Head of Capital Works
Leichhardt Inner West Sydney | Permanent position
Applications close Sunday, 9th September. We encourage early applications, as interviews may commence before the closing date.
Lead a capital works portfolio where scale means complexity.
Uniting is looking for an experienced Head of Capital Works to lead one of the most diverse and complex capital works programs across our organisation.
This is a portfolio-level leadership role, responsible for a program currently valued at around $80 million, with the potential for up to 200 projects underway at any one time.
The projects are as varied as the environments we operate in — from a $5,000 room refurbishment through to major alterations and additions to a residential aged care home worth several million dollars.
The challenge isn't simply the size of individual projects. It's leading the scale, volume and complexity of the entire program — and making sure every investment delivers the right outcome and represents genuine value for money.
About the role
You'll lead the planning, prioritisation, governance and delivery of Uniting's capital works program across our residential aged care, retirement living, low-cost rental housing and community accommodation portfolios.
You'll be responsible for ensuring a large and diverse pipeline of projects is effectively prioritised, governed and delivered — balancing customer outcomes, operational continuity, quality, risk, compliance and financial performance.
A key priority will be ensuring we invest wisely and achieve strong value for money. You'll bring commercial judgement to decisions about scope, design, specifications and delivery, ensuring capital investment is proportionate to the outcome required and delivers the best possible result for the organisation.
A key part of your role will also be owning Uniting's accommodation standards and functional design brief. Working closely with Operations and other stakeholders, you'll establish and continuously improve the standards that shape design, finishes, fixtures, fittings, accessibility, technology and customer experience across our environments.
You'll work closely with Asset Management, Technology, Finance, Operations and external delivery partners to ensure our capital investment supports the organisation's longer-term asset and service strategies while delivering the best possible outcomes from every dollar invested.
What you'll lead
- Lead a capital works program of around $80 million, potentially encompassing up to 200 concurrent projects.
- Establish clear planning, prioritisation, governance and delivery disciplines across a highly varied project portfolio.
- Oversee projects ranging from small-scale refurbishments through to major alterations, additions and complex capital works.
- Drive value for money across the portfolio, ensuring projects are appropriately scoped and specified and deliver the right outcome for the investment.
- Lead and develop a high-performing capital works team, creating the capability and structure required to manage a large and constantly moving program.
- Own the development and implementation of accommodation standards and functional design briefs, working with Operations to ensure they reflect customer, service and operational requirements.
- Ensure capital projects are delivered safely, effectively and to agreed time, budget and quality standards.
- Drive refurbishment, capital replacement, compliance, improvement and infrastructure programs across the portfolio.
- Manage capital budgets, business cases, procurement, contractors, consultants and supplier performance.
- Provide strategic advice and clear reporting to Executive Leadership and governance committees on program performance, investment priorities, risks, opportunities and value.
- Identify opportunities for standardisation, innovation and continuous improvement that improve outcomes and maximise the value of our capital investment.
What you'll bring
We're looking for an experienced capital works, fit-out or property leader who knows how to turn a complex portfolio of projects into well-planned, well-governed and well-delivered outcomes.
You might come from a fit-out, property, capital projects, construction management or client-side delivery background. What's important is that you've moved beyond managing individual projects and have demonstrated experience leading multiple concurrent projects across a complex portfolio.
You'll bring:
- Significant experience leading fit-out, refurbishment, capital works or property programs across multiple sites or a complex portfolio.
- A proven ability to manage a high volume of concurrent projects, balancing priorities, resources, risks, budgets and competing stakeholder needs.
- Strong commercial judgement and a proven ability to achieve value for money through thoughtful scope, design and investment decisions.
- Strong experience overseeing projects from planning and business case through procurement, delivery and completion.
- Commercial confidence, including managing significant budgets, contractors, consultants, procurement and supplier relationships.
- A strong understanding of construction and project delivery, with the ability to challenge, influence and make sound decisions without needing to be the technical specialist on every project.
- Experience developing or implementing design standards, functional briefs or consistent approaches to fit-out and refurbishment across a portfolio.
- Strong governance, risk, quality and financial management capability.
- The ability to work confidently with senior executives, operational leaders, property teams and external delivery partners.
- A relevant tertiary qualification in Construction Management, Project Management, Engineering, Building or a related discipline.
Experience in aged care, retirement living, healthcare, community housing, property or other complex operational environments will be highly regarded.
Position Description - Head of Capital Works
Why Uniting?
At Uniting, the places we create and maintain are more than buildings. They are homes, communities and environments where people live, connect, receive care and access support.
You'll join a purpose-led organisation committed to inspiring people, enlivening communities and confronting injustice, and have the opportunity to make a tangible difference through the work you lead.
Ready to lead at scale?
If you're someone who thrives on complexity, knows how to bring structure to a large portfolio and can lead people, projects and investment decisions towards better outcomes, we'd love to hear from you.
This is an opportunity to shape how Uniting plans, delivers and invests in the environments that support thousands of people across NSW and the ACT — bringing together strategic thinking, commercial judgement and strong delivery leadership at significant scale.
Join more than 12,000+ employees working together to inspire people, enliven communities, and confront injustice.
In return, you’ll enjoy:
- A competitive executive salary package aligned to the seniority and impact of the role.
- Access to outstanding not-for-profit salary packaging, helping you pay less tax and take home more of your income. Better still, your full annual benefit is available from 1 April 2026, allowing you to maximise your tax savings from the start of the FBT year.
- Flexible hybrid working.
- Fitness Passport, providing discounted access to hundreds of gyms, pools, and fitness facilities across Australia to help you live your best life.
- Additional paid leave options, including the opportunity to purchase extra annual leave.
- Exclusive employee discounts through our U Rewards program.
- Genuine opportunities to broaden your leadership experience and strategic communication skills.
- The chance to do meaningful work every day for an organisation committed to inspiring people, enlivening communities, and confronting injustice.
- A collaborative executive leadership team
- The opportunity to shape the future of one of Australia's largest and most diverse property portfolios
How to apply
Please submit:
- Your current CV.
- A cover letter outlining why this opportunity interests you, what you’ll bring to the role, and why you’d like to contribute to Uniting’s purpose.
If you’d like to have a confidential discussion about the role before applying, please contact Louise Massie, Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist, at [email protected] or call 0422 154 242
To ensure every application is managed fairly and consistently, all applications must be submitted through our online careers’ portal. Unfortunately, we cannot accept applications sent directly via email.
About Uniting
Uniting NSW.ACT contributes to the work and mission of the Uniting Church in NSW and the ACT through social justice advocacy, community services, and spiritual care. We provide care and support for people through all ages and stages of life, with a focus on people experiencing disadvantage and vulnerability. Our purpose is to inspire people, enliven communities, and confront injustice.
Uniting is a Child Safe Organisation committed to promoting the safety, wellbeing and inclusion of children and young people.
Empowered by diversity
At Uniting, inclusion isn’t just something we value, it’s how we work. We welcome people from all backgrounds, experiences, and identities and encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, people of all ages, cultural backgrounds, faiths, genders, and sexual orientations.
If you require adjustments to participate in our recruitment process, please let us know.
