Placement of the Month: February 2023

The Chief Executive Officer position at PACT is critical for achieving the organization’s goal of supporting every child through the legal and court system with the confidence to speak up and feel heard as they give their best evidence. The CEO is responsible for leading the strategic and operational activities, establishing positive stakeholder relationships, ensuring appropriate governance, and maintaining financial health. The CEO will also be responsible for managing the team and maintaining a vibrant volunteer community, promoting PACT’s brand, developing and maintaining a strong network of stakeholders, and ensuring compliance with all relevant workplace regulations. The position requires tertiary qualifications, extensive experience in not-for-profit business management, strategy development and implementation, good governance principles, and government relations and advocacy. It is a full-time three-year executive contract position based in Brisbane CBD with flexible work arrangements, including some work from home.

PACT (Protect All Children Today) was founded in 1985 with the aim of promoting child protection. It was created by two detective sergeants, David Jefferies and Dugald MacMillan, along with TV presenter Kay McGrath, and was later joined by other advocates for child safety. PACT has been instrumental in changing investigative processes, including the use of multi-disciplinary investigation techniques and taping of initial police interviews with child victims. In 1990, PACT created the first Child Protection Week campaign, which became a national event in Australia. In recent years, PACT has focused on supporting child victims and witnesses who have to give evidence in court, and this has now expanded to include victims and witnesses of all ages who need support through the Queensland criminal justice system.

Chris McCarthy is a highly experienced professional with a diverse background in leadership, project management, business process improvement, strategy, change management, and business development. He started his career in the Australian Regular Army, where he gained excellent training in leadership and operations in challenging circumstances. Later, he worked as a consultant for SMS Management & Technology and Suncorp, where he gained valuable experience in business development, change management, and growth.

In 2006, Chris volunteered with Hear and Say and in 2007 was appointed as General Manager before being appointed as CEO in 2012. During his eight-year tenure as CEO, he led a cultural change and ensured commercial viability, managed a $12m capital campaign, and transitioned the organization from bulk funding to fee-for-service. Chris is known for being a collegial and people-centred leader with a warm and authentic presence. He is a strong communicator who can articulate policy to practice and outcomes.

Chris is the current CEO with Protect all Children Today (PACT), a non-profit organization focused on social justice and volunteer work. He holds several qualifications, including a Master of Management from the University of New South Wales, a Company Directors Course from the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and a Queensland Leaders Program from Social Leadership Australia. Chris has excellent core competencies in project management, business process improvement, strategy, change management, business development, networking and advocacy, strategic and operational leadership, governance, and risk.

However, what makes Chris stand out, is he is a genuinely great guy.

Kaye Jeffers

Executive Consultant

Get to know Kaye and the Windsor Group team here.