Chief Executive Officer – AWI

The Company

Australia is the world’s leading supplier of apparel wool and Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) is a not‑for‑profit enterprise that conducts research, development and demand creation along the world‑wide supply chain for Australian wool on behalf of about 60,000 woolgrowers. Their mission is to make strategically targeted investments to enhance the profitability, international competitiveness and sustainability of the Australian wool industry. Funded by Australian woolgrowers and government‑matched R & D funds, they are focused on delivering results for wool levy payers in line with the priorities identified through industry consultation and reflected in the company's Strategic Plan.

The Woolmark Company is a subsidiary of AWI and is recognised as the global authority on wool. The company, overall, has a strong presence in 11 countries which are key markets for wool. The Woolmark Company focuses on fostering talent, developing new innovations, growing demand for wool globally, and helping businesses realise the benefits of Australian Merino wool to the world. The Woolmark is one of the world’s most recognised brands, with the logo appearing on more than 5 billion products since its inception.

The Opportunity

The AWI Chief Executive Officer (CEO) will be a key strategic industry leader and is responsible for developing the overall AWI and Woolmark strategy in conjunction with the board. As head of the executive team, the CEO manages the day‑to‑day operations of the organisation, its people and resources.

Importantly the role also acts as the primary representative to stakeholders across the wool supply chain and involves ensuring the AWI vision is future‑focused, ensuring the key programs to deliver the strategy are met, managing resources and risks, and cultivating a positive culture to drive success.

You will be responsible for contributing to the development, transformation and sustainable growth of the Australian Wool Industry.

About You

We are seeking a strategic, commercial and people focused leader who possesses the following background, key skills and attributes:

- Executive level experience in senior commercial leadership positions, including global operational experience, demonstrating increasing levels of responsibility and having exposure reporting directly to a Chair & Board

- Exceptional stakeholder engagement skills, ideally with experience working with Australian based producers/farmers, but also complex global stakeholder groups including government

- Knowledge and/or experience with an R&D organisation is highly desirable as is exposure to the wool industry and its global supply chain (including apparel)

- Highly developed strategic planning, business development and project management ideally gained in a business within a technology environment that is growing and modernising

- Highly experienced leading, coaching and managing a large geographically spread team, both domestically and internationally to build the right team and shape company culture

- Highly developed written and verbal communication skills to communicate complex matters across all stakeholder levels

- Sound business and financial acumen with highly developed problem‑solving skills

- Strong and demonstrable understanding of cultural sensitivities

- Resilient, calm under pressure with high level influencing skills

- Values driven and displaying high levels of integrity

- Relevant tertiary qualifications in business, science or agriculture, ideally with post graduate education or equivalent

Why this role?

Rarely does the prospect to lead an industry services organisation that can genuinely make a significant difference to Australian wool growers become available.

If you are a strong leader driven by improvement and innovation, enjoy industry engagement at a grass‑roots level, and are genuinely energised and excited by the opportunity to work with a high performing and diverse team and board to ensure levies are turned into genuine value for wool producers, we are keen to hear from you.

For further information or for an initial confidential discussion, please call Mick Hay or David Jackson on 1300 380 701. Applications via www.rimfireresources.com.au

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