Chief Executive Officer – Kath Dickson Family Centre

Windsor Group has been appointed by Kath Dickson Family Centre to manage this executive search. As a profit‑for‑purpose organisation, we support our clients through ethical, values‑aligned recruitment across the nonprofit, government and commercial sectors. 

Toowoomba region based, the Kath Dickson Family Centre is dedicated to supporting children and families during the critical early childhood years, from birth to five years of age. They provide a range of services including early childhood education and care, training for the children’s services sector, support for family day care educators operating their own businesses, and community programs that engage and support families through events, playgroups and their Toy Library. 

Established in 1975 by Kathleen Dickson, a visionary who recognised the need for quality childcare options for families, the organisation has grown and diversified over the past five decades while remaining true to its founding purpose of supporting children, families and communities. 

Today, the organisation operates through several key divisions: 

• Kath Dickson Institute delivers nationally recognised qualifications in Early Childhood Education and Care through a network of trainers located throughout Queensland. 

• Kath Dickson Family Day Care supports educators to establish and operate family day care services from their homes, providing communities with flexible, affordable and high-quality childcare options. 

• Kath Dickson Education and Care Centres, located at Gladstone Street and Toowoomba Central, provide centre-based care, fully accredited kindergarten programs and emergency care placements for families experiencing crisis or hardship. 

• Kath Dickson Community Programs coordinates a range of initiatives designed to support children and families, particularly those facing disadvantage or vulnerability. These programs include family events, community activities, playgroups and the organisation’s well-established Toy Library located in Crows Nest and mobile Toy Library which currently services 25 communities south and west of Toowoomba. 

Through these interconnected services, Kath Dickson Family Centre continues to play a significant role in strengthening families, supporting early childhood development and building more resilient communities across the regions it serves. 

Links
Website
ACNC Profile
Annual Report
Constitution
Values Poster
Reflect RAP
Sustainability Report
Organisational Chart

The Board described KDFC as being in a strong and stable position following several years of significant organisational improvement and change. They acknowledged the substantial contribution of the current CEO in building a talented leadership team, implementing the EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) framework, restructuring key functions and strengthening organisational capability. The organisation has enjoyed four to five years of stability and now has the leadership, governance and financial foundations required to focus on future opportunities. 

Recent asset divestments, including property sales and rationalisation of non-core assets, have strengthened the balance sheet and provided capital to invest in future initiatives. This creates a significant opportunity for a new CEO to focus on growth, innovation and community impact rather than organisational turnaround. 

The Board believes KDFC has a long history of innovation and community leadership and would like to see the organisation reconnect with this legacy. They spoke of KDFC’s ability to identify and respond to community needs in ways that commercial operators cannot. The next CEO will be expected to think creatively about how the organisation can continue to evolve and respond to changing needs of children, families and communities, identify emerging opportunities and position KDFC as a thought leader within the sector while maintaining the organisation’s strong social purpose. 

The Board highlighted initiatives such as the toy library and mobile toy library as examples of KDFC’s commitment to creating meaningful community outcomes. There was discussion about the importance of continuing to ask, “What more can we do?” and identifying ways to maximise community benefit beyond core service delivery. 

Significant governance improvements have been implemented in recent years, including: 

• Establishment of a Board governance calendar 
• Quarterly strategic review days 
• Regular leadership progress reviews 
• Structured annual planning processes 
• Improved accountability measures 

The Board acknowledges there is still work to do, including: updating policies, strengthening risk registers, reviewing executive position descriptions and continuing governance maturity initiatives. 

The Board places significant importance on strategic planning and accountability. 

Current processes include: 

• Annual two-day planning sessions 
• One-year and three-year strategic planning horizons 
• Quarterly reviews of progress 
• Monitoring of annual goals and 90-day priorities (EOS “rocks”) 
• Strong focus on accountability at all levels 

Board members stressed that everyone participates as equals during planning discussions and that the organisation has worked hard to establish a collaborative and inclusive planning culture. The incoming CEO will be expected to work within and further enhance these frameworks. 

Future Vision 

Board members described a long-term aspiration of creating: 

• More resilient children 
• More resilient families 
• Stronger communities 
• Greater positive social impact 

KDFC also aspires to be recognised as a thought leader and innovator within its field.  The Board sees considerable opportunity for the incoming CEO to help shape this future while building on the strong foundations already established. 

Key Challenges 

The Board identified several ongoing challenges facing the organisation: 

• Increasing child protection obligations 
• Regulatory compliance requirements 
• Growing community expectations 
• Changing family demographics and needs 
• Government policy and legislative changes 
• Managing risk in a highly regulated environment 
• Maintaining financial independence and reducing reliance on grant funding 

Board members were clear that compliance is non-negotiable and that maintaining KDFC’s reputation and trust within the community is critical. The successful CEO will need to remain calm and level-headed when responding to incidents, complaints, or other sensitive operational issues. 

