Wombat.
- Establish executive limitations which establish clear boundaries around executive (management) authority, activity and decisions.
- Attend to the governance process to ensure that the Board competently conceives, carries out and monitors its task, including establishing and regularly reviewing its philosophy of accountability, outputs, processes and rules of discipline.
- Reviewing the board’s structure and composition to ensure they are appropriate for Wombat.
- Appoint the Wombat EO and monitor their performance.
- Succession planning for the EO.
About the organisation
Wombat is a community organisation with a mission to support people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness to attain and maintain suitable housing in and around Melbourne’s West. As well as delivering high quality, consumer centred services, Wombat also takes a leading role in housing sector development and advocacy to State and Commonwealth governments. Our offices and services operate on the lands of Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation and Wombat acknowledges First Nation people as the traditional owners of the land we work on.
Wombat has a number of programs aimed at particular groups with-in the community, these include but are not limited to: social housing tenants, young people and those leaving care, LGBTIQ+ people, families and single people. Wombat provides case management services, referrals, aid, and connections to other critical services.
Wombat receives recurrent funding from the Victorian Department of Families, Fairness & Housing and attracts additional funding from a range of other sources. The net annual operating budget is in the order of $3 M. Positions on the Wombat Board
are voluntary.
We encourage applications from people of all ages and experiences , Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and from lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, gender diverse, intersex and queer people. We will provide adjustments to the recruitment process upon request.
Wombat is committed to ensuring the organisation, including its board and leadership, reflect the rich diversity of the communities we work with in Melbourne’s West. We understand that increased reflection of community and systematically marginalised people will strengthen Wombat’s governance and quality of services.
How to apply
Applications not allowed for this volunteering opportunity.
Please quote in application: Board Member via Pro Bono Australia.
