Board Members – National Seniors Australia

National Seniors is a not-for-profit membership and advocacy organisation that gives older Australians – working and retired – a strong national voice with unrivalled access to policymakers, world-class research and a thriving branch network. 

They tackle issues such as age discrimination, mature age employment, the Age Pension, social inclusion, cost of living concerns and more with their research informing National Seniors advocacy campaigns, supporting older Australians’ wellbeing, needs, experiences and perspectives. 

Established in 1976, National Seniors Australia (NSA) offers a range of services to its members through initiatives such as National Seniors Insurance & National Seniors Travel. 

To this end, NSA conducts research into older Australians’ wellbeing, needs, experiences and perspectives. This research informs National Seniors’ advocacy campaigns by providing evidence to support our calls-to-action.  

The main research project each year is the National Seniors Social Survey, which involves thousands of participating Australians aged 50+. Smaller research projects are also conducted, focused on single topics or specific groups of older Australians.  

NSA researchers are academically qualified professionals who are passionate about using their diverse disciplinary perspectives and skills to serve the community of senior Australians. The team employs best research practice including rigorous analysis methods and ethics approval processes.  

NSA produces a number of high-quality research reports each year. Archived reports produced between 2009 and 2022 can be found at the following link; https://nationalseniors.com.au/research/reports 

In accordance with its primary objective, NSA is particularly active in advocating on behalf of older Australians with the Australian Federal Government. Some notable advocacy achievements include;  

• National Seniors has led the campaign to reduce deeming rates since 2019, resulting in two rate reductions. 
• Extension of the Pension Loans Scheme to everyone of pension age from 1 July 2019. 
• Campaign against plans to increase the pension age from 67 to 70. 
• Ending the Medicare freeze. 
• A regulated price for electricity. 
• Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. 
• Extra home care packages. 
• Franking credit cash refunds. 

NSA also partners with carefully chosen organisations who share a commitment to helping older Australians. Every one of the carefully selected partners strive to offer products and/or services that meet the needs of our members and improve the quality of some aspect of their wellbeing – whether that is health, finance, or lifestyle related.  

Partnerships are more than simply advertising or getting a discount for members. Emphasis is placed on partnering for the long-term with organisations that see opportunities to collaborate on research projects with or jointly advocate for change with government.  

Partnerships increase National Seniors Australia’s profile, enhancing influence and broadening reach in the community. 

From a commercial perspective, National Seniors Insurance is a service of critical importance to NSA. In the absence of Government funding, the majority of financial support for the core functions of research and advocacy is provided by profits generated through the insurance business.

Client website

ACNC Profile

In identifying future opportunities, the board for National Seniors Australia are looking to supplement the board with two – three new members. 

These board directors will join an experienced board with a clear focus on the vision of the organisation, firmly based on their core values of Excellence, Respect & Fairness. Contributing to a positive environment with a strong growth mindset, this is a functional board with a broad skillset covering health, government policy, clinical expertise, business acumen and commercial expertise. This board is commercially driven for a purpose. 

Dynamic and strategic, this board works in a timely manner. Exploring opportunities when they arise, in line with the strategic plan, there is a strong level of trust amongst directors. Decisions are made in a strong evidence-based setting. 

A supportive environment encouraging robust discussion, once a decision is made there is a collegial effort to see decisions through to conclusion. There is no place for egos in this environment, passion, drive and determination are necessary attributes to align with the functionality of this board, and functionality, is critical for the growth they are looking to achieve in securing membership growth and developing the value proposition for members. 

This is a growing multifaceted national membership organisation with complementary commercial arms to their business with a genuine focus on solidifying their financials with a view to ongoing sustainability. Actively contributing to the drive and development of this organisation, you’re not afraid to roll your sleeves up and get involved.  

With a wide understanding of Australian business and a contemporary understanding of the economy, it is highly desirable that you also possess significant experience within one or more of the following domains; 

Insurance  

Knowledge of insurance broking, insurance products and services, reinsurance, and an understanding of current issues within domestic and global reinsurance. An Expert in Mass Marketing of Personal Lines would be an advantage as well as having been involved in strategy formulation.  

Research & Advocacy  

Experience in both identifying issues of national significance, and lobbying State and Federal Government on behalf of marginalised or economically vulnerable industry sectors and population segments. People who are well connected with a good network of contacts within Federal and State governments will be highly regarded.  

Marketing & Commercialisation  

Experience in marketing, creating value added services to membership and identifying and commercialising new revenue streams. This may also include managing organisation-wide digital transformations, particularly with knowledge of digital content creation, data analytics and artificial intelligence to attract and effectively engage a wide membership base. 

This is a stable board environment, all board members have completed at least 1 x 3-year term, there is a high level of consensus amongst the board members in the direction the organisation is going.  

This stable board environment is backed by a high-level executive team under the leadership of recently appointed CEO Chris Grice, who has a clear remit to steer strategic direction with emphasis on government relations, industry, and community partnerships.  

The important areas of focus for this role are: 

1. Demonstrated commercial acumen 
2. Previous experience as a successful Director.  
3. Growth mindset 
4. Understanding development & implementation of a strategic plan 
5. Proven ability at board level 
6. Membership Organisation Experience 
7. Previous insurance sector experience 
8. Marketing and commercialisation 
9. Advocacy & research

Potential attributes & skills for successful candidate 

• Significant executive experience in their field of expertise  

• Strong established networks 

• Turnaround /Business transformation 

• Evidence based decision maker. 

• Strong leadership 

• Ability to advance the organisation externally. 

• Highly relational 

• Significant communication skills at all levels 

• CEO 

• Board  

• External stakeholders 

• Focused, High integrity, Driven.  

• Passionate, collaborative, robust 

• Operate ethically and consistently in line with high standards of corporate governance. 

• Drive membership growth 

• Solidify values proposition 

• Diversify revenue streams 

• Build profile & reputation. 

• Develop & deliver exceptional services. 

• Strengthen partnerships & networks. 

When submitting your application, ensure your application includes: 

• An up-to-date resume (in Word format) 

• A covering letter (in Word format) outlining your interest and expertise relevant to the role 

Submit your application quoting reference number MCBDMD to apply@windsor-group.com.au. For more information please contact Mike Conroy on 07 3211 0001. Your application will be acknowledged by email within one business day. 

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