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 shape the direction and impact of WWDA and its advocacy.

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About the Role

The WWDA Management Committee guides the strategic direction of WWDA and the organisation’s policy and advocacy work. It helps to make sure our organisation is moving in the right direction for our community. As a Committee Member, you will:

• Attend meetings: Committee meetings are held online every month. You will need to read meeting papers and be able to talk about WWDA’s policy and advocacy work.
• Advise on important decisions: This will include planning, making sure WWDA follows legal rules and regulations, managing risks, and making sure WWDA is responsible with finances.
• Support the Chief Executive Officer (CEO): You will meet with the CEO to discuss ideas and how to lead WWDA effectively.
• Strengthen WWDA’s advocacy: Using your skills, ideas and experience to support our work and the human rights of women, girls and gender-diverse people with disabilities across Australia.

Who we’re looking for

We are interested in hearing from members who:

• Have governance experience, with a strong understanding of committee roles and responsibilities,
• Are comfortable with financial reporting and budgeting,
• Think strategically – able to ask questions and share ideas to help make important decisions,
• Can identify and manage risks, and
• Have experience in relevant sectors or organisations like WWDA, especially those working with women and people with disability.

Eligibility

To be considered for Committee roles, you must:

• Be a woman or gender-diverse person with a disability or chronic health condition,
• Live in Australia, and
• Be a full WWDA member, ideally for at least 12 months.
• Meet legal requirements, including having a Director ID and completing any required police checks, and
• Be able to attend meetings and contribute between meetings.

You can read more about the role in the Position Description below. If you do not feel you meet all of the criteria of the Position Description, but do meet the Eligibility Requirements above, we still encourage you to apply.

This opportunity is perfect for you, if you are passionate about supporting the rights of women, girls and gender-diverse people with disabilities, have leadership experience, and want to use your voice to help WWDA.

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Election Process

How to apply

1. Read the Position Description below.
2. Fill out the nomination form online or send it by email to members@wwda.org.au. A Word document version and a PDF version of the form can be found at the start of the Position Description, and at the bottom of the page. If you need help filling out your form or understanding the process, please contact us.
3. Make sure all parts of the form are completed. You must have a WWDA member support your nomination.
4. Submit your form before the closing deadline.

Nominations open Wednesday 1 October 2025 and close Friday 10 October 2025.

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 check or a bankruptcy check.

The 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.
• The people with the most votes will be appointed at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in November 2025.

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Position Description

Position title:	WWDA Management Committee Member (Volunteer)
Location of Meetings:	Management Committee (MC) meetings are held via Zoom.
Time Commitment:	Attendance at MC meetings held every month, and reading the meeting papers. Attendance at the Annual General Meeting (AGM), held online in November each year.
Tenure:	Up to 9 years as per current Constitution.
Current as at:	October 2025

This position description may be updated to reflect the evolving needs and priorities of WWDA. Where possible, changes will be made in consultation with the Committee 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, and gender-diverse people with disabilities in Australia. 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 gender-diverse 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.

Purpose of the Role

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.

Responsibilities and Duties of the Board

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.