Chief Operating officer

Radford College is an Anglican co-educational day school, committed to fostering global citizens by inspiring students from Pre-K to Year 12 to make good choices, self-regulate and be resilient as the foundations for academic success. The College is located in the suburb of Bruce, in Canberra.

Chief Operating Officer | Permanent Full-Time

The Principal of Radford College invites applications from dynamic, experienced senior leaders with an inspiring vision for the future to be responsible for the non-academic administration of the College, while inspiring and energising their colleagues and positively impacting the College’s strategic direction and culture.

Our motto of Truth, Compassion, Wisdom informs the values we seek to live, not just in the classroom and around the campus, but in everything we do, every day.  The Principal and the College Board looks to the Chief Operating Officer to live those values and provide exemplary leadership of our College community.

The opportunity

An exciting opportunity has emerged for a strategic and experienced leader to lead the financial and business management of Radford College which includes compliance, grounds and facilities, master and strategic planning, information and communications technology and safety risk and security. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to support the Principal in the development of whole-of-school initiatives, the day-to-day management of the College and contribute to the ongoing success of our academic community.

About the role

The role of Chief Operating Officer is to lead a positive culture that values the diverse and rich contribution of highly committed staff, fostering outstanding academic achievement and strong governance.

You will be responsible for the strategic oversight and management of the College’s financial and business operations, ensuring alignment with the College’s ethos, values and vision. This role demands high levels of professional expertise to manage all aspects of the daily operations of the College and oversight of the College’s financial position. The position will oversee the preparation of comprehensive financial reports for the Principal and the Board, promoting a culture of informed decision making, transparency and collaboration.

There will be opportunities for authentic personal growth, in addition to the satisfaction of making a major contribution to a dynamic and vibrant organisation.

Working at Radford College

At Radford, we believe student success and academic excellence is driven and supported by strong leadership and efficient operational management. The Chief Operating Officer plays a critical role in ensuring the College’s financial and business operations run seamlessly, enabling educators to focus on delivering high-quality education. With a commitment to excellence, strategic oversight, and operational efficiency, the COO works closely with the Principal and Senior Leadership Team to create an environment where students can thrive and reach their full potential.

Why choose Radford?

As well as supporting and enabling staff to achieve their potential, Radford College offers:

• An attractive remuneration package
• A vibrant and rewarding employee experience
• Tools of the trade including mobile phone, laptop, and tablet devices
• Assistance with relocation costs
• Generous professional development opportunities supporting the value we place on investing in our staff
• Staff priority and discounted tuition fees for your child/ren to attend Radford College
• Subsidised Outside School Hours Care
• Employee wellbeing initiatives including EAP Program, access to gym facilities and group fitness classes
• Generous superannuation
• Excellent resources
• World class grounds and contemporary facilities
• Free onsite parking
• Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

For further information, please visit the Employment page on our website.

About you

The ideal candidate will possess a sophisticated understanding of financial strategy and management, ensuring rigorous financial oversight and alignment with the goals of the College.

Candidates must demonstrate:

• Proven successful management and collaborative leadership experience in complex organisations
• Strategic thinking to support the College’s financial sustainability and strategic goals
• Knowledge of statutory compliance within the education sector
• Significant experience in financial and operations management in the not-for-profit sector
• The ability to professionally and confidentially engage with internal and external stakeholders
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Effective project management capabilities
• Commitment to work health and safety policies

Qualifications, Knowledge and Experience Required

• An outstanding understanding of the requirements of managing the finances, administration, ICT, facilities, and risk of a large organisation
• Qualifications in accounting (CPA), business administration or similar
• GAICD (Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors) preferable
• Experience as a Chief Operating Officer (or similar) preferable
• Working with Vulnerable People Clearance
• Police Check

How to Apply

Details about this position, including a Candidate Pack, can be found on the Employment page of our website. If you have further enquiries regarding this position, please contact Allan Shaw at [email protected]

Applications close midnight, Sunday 23 March 2025 and should be addressed to:

The Principal – Christopher Bradbury
[email protected]

Applicants will be subject to employment screening and will be required to provide a current ACT Working with Vulnerable People card prior to commencing employment.