Positions

/ Lead enterprise operations across a national service portfolio 

/ Strengthen performance, accountability & service integration

/ Partner with the CEO to deliver sustainable community impact

A significant opportunity to shape an integrated national service portfolio and work closely with the CEO to deliver lasting improvements in performance, sustainability and community impact.

fhtogglels/Read more about this position/Close/eb

SYC is a multi-service organisation delivering employment, education, housing and social services across Australia. With more than 65 years of impact, SYC supports Australians to create a life without disadvantage, build sustainable independence and experience wellbeing in all areas of their lives. With an established national presence, longstanding government relationships and a diverse service portfolio, SYC is strengthening its operating model to support organisational performance, sustainability and future growth.

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Operating Officer will provide enterprise leadership across Employment Services, Education and Training, Community Services and supporting operational functions. Leading four General Managers and working collaboratively with the executive team, you will you will strengthen operating foundations and establish greater consistency, discipline and accountability across service streams. Your priorities will include strengthening contract and financial performance, developing leadership capability and embedding effective processes, controls and performance reporting to support safe, high-quality services. You will translate strategic priorities into practical action and measurable outcomes, while strengthening government and stakeholder relationships and positioning SYC for future tender and growth opportunities.

We are seeking a commercially astute executive with a track record of leading complex operations across multiple services, functions or locations. You will bring strong financial and operational judgement, experience in contract-driven or regulated environments and demonstrated success improving operational performance and leading substantial change. A credible and pragmatic leader, you combine sound judgement and decisiveness with the resilience and pace to navigate complexity and maintain momentum. Your collaborative, firm but fair approach builds trust, develops leaders and strengthens accountability. You will engage confidently with government, Boards and key stakeholders, balancing commercial discipline with a strong commitment to service quality and outcomes for people experiencing disadvantage. Experience in human services, employment, education or similarly complex service environments will be highly regarded.

This is a significant opportunity to shape an integrated national service portfolio and work closely with the CEO to deliver lasting improvements in performance, sustainability and community impact.

Applications should be forwarded to the attention of Nicole Underwood in Word format. Confidential enquiries are welcome on (08) 8214 8020.

/ Explore your next leadership move in South Australia

/ Connect with an established, locally based executive search team

/ Be considered for future executive and senior leadership appointments

Your next leadership opportunity starts with a conversation. Connect with Underwood Executive to explore future executive roles in South Australia.

fhtogglels/Read more about this position/Close/eb

Your next career move deserves careful consideration. Whether you are actively exploring opportunities or taking a longer-term view, a confidential conversation can help us understand your experience, aspirations and what would make your next role the right fit.

Underwood Executive is an Adelaide-based executive search firm specialising in CEO, C-suite and critical leadership appointments. We partner with private, listed, government and not-for-profit organisations to identify leaders who bring the capability, judgement and cultural alignment to make a lasting contribution.

We welcome expressions of interest from Adelaide-based executives and senior leaders across general management, finance, operations, people and culture, commercial, strategy, technology, data, legal and governance. You may be seeking broader responsibility, a different organisational environment or an opportunity to apply your experience to a new challenge.

We are interested in both what you have achieved and where you want to go next. Beyond your professional background, we want to understand the leadership environments in which you thrive, the contribution you want to make and the priorities that will shape your next decision.

You do not need to be ready to move immediately. Joining our Talent Community allows us to get to know you and consider your background as relevant future assignments arise.

This is an invitation to join our Executive Talent Community, rather than an advertisement for a current vacancy.

To introduce yourself, please forward your CV in Word format to the attention of Natasha Edirisinghe, including a brief outline of the opportunities you would welcome. Confidential enquiries are welcome on 08 8214 8020.

/ Shape & Build an Organisation-Wide Framework

/ Leadership Development, Capability & Inclusion

/ Established & Growing Organisation

An opportunity to take ownership of an evolving L&D agenda, build on work already underway and shape an approach that supports the organisation as it continues to grow.

fhtogglels/Read more about this position/Close/eb

An established organisation experiencing continued growth and change is seeking an experienced Learning and Development professional to lead the next phase of its learning and capability agenda. With strong organisational support and a solid foundation already in place, this is an opportunity to bring greater structure, consistency and maturity to learning and development across the business.

Working within the broader People & Culture function, the Learning and Development Lead will shape and embed a practical and scalable L&D framework aligned to current and future capability needs. Working closely with leaders and employees across the organisation, you will identify capability gaps, establish development priorities, review existing learning programs and strengthen internal capability. Leadership development and creating clearer development pathways will also form an important part of the role.

Alongside the broader learning and capability agenda, you will contribute to the continued development and implementation of initiatives and policies across respectful workplace, inclusion and workplace bullying. With strong organisational buy-in and an established foundation already in place, you will work collaboratively across the business to ensure these initiatives are practical, contemporary and effectively embedded.

An experienced Learning and Development professional, you will have demonstrated experience building, improving or embedding L&D and capability frameworks within a growing or changing organisation. Comfortable operating across both strategy and hands-on delivery, you will be pragmatic, collaborative and commercially minded, with the ability to engage and influence leaders and employees across both operational and corporate environments.