Board Dynamics 

The Board described itself as: 

• Collaborative 
• Professional 
• Community-minded 
• Regionally focused 
• Purpose-driven 
• Accountable 

Directors bring experience from finance, law, business, governance and community sectors and are united by a shared commitment to achieving positive outcomes for children and families.  They highlighted the importance of enjoying the working relationship with the CEO and highlighted humour, authenticity and personal connection as attributes they value highly. 

The next CEO will be expected to: 

• Continue developing leadership capability 
• Strengthen succession planning and leadership depth 
• Encourage growth and professional development 
• Challenge and support leaders to achieve their potential 
• Build on the stability of the existing executive team 

The leadership team was repeatedly described as passionate, capable and purpose driven.  The Board believes significant investment has been made in developing the leadership group and wants this momentum maintained. 

The Board sees itself as an active governance partner and continues to mature its governance practices.  The incoming CEO will be expected to: 

• Support continued governance improvement 
• Influence and guide the Board where appropriate 
• Help Directors better understand organisational issues and opportunities 
• Provide high-quality information to support decision-making 
• Continue strengthening reporting and governance frameworks 

The Board see the importance of emotional intelligence and cultural alignment with the incoming CEO.  Directors described both the Board and leadership team as highly relational and people-focused. They emphasised the importance of ensuring stakeholders feel heard, informed, respected and included. 

The successful CEO will need to: 

• Demonstrate high emotional intelligence 
• Communicate openly and effectively 
• Build trust across all stakeholder groups 
• Lead with authenticity and humility 
• Manage relationships with sensitivity and maturity 

Board members emphasised they are passionate volunteers, who care deeply about the organisation and its purpose and are seeking a leader who can work effectively within that environment. While local presence is viewed favourably, Directors expressed flexibility regarding where the successful candidate resides.  The priority is ensuring the CEO remains visible, accessible and engaged with staff, communities and stakeholders. Experience and appreciation of regional communities and regional dynamics would be highly regarded, as is Childcare sector and Training sector knowledge and experience. 

Download the Position Description

The Chief Executive Officer reports to the Board of Directors for the overall leadership, strategic direction, operational performance and sustainability of Kath Dickson Family Centre. The Board Chair is the principle point of contact for day-to-day matters. 

The CEO leads the organisation to deliver its vision, purpose and strategic priorities, while ensuring the effective day-to-day functioning of the business through strong leadership, sound governance support, financial stewardship, risk management, child safety, people leadership and stakeholder engagement. 

The CEO is responsible for ensuring the organisation works as one integrated whole, with clear priorities, aligned leaders, effective systems, timely decision-making and consistent delivery of safe, high-quality outcomes for children, families, educators, staff and communities. 

Leadership & People 

• Lead and communicate the organisation’s vision, purpose, values and strategic direction 
• Provide strong executive leadership across the organisation to ensure all departments, teams and services operate in an aligned, coordinated and accountable way 
• Build, lead and support an effective senior executive leadership team with clarity of roles, shared accountability and constructive collaboration 
• Support the Board of Directors to fulfil its governance responsibilities through high-quality advice, timely reporting and implementation of Board decisions 
• Maintain a transparent, professional and productive working relationship with the Board Chair 
• Prepare and present accurate, timely and strategically relevant Board papers, reports and briefings 
• Ensure the Board is informed of significant operational matters, emerging risks, incidents, compliance issues and strategic opportunities 
• Coordinate the preparation of the Annual Report and Annual General Meeting requirements within relevant timeframes 
• Ensure matters requiring Board consideration are escalated appropriately and that Board resolutions are implemented effectively across the organisation 

Strategy & Planning 

• Work with the Board and leadership team to develop, maintain and implement the strategic plan and aligned annual priorities 
• Ensure the organisation’s strategy is clearly translated into practical, measurable priorities, with clear ownership, timeframes and accountability 
• Maintain focus on both long-term direction and short-to-medium term execution so the organisation remains sustainable, relevant and effective 
• Ensure organisational priorities are integrated across departments and translated into practical plans, actions and outcomes. 
• Establish and maintain effective planning, reporting, meeting and decision-making rhythms that support accountability, timely follow-through and continuous improvement 
• Ensure organisational structures, leadership accountabilities and delegated responsibilities are current, understood and fit for purpose 
• Address organisational barriers, cross-functional issues and performance concerns in a timely, fair and effective manner 
• Identify opportunities for improvement, innovation, growth and service development in alignment with the organisation’s vision and capability 
• Monitor the external environment, including sector trends, community need, legislation, regulation, workforce challenges, funding opportunities and emerging risks, and translate these into strategic advice and action 

