Lead the Board of a $200m+ youth organisation driving impact across Victoria, partnering with the CEO to shape future growth and champion youth voice
- Chair a high-impact, state-wide community organisation
- Partner with CEO to drive growth and impact
- Steer strategic direction and champion youth voice at scale
The organisation
Y Victoria is one of Australia’s largest youth organisations, reaching communities across the state through early learning, recreation, camps and youth services. With more than 5,000 staff across 150+ locations, the Y is a significant and trusted community partner.
Its vision is a better tomorrow where all people can belong. Its purpose is to inspire and empower young people and communities to thrive.
As part of a global movement spanning 120 countries, Y Victoria delivers impact across Community Wellbeing, A Just World, Sustainable Planet and Meaningful Work.
Why this role
This is a Chair role with scale, influence and impact.
You’ll lead the Board of a $200m+ organisation as Y Victoria steps into their next phase, expanding reach, strengthening their voice, and backing young people to shape the future.
This is a governance role about leadership, visibility and impact.
You will:
- Lead a high-performing Board to effectively govern the organisation through growth and transformation
- Partner closely with and support the CEO, providing oversight and guidance to enable sustainable, mission-led growth
- Leverage networks and influence to support the organisation’s strategic objectives, in partnership with the CEO
- Champion the importance of youth voice in decision making including at Board Level
- Support the positioning of the Y as a leader in community wellbeing through governance, stewardship and external advocacy.
Why you
We’re looking for someone who can hold complexity, move with pace and lead with purpose. Someone who shares Y Victoria’s vision and is genuinely committed to creating positive impact for communities.
You bring:
- Proven board experience, ideally as Chair or senior committee lead
- Strong commercial and financial acumen
- Experience in complex organisations, across public, private or NFP sectors
- Confidence engaging with government and influencing at senior levels
- The ability to balance strategy, risk and opportunity
You are:
- A leader who brings people with you
- Clear, grounded and comfortable making tough calls
- Curious, forward-looking and open to new ways of doing things
- A credible voice in the room, and outside it
Why safeguarding matters
Y Victoria is a child-safe organisation. They are committed to creating environments where children and young people feel safe, respected and supported. As Chair, you will champion a strong safeguarding culture, ensuring robust governance, accountability and continuous improvement across all areas of the organisation.
Why this role matters
The Y is in a position most community organisations don’t get to.
They have scale. They have reach. They have talented people. They have trust. Now they’re looking for leadership that can take them further, faster, and with young people at the centre of every decision.
This is your opportunity to shape the future of one of Australia’s most significant community organisations and to do it in a way that reflects the world young people are growing up in.
What you need to know
Based in Victoria, with meetings held in Melbourne and online, this role includes six Board meetings per year, alongside committee and strategy sessions. The time commitment is approximately 2 – 4 days per month. The initial term is three years, renewable up to six.
A Working With Children Check and National Criminal History Check are required (facilitated by Y Victoria).
Graduates of the Australian Institute of Company Directors will be highly regarded.
To apply
People for Purpose is partnering with Y Victoria to lead the search for this role.
- We invite you to read the Candidate Board Pack (https://shorturl.at/tgVyP). To review Y Victoria’s annual reports and financial statements, please visit their website – https://victoria.ymca.org.au/and ACNC profile – https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/charities/7351205f-39af-e811-a961-000d3ad24182/profile
- Once you have absorbed this information and completed your own research, if you have specific questions, please call us on 0468 625 252 or email [email protected]
- Your application will include your CV, as well as a cover letter outlining how your skills and experience align to this opportunity and why you are interested in joining Y Victoria. A considered cover letter will be an important part of your application.
Applications close at 5pm on Sunday, 19 April 2026.