This is an opportunity to take ownership of an evolving L&D agenda, build on work already underway and shape an approach that supports the organisation as it continues to grow.

Applications should be forwarded to the attention of Julie Bennett in Word format.

Confidential enquiries are welcome to Julie Bennett on 0431 742 034.

/ Lead a Defining Regulatory Reset

/ Shape the Investment Case for a Multi-Billion Dollar Work Program

/ Navigate Complex Regulation to Deliver Strategic Business Outcomes

This is a rare opportunity to influence the future of an essential South Australian organisation and lead a regulatory program of national significance. With strong executive support, you will shape the investment framework that underpins SAPN’s next chapter and the state’s transition to a more distributed, electrified energy future.

fhtogglels/Read more about this position/Close/eb

SA Power Networks (SAPN) is a leader in South Australia’s energy industry, responsible for delivering electricity to over 1.7 million customers as the state’s sole electricity distributor. It’s about more than simply keeping the power on – SAPN is an innovator, focused on connecting South Australians to a better energy future, today. With a workforce of over 2,900, the business is investing in an increasingly critical network as electrification, distributed energy, batteries and electric vehicles reshape the way energy is generated, shared and consumed. The regulation function plays a central role in enabling confident investment, delivering value for customers and supporting South Australia’s energy transition.

As Head of Regulation, you will lead one of SAPN’s most strategically important programs - the development and delivery of its 2030–35 regulatory proposal. With the submission to the Australian Energy Regulator due in January 2029, you will shape the case for a multi-billion-dollar revenue requirement to support network renewal, reliability and the investment needed for South Australia’s changing energy system. Working across the organisation, you will bring together investment plans, business cases, regulatory strategy, economic and financial modelling, tariffs and pricing and customer and stakeholder engagement evidence into a compelling, integrated proposal. Beyond the regulatory reset, you will lead SAPN’s regulatory strategy, relationships, compliance obligations and reporting, and contribute to advocacy efforts, positioning regulation as a strategic enabler of the organisation’s long-term ambitions.

You are a highly credible electricity regulation leader with deep knowledge of the National Electricity Law, National Electricity Rules and relevant state legislation and codes. You understand regulatory price determination processes and inputs, regulatory financial constructs, tariffs and pricing and have led or held significant accountability for a regulation function. Strategic and commercially minded, you can connect complex regulatory settings to enterprise priorities and translate technical issues into clear choices and action. You are an influential communicator with the executive presence to engage Boards, executives, the AER, government, customers and industry stakeholders. Just as importantly, you are an empowering leader who can bring together a diverse team, build organisational capability and help the business find a way through complex regulatory matters.

This is a rare opportunity to influence the future of an essential South Australian organisation and lead a regulatory program of national significance. With strong executive support, you will shape the investment framework that underpins SAPN’s next chapter and the state’s transition to a more distributed, electrified energy future.

Applications should be forwarded to the attention of Julie Bennett in Word format. Confidential enquiries are welcome to Julie at Underwood Executive on (08) 8214 8020.

/ Senior Media & Communications Leadership Opportunity

/ Reputation, Issues Management & Strategic Communications  

/ High-Profile National Organisation

A rare opportunity to take on a highly visible and influential communications leadership role within a significant Australian organisation. Working closely with senior decision-makers, you will have the opportunity to shape corporate narrative and reputation and lead a broad communications agenda across Australian and international markets.

fhtogglels/Read more about this position/Close/eb

A large and established Australian organisation with a significant national presence and international operations is seeking an accomplished media and communications leader to lead its media and communications team. Operating at considerable scale, the organisation has a strong profile and engages with a diverse range of stakeholders, markets and communities. This is an opportunity to shape its media and communications strategy, strengthen corporate reputation and work closely with the CEO and executive team.

Reporting to a senior executive and working closely with the CEO and broader executive team, the Senior Manager, Media & Communications will lead the organisation’s media, external and internal communications agenda. The role will provide strategic leadership across corporate communications, reputation and issues management, proactive and responsive media engagement, executive communications and internal communications. You will act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, helping translate organisational strategy and complex issues into clear and compelling narratives for a range of internal and external audiences.

Leading a small, experienced team, you will set the strategic direction for the function while remaining comfortable working hands-on when required. You will manage key Australian media relationships, navigate sensitive and high-profile issues, support senior executives with media and external engagements and develop and oversee speeches public profiling and presentation, thought leadership and other strategic communications. Working collaboratively across the organisation, you will ensure communications are timely, consistent and aligned, while identifying opportunities to strengthen organisational profile and reputation. The role also has direct responsibility for proactive issues management and providing communications capability during crisis situations.

A seasoned media and communications leader, you will bring significant experience across media relations and broader corporate communications within a large and complex organisation. You will have a demonstrated track record in issues and reputation management, strong established relationships across the Australian media landscape and exceptional written and verbal communication skills. Credible and confident operating at CEO and executive level, you will combine strategic thinking with the ability to execute at pace and bring the judgement, resilience and commercial pragmatism required to operate effectively in a highly visible role. Strong people leadership capability will be equally important, together with the ability to coach and develop a high-performing team.

