General Manager

NatRoad (National Road Transport Association)

Canberra, ACT | Permanent Full-Time | Reports to CEO

About the Opportunity

NatRoad is looking for a General Manager who knows how to lead people effectively and deliver business critical functions. The role is hands‑on, highly visible and sits at the operational heart of Australia’s peak road transport body. It is a great role for someone who takes genuine pride in making organisations work.

You will report directly to the CEO and have accountability for four direct reports across the full range of corporate services including human resources, operational planning, membership, marketing, procurement, information technology, and sponsorship. You will be the person who ensures NatRoad’s commitments are met, its people are supported, its partners are retained, and its internal operations are consistently aligned with its external reputation.

This is a role for someone who is organised without being rigid, strategic without losing sight of the day‑to‑day, and commercially sharp without being transactional about relationships. If you have spent your career building things that work and stand the test of time, come and join us.

About NatRoad

NatRoad has been in the corner of Australian road transport operators since 1948. We are the country’s largest road freight transport association, and are entirely independent, funded through membership fees and business partnerships rather than government grants or political affiliations. Our board is made up of people who run transport businesses. Our members range from owner‑drivers running a single truck to major fleet operators managing hundreds of vehicles.

What that means in practice is that we operate in a high‑trust, high‑accountability environment. Our members expect us to advocate credibly, deliver consistently, and handle ourselves with integrity. The General Manager plays a central role in making sure we do all three.

We are a lean, purposeful organisation. We do not carry unnecessary complexity and what we say is what we do.

Our Values

• Integrity in everything they do, particularly when it is difficult or inconvenient.
• Dedication to the work and to the people they are responsible for.
• Reliability in following through on commitments, large and small.
• Empathy in dealing with colleagues, members, partners, and external stakeholders, recognising that the people we serve are running businesses under real pressure.
• Innovation in thinking about problems and being willing to try things differently when the current approach is not delivering.
• Results focus because good intentions are not enough. We exist to make a difference for the road transport industry, and that requires us to measure what matters and hold ourselves accountable for outcomes.

What You Will Be Responsible For

People and Culture

The General Manager owns the HR function. Leading recruitment and onboarding with genuine care for candidate experience and role fit, not just getting a warm body in a seat. It means managing performance in a way that is honest, timely, and fair, including difficult conversations when they are needed. It means maintaining employment contracts, policies, and documentation that are current, compliant, and used, not filed away and forgotten.

You will oversee workforce planning, career pathways, and succession planning, ensuring NatRoad has the capability it needs not just today but, in the years ahead. You will keep the organisation compliant with relevant workplace legislation, and you will be the person the CEO turns to when people issues need to be managed well.

You will establish clear performance expectations for each direct report, conduct regular one‑on‑ones and formal reviews, and maintain a consistent cadence of team reporting that gives you early visibility of what is on track and what is not.

This is not a transactional HR function. NatRoad is a small team, and the General Manager is expected to know the people, understand what motivates them, and create the conditions where high performance is possible.

Operations and Delivery

You will lead the development and execution of NatRoad’s operational plans, translating strategic priorities into practical, resourced, and time‑bound plans that the team can deliver against. You will oversee projects that drive strategic outcomes, with accountability for scope, budget, timelines, and risk. You will be expected to spot problems early, escalate when necessary, and resolve issues before they become crises.

This includes accountability for NatRoad’s technology environment, ensuring the organisation has fit‑for‑purpose systems and tools, that IT vendors and service providers are managed effectively, and that the team’s digital capabi