General Manager, Business Performance & Operations

Role overview

This Sydney-based, permanent full-time leadership appointment sits within a respected Australian professional association. It is designed as a transformation-focused mandate rather than a conventional finance position. The role reports to the CEO and is accountable for strengthening financial performance, improving membership outcomes, shaping technology direction, and elevating operational effectiveness.

The successful leader will work closely with the CEO and executive team to convert strategy into measurable progress, establish a strong reporting cadence for the Board, and ensure the organisation’s systems, resources and governance support its long-term five-year direction. This is a newly shaped position at a pivotal point in the organisation’s development, with scope to influence meaningful change.

Key accountabilities

• Provide financial stewardship, including budgeting, forecasting, audit preparation, statutory compliance and Board-level reporting, while coaching and supporting a capable but early-career Finance Manager.
• Bring together dashboards and reporting into a single, practical view of the organisation’s key performance drivers, and promote evidence-based decision-making across the leadership group.
• Partner with the Membership Retention Manager to strengthen commercial membership outcomes through strategic thinking, innovation, and a sharper understanding of member behaviour, value proposition and revenue risk.
• Prepare and present financial, membership and risk updates to the Risk, Audit & Finance Committee with clarity and authority, and lead committee discussions independently when required.
• Oversee technology strategy and governance, including ICT systems, cyber security, business continuity, platform direction, and the use of AI and automation to improve operations and member experience.
• Drive operational excellence across governance frameworks, business planning cycles, premises and asset oversight, and vendor and contract management.

Candidate profile

The organisation is seeking a commercially minded senior leader with deep experience in financial leadership, performance management and analysis. The ideal candidate combines strategic judgment with the confidence to influence at Board level, and the practicality to help teams turn insight into action.

Qualifications are essential: the role requires CA, CPA or CIMA membership. In addition, the organisation is looking for more than 10 years of experience, including leadership in complex environments.

A strong data mindset is important. The right person should be able to challenge passive reporting, ask sharper questions, and design the systems and processes that make insight part of everyday decision-making. Experience presenting to non-executive directors and participating in audit or Board committee settings is also important.

Commercial understanding across both B2B and B2C revenue models is valued, particularly where membership or subscription-based income is involved. A keen interest in AI and automation is also expected, along with the ability to see how these tools can improve organisational performance.

Backgrounds from not-for-profit, membership, association or professional body environments are highly regarded, though the role is equally open to candidates from broader commercial settings if they bring genuine purpose, adaptability and a strong appetite for transformation.

Leadership style

This position suits a leader who brings momentum to change, not just steady execution. The successful candidate will be equally comfortable building forecasts, presenting risk information to a Board committee, and challenging senior peers on the quality of membership data.

Confidence, transparency and follow-through are essential. The organisation is looking for someone who leads with evidence, makes difficult decisions when needed, and builds trust across teams through clear communication and consistency.

At its core, this role is about supporting a professional community that depends on the organisation to operate well and deliver value.

Role structure

Direct reports: 3, covering Finance, IT and Membership Management.

Application note

Applications are being assessed on a rolling basis, and the organisation welcomes early interest from candidates who bring the required commercial discipline and leadership credibility.

Compensation

The salary range for this permanent role is AUD 180,000 to AUD 200,000 plus superannuation.

Additional information

This opportunity is described as a genuine transformation brief, with responsibility for rebuilding systems, strengthening data and insights, and partnering directly with the CEO on a five-year strategy.