This is a rare opportunity to take on a highly visible and influential communications leadership role within a significant Australian organisation. Working closely with senior decision-makers, you will have the opportunity to shape corporate narrative and reputation and lead a broad communications agenda across Australian and international markets.

Applications should be forwarded to the attention of Julie Bennett in Word format. Confidential enquiries are welcome to Julie Bennett on 0431 742 034.

/ Build & Lead a High-Performing Commercial Function

/ Shape Strategic Growth Across Major Energy & Infrastructure Opportunities

/ Drive Commercial Capability, Influence & Enterprise-Wide Change

This is a significant opportunity to build commercial capability within one of South Australia's most important infrastructure organisations.

fhtogglels/Read more about this position/Close/eb

ElectraNet is South Australia’s electricity transmission network provider, delivering the critical infrastructure that powers the State and connects customers, communities and major industry to the transmission network. As the energy and infrastructure landscape evolves, significant growth is emerging across mining, renewable energy, transmission infrastructure and large-scale data centre development. Increasing market contestability and more sophisticated customer expectations are also creating the need for new commercial models, stronger customer partnerships and a more agile approach to major opportunities.

Reporting to the Executive Strategy, the Head of Business Development will lead a multi-disciplinary team spanning business development, commercial analysis, governance and customer management. This is not a traditional sales-led business development role. It is a senior commercial leadership opportunity focused on building the function, strengthening capability and shaping how ElectraNet identifies, structures and delivers complex commercial opportunities. You will work collaboratively to develop commercially sound solutions, evaluate risk, influence operating models and ensure customer commitments align with organisational capability. Equally important will be your leadership of the team including establishing clear standards, developing capability and creating a high-performing function.

A commercially astute and strategic leader, you will bring experience in complex, capital-intensive environments such as energy, utilities, infrastructure, renewables or major project development. You will understand commercial structuring, project economics and risk allocation, with the ability to translate complex opportunities into practical commercial outcomes. Your track record will demonstrate more than business development success; you will have built teams, developed capability and influenced significant commercial or strategic decisions. Quietly confident, credible and collaborative, you will know how to challenge thinking and drive change while bringing people with you.

This is a significant opportunity to build commercial capability within one of South Australia’s most important infrastructure organisations and influence some of the State’s largest future energy and infrastructure opportunities.

Applications should be forwarded to the attention of Julie Bennett in Word format. Confidential enquiries are welcome to consulting team on (08) 8214 8020.

/ Focus on Recruitment Delivery - No Business Development Required

/ Recruit Senior Leaders with Experienced Consultants Alongside You

/ Established Clients, Research Support | Full-Time or Four Days

Join a collaborative and ambitious firm where quality, relationships and reputation matter, and build a long-term career in executive search.

fhtogglels/Read more about this position/Close/eb

Build on your recruitment experience through executive and leadership appointments across a diverse range of organisations. With an established client base and the support of experienced executive search professionals, you can focus on delivering high-quality recruitment outcomes.

Underwood Executive is a specialist executive search and leadership advisory firm appointing CEOs, executives and senior leaders across South Australia. We are seeking a capable recruitment professional who enjoys finding good people, understanding their experience and motivations, and managing a thorough recruitment process.

You may be working in internal talent acquisition and looking for greater variety across organisations and industries. Alternatively, you may be a Recruitment Consultant who wants to focus on delivering assignments without the requirement to win new clients or bring a client portfolio.

Working closely with Nicole Underwood and Julie Bennett, you will manage the day-to-day delivery of retained recruitment assignments. They will lead senior client advice and final recommendations, while you keep each assignment progressing and ensure candidates and clients are well informed.

Your consulting work will include:

• Proactively identifying and approaching candidates through LinkedIn, research and market mapping.

• Conducting substantive interviews to understand experience, capability, motivations and suitability.

• Preparing clear candidate assessments and supporting shortlist recommendations.

• Managing candidate communication, interview coordination and assignment updates. 

You will bring experience recruiting professional and management positions, confidence approaching people who are not actively seeking a move and the judgement to assess beyond a resume. Previous executive search experience is welcome but not essential as we can help you develop that expertise. 

We are looking for someone who is curious, commercially aware and organised. You will enjoy asking thoughtful questions, forming a considered view and following through on the details. Above all, you want to continue building your expertise in recruitment.

 In return, you will have direct access to Nicole and Julie’s experience, support from our Research Associate and Administration Coordinator and the opportunity to work on leadership appointments across a diverse client base.

We offer a competitive fixed salary plus superannuation, reflecting your experience and capability. We welcome applicants seeking full-time work or four days per week.  The role is initially office-based. Following successful completion of the six-month probation period, there is scope to agree one day per week working from home.

For a confidential discussion, contact Nicole Underwood on (08) 8214 8020. Applications should be submitted in Word format to the attention of Nicole Underwood.