Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) is looking for new members to join its Management Committee (Board). This is a volunteer position where you can help to shape the future of WWDA.
The role of the WWDA Management Committee is to set the strategic direction of WWDA and to govern the organisation.
Members of the Committee will:
- Attend meetings: Meetings are online every month. You will need to read papers and talk about WWDA’s work in these meetings.
- Help make important decisions about WWDA: You will help to plan what WWDA does, make sure WWDA follows all rules and laws, manage any problems, and make sure WWDA spends money well.
- Support the Chief Executive Officer (CEO): You will help the CEO do a good job leading WWDA.
- Support WWDA’s work: Bring your ideas, skills, and experience to help WWDA advocate for the human rights of women, girls and gender-diverse people with disabilities.
WWDA is looking for Board members who:
- Know about governance: This means you know what a Board does and how to help run an organisation.
- Understand finances: You should know how to read financial reports. This helps make sure WWDA uses its money well.
- Think strategically: You should be able to help plan the future of WWDA. You will ask questions and share ideas to help make decisions.
- Know about risks: You should know how to identify and manage risks.
- Have experience: If you have worked with organisations like WWDA, your knowledge will help guide the Board.
This year, WWDA is particularly looking for people with experience in managing money, budgets, and risks.
To apply, you need to:
- Be a woman or non-binary person with a disability.
- Live in Australia.
- Have been a member of WWDA for at least 12 months.
- Meet legal requirements, including having a Director ID and a police check.
- Have experience in governance or finance.
You can read more about what WWDA is looking for in the Position Description below.
This opportunity is perfect if you’re passionate about supporting the rights of women and girls with disabilities, have leadership or financial experience, and want to use your voice to help WWDA continue its work.
What is the process?
If you want to be on the WWDA Management Committee, here’s what you need to know:
- How to apply
- Read the Position Description below.
- Fill out the nomination form online or send it by email or post. If you need help filling out your form or understanding the process, please contact us. You can find the nomination form linked here and at the bottom of this page: Link to the Nomination Form
- Make sure all parts of the form are completed. You must have a WWDA member to support your nomination.
- Submit your form by the deadline.
- What happens after you apply?
- WWDA will review all nominations and check if you meet the requirements.
- This includes the eligibility requirements, the requirements for the roles that are available, and the requirements of the Board Composition Policy. The Committee of Management will then endorse candidates for election.
- You may need to do some checks like a police clearance or a bankruptcy check.
- Voting process
- WWDA members will be told who has applied to join the Management Committee. We will share the information you have given us.
- WWDA members will vote for who they think should join the Management Committee. They will vote online.
- Election result
- The people with the most votes will be appointed at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in November 2024.
Position Description
POSITION DETAILS
| Position title: | WWDA Management Committee Member (Volunteer Position) |
| Location of Meetings: | Management Committee (MC) meetings are held via Zoom. |
| Time Commitment: | Attendance at MC meetings held every month plus reading the meeting papers. Attendance at the Annual General Meeting, held online in November each year. |
| Tenure: | Up to 9 years as per current Constitution |
| Current as at: | October 2024 |
The following position description may be updated periodically to reflect the evolving needs and priorities of WWDA. Where possible, changes will be made in consultation with the Board Member to ensure mutual understanding and agreement.
Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) is the national Disabled People’s Organisation (DPO) and National Women’s Alliance (NWA) for women, girls, feminine-identifying, and non-binary people with disabilities in Australia. As a DPO, WWDA is run by and for women, girls, feminine identifying, and non-binary people with disability. WWDA uses the term ‘women and girls with disability’ (WGwD) on the understanding that it is inclusive of women and girls with disability along with feminine identifying and non-binary people with disability.
Representing over 2 million women and girls with disabilities in Australia, WWDA is recognised nationally and internationally for its leadership in advancing the rights and freedoms of all WGwD in Australia. Operating as a transnational human rights organisation, WWDA’s work impacts beyond Australia, grounded in a framework linking gender and disability to civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights.
As such a member of the Management Committee must practice intersectional feminism, understand the human rights model of disability, and ensure WWDA’s strategic direction reflects diverse WGwD voices in Australia. WWDA is membership-based, with work founded on co-design and consultation with its members.
SUMMARY AND BROAD PURPOSE OF THE POSITION
The role of a Management Committee Member for Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) is to contribute strategically to the governance and direction of the organisation, ensuring it adheres to its mission of advancing the rights of women and girls with disabilities (WGwD) across Australia.
