National Disability Services (NDS) is Australia's peak body for disability service organisations and has been supporting and representing the disability sector for more than 80 years. Our valued members collectively operate several thousand services for more than 300,000 Australians with disability and employ a workforce of more than 100,000 people across metropolitan, regional, rural and remote communities. NDS has a strong and influential presence in every state and territory across Australia.

At NDS, our work is purposeful, collaborative and grounded in impact. We play a key role in shaping a stronger, more sustainable sector that improves outcomes for people with disability. We influence national reform, advocate for high quality providers and help our members navigate complexity in a changing workplace.

Every role at NDS contributes to this impact, whether you work in policy & advocacy, member services, marketing & communications, operations, projects or corporate services. At NDS, our values underpin everything we do. NDS employees have a passion to make a difference, are member focused, value diversity and lived experience, share knowledge and expertise and prioritise progress over perfection.

NDS supports our people to achieve their goals with a range of benefits including flexible working arrangements, employee wellbeing programs and opportunities for growth and learning. To find out more about NDS, please visit our website at https://nds.org.au

About the Role

Location: Hobart

Working Arrangement: Hybrid (Minimum 1 day in the office per week)

Hours: Full-time or 0.8 FTE

Status: Permanent

Reports: 1-2

The State Manager’s role is focused on ensuring that NDS advocates for and supports our members based in Tasmania. This includes developing and driving programs and services that directly address sector needs, making a positive difference to the sector and NDS, and identifying new opportunities for a sustainable and future-focused NDS and sector.

The State Manager is a member of the Senior Leadership Team and contributes to strategic planning. At a state level, this role provides leadership in influencing public policy (at both state and national levels), developing and disseminating information and identifying, leading and facilitating networking opportunities that support NDS members in their work to deliver high quality sustainable support and life opportunities for people with disability.

The State Manager will work as part of a cohesive national organisation to grow membership and member services revenue,



delivering value to members which includes seeking sector wide funding opportunities to build knowledge, skills and relationships in the broader disability sector.

Key Responsibilities

1. Demonstrate values driven leadership to the State Office team and to the wider NDS team
2. Contribute to membership and member services growth and retention and provide high quality information to members
3. Contribute to the development of national policy and advocacy initiatives, key projects and member support and sector initiatives
4. Develop, lead and coordinate local policy and advocacy initiatives, core funding, member support, and sector initiatives
5. Generate revenue growth from multiple channels – membership fees, membership services, government and other
6. Manage the operations of the State Office

Skills and Experience

- Demonstrated experience leading teams and working collaboratively within a team environment
- Strong leadership and management capabilities.
- Capacity to lead state-focussed initiatives that ensure sustainable outcomes aligned to state priorities and issues, legislation and aligned with NDS’s purpose and strategic direction
- High level consultation, communication and interpersonal skills with the demonstrated capacity to build relationships, engage with a range of internal and external stakeholders and navigate different and competing interests
- Capability to contribute at a local and national level to ensure sustainable outcomes aligned to national policies, legislation and NDS’s strategic direction
- Demonstrated knowledge and a contemporary understanding of the disability sector including workforce, the NDIS, industrial relations, disability human rights and the barriers/ opportunities to community inclusion and employment for people with disability.
- An understanding of public policy processes, with knowledge of wider disability policy and allied areas of human service policy, workforce policy and industrial relations would be highly desirable.
- Innovative thinking and problem solving skills to implement solutions aligned to NDS’ strategic direction




- Demonstrated evidence of adaptability and resilience in a changing business context
- Computer literacy, including Microsoft Office suite
- A tertiary qualification in a social sciences / social policy discipline is desirable but not essential
- Capacity to undertake regular travel within the state, and nationally as needed

What We Offer

Winner of 2026 Xref Engage Best Workplace and 2026 Xref Engage Change Champion Awards.

- Impact and purpose - Opportunity to do work that matters.
- Financial - Salary packaging, employee discounts, annual salary indexation
- Work life balance - Hybrid work, flexible arrangements, part time and job share options
- Leave - Paid parental leave, additional Christmas closedown leave, study leave, option to purchase leave
- Professional Development - Learning allowance, access to NDS events and learning, online LMS and courses
- Health and wellbeing - EAP, online wellbeing platform, flu vaccination reimbursement, Mental Health First Aid Officers
- Culture - Staff events, employee working groups, diversity and inclusion initiatives including RAP and DIAP
- Recognition - Service awards, peer recognition program, annual CEO awards

To Apply We welcome candidates from all backgrounds and value diversity and inclusion in our workplace. We encourage all applicants, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, LGBTIQA+ and culturally diverse communities to join NDS.

NDS is committed to supporting equal employment opportunities for individuals with disability and will provide reasonable workplace adjustments. We encourage potential applicants with lived experience to contact NDS to discuss any questions regarding individual workplace adjustments. NDS also provides adjustments throughout the recruitment process.

If you identify as a person with disability and require adjustments to the application, recruitment, selection and/or assessment process, please advise via [email protected] or [02 9256 3141](tel:02 9256 3141) and indicate your preferred method of communication (email or phone).

Applications close: 20th November 2026. Please send your CV and a cover letter outlining your Skills & Experience in the areas listed above by clicking on the Apply button. For further information please contact [email protected]. Please do not send your application to this email address, as it's for enquiries only.

The successful applicant must be prepared to undertake a pre-employment police check.

No agencies please.

📌 State Manager - Tasmania (Hobart)
🏢 National Disability Services
📍 Hobart