OJISI CHARLIE
Alice Springs,NT
Summary
Dynamic and results-driven Chief Executive Officer with over a decade of progressive leadership experience in the Human Services Sector, specializing in Family and community services, Intensive Family Support Services AOD, Mental Health, DV, Child Protection, Youth homelessness accommodation and support services. Proven track record in steering organisations towards growth and sustainability through strategic planning, operational excellence, and innovative programme development. Skilled in team leadership and mentoring, fostering a collaborative culture that empowers staff to excel in high-performance environments. Adept at managing compliance and risk, ensuring adherence to policies and quality standards while effectively mitigating operational risks. Demonstrated success in building and maintaining strategic relationships with stakeholders, vendors, and community organizations to enhance service provision and advocate for youth issues. Strong financial acumen with experience in budget management, funding submissions, and aligning financial strategies with organizational objectives, resulting in budget surpluses for three consecutive years.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Chief Executive Officer
Alice Springs Youth Accommodation Support Services (ASYASS)
01.2021 - Current
- Leading and mentoring a team of operations professionals, fostering a collaborative, high-performance environment.
- Streamlined processes to enhance efficiency and productivity while managing budgets effectively.
- Ensured compliance with policies and legislation, upholding quality standards.
- Build and maintain relationships with key suppliers and external partners, negotiating favourable contracts.
- Supervised staff, maintaining strong relationships with team leaders and resolving conflicts as needed.
- Provided professional supervision and support to senior staff, including access to Employee Assistance Programs.
- Prepared funding submissions and ensured timely acquittal of funds in compliance with monitoring requirements.
- Consulted with media and stakeholders to promote the service's positive image and advocate for youth issues.
- Fostered relationships with local organisations, schools, and community groups to ensure comprehensive service provision.
- Prepared monthly reports and financial statements for the Board, maintaining accurate records of service users.
- Developed innovative programs reflecting client needs and organisational goals, implementing, and annually reviewing the strategic plan.
- Achievements:
- Identified growth opportunities and explored new income streams within the sector.
- Aligned financial strategy with strategic objectives, fostering a culture of financial excellence to ensure sustainability.
- Led the development and implementation of effective services, policies, and business systems.
- Monitored industry trends and adapted strategies to maintain competitiveness.
- Analysed financial data to identify trends, variances, and cost-saving opportunities.
- Developed policies to ensure compliance with industry standards, including regular audits and assessments.
- Maintained ISO 9001 compliance, implementing internal audit programmes.
- Oversaw Quality Control and Assurance functions, ensuring services met quality standards in a cost-effective manner.
- Identified and managed risks related to quality, ensuring effective mitigation plans were in place.
- Achieved budget surpluses for four consecutive fiscal years (2020/2021, 2021/2022, 2022/2023, 2023/2024).
- Collaborated with the Board on cash flow management, financial planning, and investment strategies.
- Developed processes for monitoring, evaluating, and improving service quality and productivity.
- Drove the implementation of the organisation's strategic direction, ensuring alignment with objectives.
- Achieved ISO 9001 accreditation status for the first time in 33 years.
- Embedded Quality Management principles across the organisation.
Senior Program Manager
Alice Springs Youth Accommodation Support Services (ASYASS)
06.2020 - 12.2020
- Coordinated residential services, including emergency accommodation for youth, transitional housing, independence programmes, a drop-in centre, and a facility for young women.
- Managed daily operations, ensuring compliance with organisational goals and reporting requirements.
- Supervised project staff, fostering effective communication and teamwork.
- Developed partnerships and networks to support disadvantaged youth and promote awareness of youth issues in the community.
- Assisted with complex client caseloads and participated in case planning, while managing a small caseload for high-need clients at the Crisis Refuge.
- Supported the CEO with organisational planning, attended meetings, responded to inquiries and grievances, and ensured adherence to processes.
- Prepared reports for the Board and funding bodies and undertook higher duties in the CEO's absence.
- Achievements:
- Developed comprehensive business plans to drive organisational objectives.
- Provided visionary leadership, fostering a positive and productive team environment.
- Enhanced the induction training process and conducted a skills audit to identify development needs.
- Ensured accurate financial reporting and compliance with regulations in collaboration with the finance team.
- Managed quality systems in line with ISO 9001 standards, implementing internal audit programmes.
- Built productive relationships with peak bodies and organisations to ensure high-quality services.