This involves participating in the development and oversight of compliance, risk management and financial sustainability. Management Committee Members will support the recruitment, performance monitoring and development of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), ensuring effective leadership.
By drawing on high-level communication, governance, and leadership skills, Management Committee Members will enhance WWDA’s national advocacy efforts and ensure alignment with its human rights-based framework and strategic objectives.
BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES
On behalf of the members, the Management Committee of Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) is entrusted with the stewardship and long-term well-being of the organisation. The Management Committee holds ultimate responsibility for ensuring WWDA achieves its mission of advancing the rights and freedoms of women and girls with disabilities (WGwD).
In providing leadership and strategic governance, the Management Committee must:
- Establish and uphold the organisation’s purpose, values, goals and objectives.
- Identify and monitor the management of corporate risks.
- Develop, oversee, and regularly review WWDA’s strategic direction, including the approval of strategic plans, annual budgets, financial objectives, significant capital allocations, and major initiatives.
- Monitor WWDA’s performance against established policies and criteria.
- Ensure adequate resources are available to achieve WWDA’s purpose, values, goals, and objectives, while effectively managing these through reliable financial systems.
- Recruit and support the Chief Executive Officer, providing constructive oversight of their performance.
- Ensure robust processes are in place for identifying, managing, and monitoring risks.
- Guarantee WWDA’s compliance with relevant laws and regulations, ensuring the organisation can meet its financial obligations as they arise.
- Facilitate mechanisms for consultation with members, ensuring ongoing accountability to them.
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RESPONSIBILITIES
The Non-Executive Director Responsibilities for this role include but are not limited to the following:
- Understanding of Committee Member Responsibilities: Committee Members must possess a comprehensive understanding of their role, encompassing legal, ethical, fiduciary and financial responsibilities.
- Strategic Expertise: Committee Members should demonstrate the ability to critically assess the organisation’s strategy through constructive questioning and insightful suggestions, thereby contributing to the Management Committee’s effective decision-making processes.
- Financial Acumen: Committee Members must be capable of reading and interpreting WWDA’s financial statements and reports presented to the Management Committee, ensuring informed oversight of the company’s financial health.
- Legal Compliance: The Management Committee is tasked with overseeing compliance with various laws and regulations, necessitating a clear understanding of each Committee Member’s legal duties and responsibilities.
- Risk Management: Committee Members should have experience in identifying and managing significant risks that may impact the organisation.
- People Management and Change Implementation: Committee Members must be knowledgeable about contemporary management practices related to employment, branding, stakeholder engagement, strategic vision and communication, as well as having experience in executive remuneration and compensation strategies.
- Industry Knowledge: Committee Members are expected to have experience in similar organisations or sectors, enhancing their ability to provide relevant insights and guidance.
KEY RELATIONSHIPS
The expected key relationships for this role include but are not limited to the following:
- Management Committee Chair/President
- Other Management Committee Members
- Chief Executive Officer
- Chief Operating Officer and/or applicable Senior Management
- Members of Women With Disabilities Australia
EXPECTED COMPETENCIES
The expected competencies and/or personal attributes for this role include but are not limited to the following:
- Integrity: Committee Members are committed to fulfilling their duties and responsibilities with the highest ethical standards, prioritising the interests of members over personal gain.
- Collaborative, Curious and Courageous: Effective Committee Members function well within a team environment while demonstrating the curiosity to ask probing questions and the courage to engage in meaningful discussions with management and fellow Committee members when necessary. Committee members must demonstrate strong interpersonal skills, and are expected to actively listen and communicate tactfully, presenting their viewpoints clearly and honestly.
- Active Contribution: Committee Members are expected to actively engage with a genuine interest in WWDA and its mission, consistently contributing to the organisation’s strategic objectives and initiatives.
REQUIREMENTS AND SELECTION CRITERIA
In order to be eligible, nominees must:
- Be a woman or non-binary person with disability;
- Live in Australia;
- Have been a Full Member of WWDA for at least 12 months; and
- Meet the requirements of relevant laws, including the Corporations Act.
Under the provisions of the Corporations Act 2001 there are requirements on who can be appointed as a Member of the Management Committee. Requirements for this role include but are not limited to the following:
- Obtain and maintain National Police check
- Obtain and maintain a Director ID
- Not have been declared bankrupt or insolvent
Ensuring that we have a skillset that is representative of not only the mission of WWDA, but the skills required to strategically move WWDA forward, we are specifically looking for Directors that have governance and finance experience.
Successful candidates will be required to sign a Committee of Management Code of Conduct.
