Board Member

Join as one of three board members of a respected ACT men's service entering renewal, including a path to chairing Finance & Risk.

About EveryMan Australia

EveryMan Australia brings effective and professional services to men at risk of exclusion, discrimination and marginalisation, no matter who they are or what they have done.

The organisation has been doing critical work in Canberra for more than 30 years. Starting in 1992 as a volunteer-run drop-in centre EveryMan now delivers three core program areas: counselling; men’s accommodation and support services, including tenancy support and transition support for men leaving custody; and violence prevention services, including men’s behaviour change programs. They are a registered charity and public benevolent institution, an NDIS provider and a registered community housing provider.

The Opportunity

EveryMan is a well-established and respected ACT organisation with an experienced board of senior leaders. With core funding secured and a new chief executive being appointed, the board is turning to its next phase: building the organisation’s reach, profile and income beyond government. Three seats are open, each adding depth in a different area aligned with that direction.

You would join one of two subcommittees, Governance or Finance & Risk, each chaired by a Vice President, and you can nominate a preference when you commence. EveryMan is close to fully funded by government and that funding is stable – but the board wants members who can help build income and profile beyond it.

As a Board Member for EveryMan you’ll get access to:

• A defined piece of work to shape: building EveryMan’s philanthropic, corporate and cross-sector income alongside a stable government funding base
• A clear path to a subcommittee chair role – the Finance & Risk chair position will open up, and a member with the right background could step into it
• Governance of an organisation whose work is unusually concrete. Members visit sites and meet staff, and consistently describe seeing the work firsthand as one of the more grounding parts of the role
• A board small enough that individual members genuinely shape decisions, and collaborative enough that you will be heard doing it
• A structured induction, an optional board mentor, and the chance to understand the work properly before you are asked to govern it

The Role

As a member you share collective responsibility for EveryMan’s governance, strategy, financial health and compliance, working alongside the chief executive and your fellow members.

• Set and test EveryMan’s strategic direction, and hold the organisation to account against it
• Oversee financial performance and sustainability, including the annual budget, financial reporting and the annual audit
• Oversee risk, compliance and legal obligations as an ACNC charity and public benevolent institution, an NDIS provider and a registered community housing provider
• Serve on either the Governance or the Finance & Risk subcommittee, which meet virtually each month
• Support the incoming chief executive through the transition, and oversee chief executive performance and accountability
• Bring your networks to bear – open doors, make introductions, advocate for EveryMan across your own networks and channels, and support the move to a more diverse funding base across philanthropy, corporate partnerships and the community sector
• Advocate for EveryMan and grow understanding of the organisation across your own networks and channels
• Discharge your duties as a company director, including responding to the occasional urgent matter requiring a vote between meetings

The Ideal Person

You are an experienced senior leader who wants to put governance experience, or a first board seat, behind work that is difficult and largely unglamorous.

Three positions are open and the board is not looking for three of the same person. Across all three seats the common thread is philanthropic depth, networks and cross-sector partnerships, and the ability to grow EveryMan’s profile and open doors.

Beyond that, the board is adding depth in three areas: social services policy, planning and delivery; community sector leadership and delivery; and finance, where a member with the depth to chair Finance & Risk in time would be particularly welcome. You are not expected to bring all three – depth in one, plus the networks and the willingness to use them, is what matters.

You will bring the following skills and experience:

• Networks and know-how across philanthropy, corporate partnerships or cross-sector fundraising – ideally across the Canberra community sector or the ACT corporate and philanthropic community – and a willingness to use them
• The standing and the inclination to grow EveryMan’s profile, whether through your networks, LinkedIn or your own channels
• Depth in at least one of the board’s target areas: social services policy, planning and delivery; community sector leadership and delivery; or finance
• An understanding of what makes the community sector different from the commercial world
• Accountability and follow-through – preparation before meetings, delivery between them, and use of your networks on EveryMan’s behalf
• Genuine values alignment with EveryMan’s work, and comfort with the realities of working with men at risk of exclusion and marginalisation
• Eligibility to act as a company in Australia

It would also be desirable to have:

• Current or previous board, subcommittee or advisory experience, though a strong first-time member will be considered
• The depth to chair a Finance & Risk subcommittee in time
• Experience in a government-funded, purpose-driven or community sector organisation

Key details

• These are voluntary, unpaid member positions
• Two-year terms, renewable
• The board meets in person every second month at EveryMan’s Canberra HQ, for approximately two hours, with dinner provided
• Attendance is expected at all board and subcommittee meetings, along with responsiveness on the occasional urgent matter
• Strong preference for Canberra-based members given the in-person meeting rhythm, though strong interstate candidates with the right background will be considered
• To be appointed you will need a Director ID, Working With Vulnerable People registration (or an application in progress) and a National Police Check

Application Information

Application Requirements: Resume and a one-page cover letter outlining your governance experience, the networks you would bring, your interest in EveryMan’s work, and whether the Finance & Risk chair role is of interest to you.

For a confidential discussion about the role or to request a detailed candidate information pack, please contact Patricio Pena on 02 6108 4878.

Applications close on Monday 28th September 2026 at 11:59AM AEST. Early applications are encouraged as shortlisting will occur during the application period.