- Strengthened HR functions, enhancing recruitment, retention, development, and performance management.
- Developed client and stakeholder satisfaction surveys in line with policy.
- Introduced mandatory training courses and ensured staff had up-to-date probity checks.
- Established a quality performance framework to track and report on organisational KPIs.
Program Manager, Warri Warri Kanyi
WDYAC (Warlpiri Youth Development Aboriginal Corporation)
01.2018 - 06.2020
- Coordinated and supervised services in Yuendumu, Willowra, and Nyirrpi, conducting case reviews and team meetings for effective communication.
- Supported the development of Warlpiri mentors to enhance community capacity and participation.
- Managed on-call staffing and addressed training and development needs for staff.
- Ensured compliance with legal mandates and WFDAC policies in counselling and case management.
- Collaborated with the Outstation Coordinator to facilitate access to Outstation services.
- Oversaw updates of the Client Database and provided support by visiting Warlpiri communities.
- Managed administrative duties, ensuring timely internal reporting and accurate data recording.
- Gathered resources to assist WWK staff in clinical work with young people and families.
- Achievements:
- Established Yarning Groups for people to foster community support.
- Assisted clients in crisis by mobilising necessary supports and services.
- Implemented collaborative case planning involving parents to strengthen intervention effectiveness.
- Regularly consulted with multidisciplinary teams, including nursing staff, social workers, and police, to deliver comprehensive support in domestic violence, AOD, and youth diversion services.
- Upheld WFDAC Quality Management Principles and maintained professional representation in meetings.
Clinical Manager - Community Development and Engagement
Mission Australia, Pilbara Community Drug and Alcohol Service
06.2015 - 01.2018
- Responsible for the provision of high-quality Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Service in the Pilbara region.
- Ensure respectful support and effective interventions are given to people who experience alcohol and other drugs' mental illness, including one to one counselling and group sessions.
- Offering supervision, development, and training opportunities for staff, as well as promote and participate in a positive work environment.
- Collaborating with stakeholders to address the impact of alcohol and other drug use in Pilbara.
- Focus on building and nurturing relationships at a personal level, organizational and community level to identify needs and achieve positive outcomes.
- Acts as a consultant to staff on matters relating to client case management.
- Ensures the application of best practice in clinical care across the organization.
- Participates and assists in implementation of quality improvements in the Pilbara.
- Ensures maintenance of National Clinical Service Standards.
- Increase community awareness of Drug and Alcohol health issues among people, facilitate relevant family participation, organize, and deliver health promotion activities and community events to engage identified target groups and communities.
- Achievements:
- Worked collaboratively with all staff to ensure the program delivers mental health and family focused services to the community.
- Designed and coordinated events for target groups and increased the profile of Pilbara Alcohol and Drug service and delivered key messages (e.g., drug and alcohol, reduced stigma, anti-discrimination, early help seeking).
- Assisted with the development, implementation, and evaluation of a Community Awareness Strategy
- Promoted the Pilbara and Alcohol Drug Service and helped people to get timely access to health and other services including young people who had or were at risk of developing a mental health and/or substance use disorder or had economic and social recovery needs
- Increased community awareness of Drug and Alcohol health issues among people, facilitated relevant family participation, organized, and delivered health promotion activities and community events to engage identified target groups and communities.
- Worked to ensure that the impact of any campaign/event is addressed at the planning stages so that clinical staff were available
Manager Family Support Projects Regional WA - Perth, the Great Southern, South and Port Headland
YMCA
06.2014 - 01.2015
- Delivering high project briefs and plans and ensuring other stakeholders are advised on project objectives milestones and budget implications and risks
- Monitoring project progress, evaluating outcomes, and implementing quality improvement processes to ensure program effectiveness and sustainability.
- Leading the entire lifecycle of family support projects, from conception to completion, including strategic planning, resource allocation, and risk management.
- Securing funding, managing project budgets, and ensuring all projects adhere to grant requirements and organizational policies.
- Implement proactive management of internal and external project team members across multiple sites, bridging skills and encouraging collaboration between multidisciplinary teams
- Undertaking strategic projects, including the design of services, systems and agency interfaces, with consideration to outcomes at the child, family and population level.
