Chief Executive Officer - Community Housing Industry Association NSW (CHIA NSW)

Lead the voice of community housing in NSW

At a time when housing affordability, supply and equity are central to public debate, CHIA NSW is seeking a new Chief Executive Officer to lead the state’s peak body for community housing providers. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of the sector, influence government policy, and support a growing and diverse membership base.

CHIA NSW is a respected, multi-faceted organisation with a strong foundation in advocacy, sector development, training and data. It operates a Registered Training Organisation, leads nationally recognised climate and research initiatives and plays a pivotal role in building sector capability. As CEO, you will be the public face of the organisation - a trusted voice in media, government, and industry - and a strategic leader who can unite stakeholders around a shared vision for social and affordable housing in NSW.

The Role

Reporting to the Board, the CEO will:

• Lead strategic and operational planning, ensuring CHIA NSW is future-ready and member-driven.
  
• Drive policy development and advocacy that reflects the needs of members and the broader sector.
  
• Represent the industry to government, media, and key stakeholders with credibility and clarity.
  
• Oversee training, professional development, and sector capacity-building initiatives.
  
• Collaborate closely with Australian Community Housing, ACHIA, and other state and territory peaks.
  
• Inspire and lead a small, committed team with a culture of inclusion, integrity, and impact.
  

About You

You are a strategic, collaborative, and values-driven leader with:

• Proven senior leadership experience in a complex, member-based or advocacy organisation.
  
• Strong public policy and government relations expertise — ideally within housing or adjacent sectors.
  
• Exceptional communication skills and the ability to influence across diverse audiences.
  
• A track record of building partnerships, delivering results, and leading change.
  
• A deep commitment to social purpose and equity in housing.
  

This is a pivotal moment for community housing in NSW. If you’re ready to lead a respected organisation and make a lasting impact, we’d love to hear from you.

A copy of the Candidate Brief can be found here: https://www.watermarksearch.com.au/position-descriptions?123

For a confidential discussion, please contact Claire Crawford, Daniel Nicholls or Alison Myatt of Watermark Search International at search@watermarksearch.com.au. 

Please send an application quoting Ref No A006119 to Watermark via this form: https://watermarksearchinternational.snapforms.com.au/form/application-form-sydney-search

Closing date: Monday 20 October 2025 at 11.59pm AEDT

Other Articles

Published May 26, 2026

The Membership Fee Increase: A Conversation Most Association CEOs Avoid

The membership fee strategy is not an accounting exercise. It is a leadership decision. And if your Board is setting fees based on what feels comfortable rather than what the organisation needs, you are already behind.

Read more

Published May 25, 2026

The Members You're Missing

How to capture new members for your database 

Read more

Published May 24, 2026

Only one assessment tool tells you how your entire association is really performing. AES built it.

An overview of the self assessment benchmarking tool for assessing the performance of an association 

Read more