Director of Development

The short version

Rewiring Australia is a small non-profit that punches way above its weight. We've reshaped how Australia thinks about household energy, we're engaging directly at scale with Australians to help electrify their homes, and we have over 100 community groups around the country turning our research into action on the ground.

We need a Development Director to work alongside the CEO and leadership team to drive our financial operations and fundraising success. If you're organised, numbers-savvy, passionate about climate and energy, and excited by what a small team can achieve at this moment – read on.

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Salary: $120–140k+ superannuation

Location: Flexible within Australia, with regular in-person time with the CEO (Illawarra/Sydney)

Type: Permanent, full-time (open to 4 days/week for the right person)

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Downlaod the role description here.

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About Rewiring Australia

We're a non-profit research and advocacy organisation showing Australians that electrifying homes, cars and businesses is cheaper, healthier, and better for the planet. Founded by Dr Saul Griffith, we've reached millions of people with our work – from the Castles and Cars and Tipping Point reports that proved households can save thousands by going electric, to the Electrify 2515 community pilot in the Illawarra, to federal policy advocacy that's putting electrification at the centre of government thinking.

Right now is an extraordinary moment. Global energy instability has made energy security and affordability a front-page issue – and suddenly everyone from federal ministers to families in the suburbs is asking the same question: how do we take control of our energy future? Electrification is the answer, and Rewiring Australia is the organisation making the case.

But we're not just at the cutting edge of the public debate. We're also comfortable rethinking what it means to be a non-profit organisation making change right now: data-driven modelling, political advocacy, and mass-scale digital campaigning in 2026 can be powered with new online tools and interactive experiences in a fraction of the time and cost of even a year ago. We're building an AI-powered electrification advisor with the support of a major tech industry player. We're using the latest tools across research, communications, and operations. And we're a team of a dozen people making all of it happen.

We need someone to help us make sure the money is there to keep all these balls in the air – and that we've got the financial foundations to juggle even more.

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The role

This is a senior operational and fundraising leadership role at the heart of the organisation. You'll work closely with CEO Francis Vierboom, owning our financial management, building out our fundraising program, and making sure our governance and administrative operations are solid enough to support an ambitious team doing ambitious things.

The role requires a blend of strategic financial leadership, hands-on financial management, fundraising development, and governance support. You'll need to be comfortable moving between big-picture thinking and the kind of detail that keeps an organisation on the tracks to success. The sorts of things you will do include:

Fundraising Management

You get how to strengthen a small non-profit. You will…

Build and manage a middle and major donor program for the organisation.
Identify and cultivate prospective funders across philanthropy, government, and corporate sectors.
Manage our grant pipeline and work with other team members to write grant applications and acquittal reports (eg. ARENA, corporate project partners, philanthropic foundations).
Work with the communications team on email fundraising campaigns and donor asks.
Represent Rewiring Australia in funder meetings when the CEO and Chief Scientist can't be there.

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Financial Strategy and Leadership

You’re handy on a spreadsheet and think big. You will…

Lead the financial strategy and planning cycle to deliver our vision and goals.
Drive the annual budgeting and forecasting cycle, manage cash flow, accounts payable/receivable, and payroll.
Maintain and improve efficient and accurate financial systems and processes.
Keep operational infrastructure fit for purpose as the organisation evolves.

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Governance

You know how to keep an org on track. You will…

Act as company secretary: coordinate board meetings, prepare agendas and papers, manage minutes and statutory records
Ensure compliance with ACNC and DGR requirements
Lead organisational risk identification and monitoring
Generally be the person who notices what's falling through the cracks and fixes it before anyone else has to ask

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Who you are

You've got at least five years of relevant experience and, if you haven’t already, you're ready to step into a senior role. You might be coming from a non-profit, a startup, government, or the climate/energy sector – the sector matters less than the skillset and the mindset.

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You're the right person if:

You understand organisational finances end-to-end, balancing income and expenditure forecasts
You can build a fundraising program from a strong foundation – identifying prospects, and managing a fundraising pipeline
You're comfortable acting as company secretary and keeping governance ticking over without it consuming your life
You're comfortable with ambiguity and shifting priorities – you don't need a rigid job description to know what needs doing
You work well with driven, passionate (and kind!) people and know how to support a CEO
You've worked in or around small, fast-moving organisations and you know what "wearing many hats" actually looks like
You're genuinely care about the work that we’re doing - electrifying everything as a climate and cost-of-living solution

Bonus points for:

Experience with Australian philanthropic funders, trusts, and foundations
Familiarity with government grant processes (ARENA, CEFC, state programs)
Experience with CRM tools (HubSpot, monday.com), donor platforms (Raisely), and financial systems (Xero)
Understanding of the Australian energy and climate policy landscape

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Why now

Rewiring Australia is at an inflection point. With global energy markets in upheaval, the conversation about Australia's energy future has never been louder – and electrification has never been more central to it. We've built the research base, the community network, the partnerships, and the policy credibility. We're ready to move with the speed and impact. The next 12–18 months can make electrification a pillar of Australian energy security and prosperity, and we intend to drive a decisive shift in that direction.

We're ready for the right person to join our team today, but we'll take the time to find them.

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Interested?

If you come recommended by our friends and network, we're happy to have a conversation before you write a full application.

Reach out to Francis Vierboom at francis@rewiringaustralia.org to chat about the role.

We’ll be asking applicants to put forward a letter outlining their fit and interest in the role and a current CV.

Rewiring Australia is committed to building a diverse team. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally diverse backgrounds, people with disabilities, and people of all genders and sexual orientations.