Leadership Programs Director
The team at Women’s Environmental Leadership Australia (WELA) is reshaping who leads - and how leadership is practised - across Australia’s climate and environmental movements. For nearly a decade, WELA has backed women and gender-diverse changemakers to build the confidence, capability, networks and support to drive meaningful change in their communities. Grounded in feminist leadership and environmental justice, WELA exists because the climate crisis is also a leadership challenge.
Ripple Opportunities is working with WELA to help them find their next Leadership Programs Director (Social Impact). Could it be you?
Why you might love this opp:
? Changing who leads: Founded by some of Australia’s most respected environmental campaigners and feminist changemakers, WELA has grown into a national organisation shaping leadership across climate and environmental change. Through flagship National Leadership Programs, specialist intensives, place-based initiatives, advocacy, events & thought leadership, this small and passionate team is backing women and gender-diverse changemakers to lead at every level. Alumni are stepping into CEO roles, elected office, senior advocacy positions and community leadership roles across the country.
? Impact in action: Last year alone, 141 women and gender-diverse leaders joined WELA programs, alongside 800+ attendees at events across the country. With 51 scholarships awarded, 75 expert presenters and facilitators, and a 16,000+ strong national community, WELA is helping shape leadership across generations, sectors and communities. Backed by partners including Paul Ramsay Foundation, FRRR, Boundless Earth and The Sunrise Project - combined with a podcast collab with Women’s Agenda - WELA has become one of Australia’s most influential organisations at the intersection of feminist leadership, climate and environmental change. Now, WELA is entering one of its most exciting growth chapters yet.
? In a nutshell: At its core, this is a role about leadership - both the leadership you bring and the leadership you help grow in others. You’ll guide and unlock the potential of a passionate team, supporting their individual growth and performance, and fostering collaboration across the organisation. Alongside the CEO and Communications & Engagement Director, you’ll keep an eye on the horizon; bringing a steady hand and strong judgement to organisational growth and decision-making. Drawing on your experience, you’ll help strengthen WELA’s programs, ecosystem partnerships and operating rhythms - supporting the organisation to deepen its work building the power of Australian women and gender-diverse people to deliver climate and nature solutions.
? Your week: Together with the team, you’re looking ahead - shaping priorities, aligning effort and creating clarity. One day, you’re reviewing program insights and cohort feedback, coaching the team to think critically about what’s needed next - whether that’s refining delivery, bringing in new expertise or shifting resources where they’ll have the greatest leverage. Another, you’re nurturing key partnerships and taking meetings to catalyse new ones. Throughout, you push a quick exec update out on income targets, while checking in with the Comms team because you know trust, ecosystem presence and shared purpose are what turn early conversations into meaningful long-term partnerships and org sustainability.
?️ Your style: You’re the kind of person who works with intention. You listen carefully, your genuine curiosity helps you ask great questions, and you’re comfortable pausing to reflect before shifting course. You’d rather make a quick phone call than let a Slack or email thread turn into a Reddit forum, and you enjoy adapting your communication for different moments - whether it’s a board report, partner pitch or 1:1 check-in. When challenges arise, you naturally look for the solutions that help the puzzle come together again, and you’re confident holding accountability while empowering those around you.
? Inside WELA: This is a thoughtful, values-driven team with big ambition and deep integrity. The work is relational, nuanced and high trust, with a genuine commitment to flexible, family-friendly and sustainable ways of working. As a fully remote team, WELA is intentional about building a culture where collaboration and self-accountability co-exist, and where people feel supported, challenged and equipped to do their best work. The team cares deeply not just about what is delivered, but how people lead, work and grow together over time.
? What you bring: You may have built the skills and experience for this role across a range of settings - from non-profit organisations, social enterprise, leadership development, education and training or other purpose-led environments. What matters is that you understand systems change, are values aligned and bring a balance of three things: strong people leadership, great organisational judgement and a deep understanding of leadership development. Your operational skills help create the conditions that sustainable organisational growth requires - balancing team performance, program quality, financial oversight, partnership development and revenue growth.
? The detail: Permanent role. Full-time or 0.8 FTE for the right candidate. Salary of $135,000 + super (pro-rated for 0.8 FTE). Strong preference for Eora/Sydney, Naarm/Melbourne or Meanjin/Brisbane. Occasional after-hours work and domestic travel are part of the role. Staff provide their own laptop and phone. This role is open to Australian residents with full working rights.
What's involved:
The balance of work will shift over time but to start:
〰️ 35% Leadership & Team Performance:
Nurture a high-performing, well-supported programs team with strong role clarity, sharp operating rhythms and clear accountability.
〰️ 35% Programs & Delivery Excellence:
Strengthen program quality, delivery and performance, ensuring exceptional leadership experiences and strong participant outcomes across WELA’s leadership programs portfolio.
〰️ 30% Partnerships & Sustainable Growth:
Grow the strategic partnerships, revenue pathways and delivery models that will support WELA’s next phase of growth and long-term sustainability.
Next steps:
Women and gender diverse people from Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander communities, communities of colour, or culturally and linguistically diverse communities are encouraged to apply.
If any of the above resonated with you but you don’t tick every box:
? ? ? You should throw your hat in the ring, whatever those years of experience look like in your personal impact journey. We’d love to hear from you! We’re reviewing applications on a rolling basis, so we encourage you to apply early. Questions? Reach out to us at hey@rippleopportunities.com.
Further details about what to include on your application is provided via the Ripple Opportunities portal.
Submit an application via clicking 'Apply Now'.
Ripple Opportunities works with the country's leading social impact businesses to match them with the next gen of impact operators and creators. www.rippleopportunities.com.