Operational or Technical Expertise 

• Work with the Finance Manager and relevant leaders to develop the annual budget for Board approval 
• Ensure the organisation operates within approved budgets, delegations and financial controls  
• Oversee financial sustainability, resource allocation, forecasting and stewardship to support current operations and long-term viability 
• Ensure sound internal controls, audit readiness and financial compliance across the organisation 
• Oversee audit processes and ensure audit findings, recommendations and actions are addressed appropriately 
• Support the Board with financial insight and advice to inform sound decision-making 
• Ensure effective systems are in place to identify, monitor and manage organisational risk, including strategic, operational, financial, legal, reputational, cyber, workforce, safeguarding and WHS risks 
• Ensure the organisation’s statutory, regulatory, contractual, funding and reporting obligations are met accurately and by their due dates, supported by a compliance obligations register that is maintained and reported to the Board at least quarterly 
• Maintain the organisation’s licences to operate, charity registration, approved provider status and service approvals under the Education and Care Services National Law, and registration as a registered training organisation, including continuing to operate in accordance with its charitable purpose, and notify the Board immediately of any matter placing any of them at risk 
• Hold non-delegable accountability to the Board for the safety and wellbeing of every child in the organisation’s care, and ensure a child safe framework aligned to the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations is implemented and maintained across all services, including family day care educator residences 
• Ensure every allegation, disclosure or concern relating to the safety of a child is recorded, responded to and reported to the relevant authority within required timeframes, regardless of who is the subject of it, and report immediately to the Board Chair any matter involving a member of the leadership team 
• Provide the Board with a child safety report at each meeting covering matters raised, action taken, timeliness of response and emerging themes, presented without filtering for reputational impact 
• Provide executive oversight of incident and critical incident management, including response, reporting, regulator engagement, communication, review and organisational learning 
• Ensure reporting, records, decisions, approvals and documentation are accurate, complete and maintained in accordance with legislative, regulatory and organisational requirements 
• Ensure organisational policies, procedures and internal controls are current, implemented and regularly reviewed 
• Promote proactive risk management and accountability at all levels of the organisation 

Stakeholder Engagement & Influence 

• Act as the principal organisational representative in relationships with government, funders, regulators, partners, community stakeholders, sector bodies and other key external parties 
• Build and maintain strong, credible and constructive relationships that enhance the organisation’s reputation, sustainability and impact 
• Identify and develop partnership, advocacy, funding and growth opportunities that align with organisational strategy and community need 
• Oversee the management of significant complaints escalated to the CEO and ensure responses are timely, fair, well-documented and informed by continuous improvement 
• Protect and strengthen the organisation’s reputation through consistent leadership, strong communication and sound decision-making 

Values, Integrity & Cultural Alignment 

• Model values-led leadership and promote a culture of care, inclusion, accountability, trust and excellence 
• Lead and support the leadership team to build capability, maintain performance standards and create healthy, collaborative and effective teams 
• Oversee frameworks for recruitment, onboarding, leadership development, performance management, succession planning and workforce capability 
• Ensure leadership continuity and workforce planning for critical roles 
• Address employee relations and people matters at the appropriate level, including matters escalated to the CEO 
• Foster a culture in which issues are identified early, discussed openly and resolved constructively 

The ideal candidate will be a respected and strategic executive leader with a proven ability to lead complex organisations through growth, change and continuous improvement. They will bring strong strategic thinking, commercial acumen and organisational leadership capability, with the ability to set a clear direction, align teams around shared priorities and translate strategy into practical initiatives that deliver measurable outcomes. A track record of building high-performing teams, fostering accountability and creating a culture of collaboration and excellence will be essential. 

The successful candidate will possess strong governance, financial and risk management expertise, with demonstrated experience working closely with Boards and operating within delegated authority frameworks. They will have sound financial management skills, including budgeting, resource allocation, financial oversight and sustainability planning, together with a thorough understanding of compliance, safeguarding, quality and risk requirements within a regulated service environment. They will be an informed and balanced decision-maker who can confidently navigate complexity while maintaining high standards of governance and organisational performance. 

A highly capable relationship-builder, the ideal candidate will communicate with influence, authenticity and professionalism across a diverse range of stakeholders. They will have the resilience, integrity and sound judgement required to lead through uncertainty, balance competing priorities and build trust with staff, clients, partners, regulators and the Board. Above all, they will be a purpose-driven leader who combines strategic vision with operational excellence and is committed to achieving meaningful outcomes for the organisation and the communities it serves. 

Windsor Group and Kath Dickson Family Centre are committed to equal opportunity employment practices. Applications will be assessed on merit, and shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview. An offer of appointment will be made to the applicant whose written application and interview performance best demonstrate their ability to meet the requirements of the role. 

Windsor Group will review applications as they are received. We encourage early applications, as screening begins immediately. Process steps: 

• Initial screening by Windsor Group 
• Consultant interview 
• Client panel interview(s) 
• Assessments (if required) 
• Reference checks 

Indicative timeline: 

• Weeks 1–3: Screening 
• Week 4-5: Windsor Group interviews 

We will keep candidates updated throughout each stage. 

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 KCCEKD to apply@windsor-group.com.au. For more information, please contact Kym Cheatham on 07 3211 0001.  

Your application will be acknowledged by email within one business day. 

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