- Conduct effective induction and orientation sessions
- In collaboration with the Executive Manager, stakeholders define the project scope, objectives and deliverables to manage the establishment and implementation of projects
- Support Program staff to ensure engagement with communities through effective consultation and meaningful reporting
- Identify and respond to trends and needs within communities' key community organizations and individuals in relation to projects
- Identifying family needs and designing innovative and evidence-based programs that promote family wellbeing, child safety, and community resilience.
- Building and maintaining relationships with families, community partners, government agencies, and other stakeholders to enhance project reach and impact.
- Develop and deliver regular progress reports, proposals, requirements documentation, and presentations including reporting to the Board of Directors and other stakeholders as required
- Use exceptional interpersonal skills to establish and maintain relationships with the senior stakeholders of key partners and government
- Review the quality of the work completed with project teams on a regular basis to ensure that they meet the project standards
- Achievements
- Established a communication schedule to update stakeholders including appropriate staff in the organization on the progress of the projects
- Authored and submitted Business Case Plans and funding submissions to government departments and Shires for program funding
- Produced reports on program activity levels and success in meeting on time completion targets when needed.
- Ensured that project deliverables were on time, within budget and at the required level of quality
- Monitored the progress of projects, adjusted as necessary and ensured the successful completion of projects
- Undertake post implementation reviews and reporting
- Planned, scheduled and tracked project timelines and milestones using appropriate systems
Program Manager
Centre Care Program Manager Goldfields, Esperance, Northern Corridor WA
05.2012 - 06.2014
Family and Community Services Manager Central Australia and the APY Lands
CatholiccareNT
02.2010 - 05.2012
Education
Master of Social Work -
Charles Darwin University
Charles Darwin University01.2023
ISO 9001 Internal/Lead Auditor - Quality Management Systems
01.2020
Post Graduate Diploma - Business Administration in Human Resources Management
Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
Palmerston North, New Zealand01.2012
Master of Adult Education - undefined
Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
Palmerston North, New Zealand01.2007
Diploma of Personnel and Training Management - undefined
Institute of Personnel Management of Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe01.1998
Bachelor of Adult Education - undefined
Huddersfield University, UK
UK01.1990
Skills
- Strategic oversight
- Leadership and mentoring
- Quality enhancement
- Change process facilitation
- Strategic assessment
- Strategic Planning
- Programme Development and Evaluation
- Performance Improvement
- Compliance and Risk Management
- Quality Assurance and ISO 9001 Accreditation
- Policy Development and Review
- Financial Acumen
- Financial Management and Budgeting
- Vendor and Community Relationship Management
- Stakeholder Engagement and Advocacy
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Advocacy and Lobbying
- Innovative Problem Solving
- Youth Services Expertise
- Youth Accommodation and Support Services
TRAINING
- Department of Community Services, Child Safety and Disabilities Services
- Framework for Practice
- Signs of Safety
- Model of Therapeutic Care
- Impact of Abuse and Trauma
- Institute of Community Directors Australia
- Advanced Leadership for Community Chair
- Strategic foresight for chairs: building for a future that’s increasingly uncertain
- Backstage and front of house: using both to make good decisions
- The chair’s relationship with the CEO
- Strategic funding: developing your case for support
- Ethical board leadership, with ICDA’s training team
Timeline
Chief Executive Officer
Alice Springs Youth Accommodation Support Services (ASYASS)
01.2021 - Current
Senior Program Manager
Alice Springs Youth Accommodation Support Services (ASYASS)
06.2020 - 12.2020
Program Manager, Warri Warri Kanyi
WDYAC (Warlpiri Youth Development Aboriginal Corporation)
01.2018 - 06.2020
Clinical Manager - Community Development and Engagement
Mission Australia, Pilbara Community Drug and Alcohol Service
06.2015 - 01.2018
Manager Family Support Projects Regional WA - Perth, the Great Southern, South and Port Headland
YMCA
06.2014 - 01.2015
Program Manager
Centre Care Program Manager Goldfields, Esperance, Northern Corridor WA
05.2012 - 06.2014
Family and Community Services Manager Central Australia and the APY Lands
CatholiccareNT
02.2010 - 05.2012
ISO 9001 Internal/Lead Auditor - Quality Management Systems
Post Graduate Diploma - Business Administration in Human Resources Management
Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
Master of Adult Education - undefined
Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
Diploma of Personnel and Training Management - undefined
Institute of Personnel Management of Zimbabwe
Bachelor of Adult Education - undefined
Huddersfield University, UK
Master of Social Work -
Charles Darwin University