CEO – Mental Illness Fellowship Australia (MIFA)

Windsor Group has been commissioned by Mental Illness Fellowship Australia (MIFA) to manage this important assignment. Windsor Group is a profit-for-purpose organisation providing expert advice, HR services, executive search and recruitment services for executive, permanent and temporary/contract roles across nonprofit, commercial and government sectors.

Since 1986, MIFA has been providing mental health sector leadership to represent the needs and interests of people living with severe mental illness, and their families and carers. MIFA gives priority to influencing policy makers, funders, politicians, researchers and sponsors to invest in services that make a real difference in people’s lives, believing the needs and experiences of those living with a mental health challenge must be reflected in mental health policy, commissioning of services, and broader social structures and attitudes.

MIFA utilises multiple advocacy channels to raise awareness of the issues that impact people with lived experience of high need mental health challenges. These channels include writing submissions, letter writing, national advocacy campaigns, national awareness campaigns, conferences, Parliamentary Friends of Mental Health events, speaking engagements, advisory roles, and membership of national mental health stakeholder panels and forums.

Working in partnership with their member organisations to understand the needs and issues for people affected by high need mental health challenges, this collaboration strengthens their advocacy and the work they do, aiming to succeed together to cause positive change and enhance the quality of life for everyone affected by high need mental health challenges in Australia.

Client Website

ACNC Profile

MIFA Overview

Windsor Group and MIFA are both committed to equal opportunity employment practices. Applications for the position of Chief Executive Officer will be assessed on merit and selected applicants invited to interview. An offer of appointment will be made to the applicants whose written application and interview responses best demonstrate their ability to meet the requirements of the role.

This role does not have a closing date, but we recommend you lodge your application as soon as possible, noting Windsor Group will be reviewing applications, aiming to conduct interviews the week commencing 18^th August 2025 with client presentations following shortly after.

• A federation of six grassroots, community-based organisations that emerged during the deinstitutionalisation of psychiatric care in the 1980s–90s.
• These groups, initially informal networks of families and individuals, formalised over time to deliver community-based mental health services.
• MIFA has since become a respected national voice for people living with high need mental health challenges, particularly conditions such as schizophrenia and psychosis.
• The federation model is central to MIFA’s identity with members operating in non-competing territories, allowing for deep collaboration, trust, and shared learning.

Environment and Challenges

MIFA operates in a complex and increasingly crowded advocacy landscape. It is one of five national peak bodies:

• Mental Health Australia: Represents the full spectrum of mental health stakeholders.
• Community Mental Health Australia (CMHA): Represents the community sector.
• National Mental Health Consumer Alliance
• Mental Health Carers Australia
• MIFA: Maintains a unique focus on severe and complex mental illness.

Challenges include differentiating MIFA in a crowded advocacy space, sustaining government engagement and funding, navigating relationships with other peak bodies, and supporting members facing sustainability pressures under the NDIS.

Strategic Plan

• MIFA has four strategic pillars: advocacy, lived experience leadership, sustainability, and recognition.
• The organisation’s long-term direction is ready for a refresh, presenting an opportunity for the incoming CEO to help shape that vision.
• Short Term: Ensure leadership continuity, reaffirm MIFA’s relevance, and maintain advocacy momentum.
• Medium Term: Strengthen member engagement, refine strategic positioning, and collaborate effectively with other peak bodies.
• Long Term: Sustain MIFA’s leadership role, adapt to sector changes, and secure financial and operational sustainability.

Challenges

• Maintaining MIFA’s distinct identity in a crowded advocacy space.
• Aligning diverse member interests under a unified national strategy.
• Responding to sector changes and evolving government priorities.
• Managing relationships with larger organisations and peak bodies.
• Ensuring financial sustainability and operational resilience.
• Supporting members navigating the complexities of the NDIS.

Opportunities

• Reinforcing MIFA’s niche focus on severe and high need mental health challenges.
• Leading collaborative advocacy across peak bodies.
• Supporting and strengthening the CEO network nationally.
• Enhancing visibility and impact through strategic partnerships.
• Expanding membership in key states (NSW, Victoria, Tasmania).
• Building on MIFA’s reputation for stability, trust, and leadership.

Financial Stability

MIFA’s revenue is drawn from:

• Membership fees – a % of revenue, capped at $30,000.
• Corporate sponsorships – mainly pharmaceutical companies.
• Federal government grant renewed every two years.
• Project management fees.
• Other minor sources.

Additional project funding of $1M supports the Finding North initiatives.

While membership fees are stable, other revenue streams are less secure and require active relationship management and negotiation.

MIFA’s long-standing relationship with one pharmaceutical partner spans 30 years.  Another includes international advocacy collaboration, with 1-2 international conferences annually.

Members view their investment in MIFA as high value, highlighting the importance of maintaining strong leadership and member engagement.

• With the current CEO preparing for retirement after nearly nine years in the role, MIFA is entering a period of leadership transition.
• The incoming CEO will have the opportunity to shape MIFA’s future direction in collaboration with the board.
• There is scope to expand both externally (through advocacy and partnerships) and internally (by building member capability and exploring business development opportunities).
• The board supports a continued focus on advocacy, while member CEOs are also seeking greater internal support and innovation scaling.
• There is also potential to expand membership, particularly in NSW, Victoria, and Tasmania, where MIFA currently lacks representation.

The National CEO will work under the direction of the MIFA Board and will assume responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the organisation. With a modest resource base and the support of a small remote team, the CEO will work closely with MIFA members to ensure their interests are well represented from a government policy, funding, service delivery and public awareness perspective.

The MIFA CEO is a key national influencer of mental health social policy and reform, with strong relationships with key decision-makers, and should ensure that MIFA continues to be acknowledged as an authentic and up-to-date source of information on mental illness related issues.

Position Description

• MIFA’s next National CEO will be an ambassador for the mental health sector, championing the perspectives of consumers and carers, and the value of the not-for-profit service provider sector. They must be able to win and hold the respect of other key sector leaders, political and bureaucratic decision-makers, and people with lived experience.
• Career familiarity with this sector would be advantageous.
• At a personal level, lived experience with a mental health challenge (and/or family/caring responsibilities), while not required, would also be favorably considered.
• You will be a skilled and proven executive with deep leadership and representational experience, preferably gained in a federated or similar environment.
• Your first-class leadership, communication and advocacy skills will enable you to generate opportunities in a complex sector where success will depend in large part on your interpersonal and relationship building capabilities.
• You will also have a good understanding of government processes and, in particular, policy development and funding issues. Professional and/ personal knowledge of mental health services will be highly regarded, as will media experience, including the use of social media.

Skills, knowledge and Personal Attributions

• Possess a high level of professional and personal integrity, and diplomacy.
• Demonstrate sound judgement and a balanced and professional
• Effectively communicate with both lay, lived experience and professional audiences through a variety of mediums including media.
• Have a good understanding of the intersection of the government, private and NGO sectors in terms of mental health service provision.
• Have a proven capacity to develop and sustain strategic and collaborative working relationships across sectors to deliver system level outcomes.
• Be articulate, persuasive and capable of guiding negotiations to a point of resolution in a facilitative and respectful
• Be capable of engendering loyalty and respect and generating a high level of support from member
• Be comfortable working in a small organisation and in a ‘hands on’ position
• Understand and support a geographically spread, diverse team to ensure a positive culture, connectedness to the organisation, and a commitment to work/life balance.

When submitting your application, ensure your application includes:

• An up-to-date resume (in Word format)
• A covering letter (in Word format) outlining your interest and expertise relevant to the role

Submit your application quoting reference number KJCENM to apply@windsor-group.com.au. For more information, please contact Kaye Jeffers  on 07 3211 0001. Your application will be acknowledged by email within one business day.

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