Trustee Directors, Mercy Ministry Companions

• Initial three-year term, with potential for reappointment
•  The role is remunerated
• Location flexible, candidates from across Australia are encouraged to apply

The Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea (the Institute) is a religious congregation of Catholic women with a long tradition of service to those in need. Established in 2021, Mercy Ministry Companions (MMC) is a ministerial public juridic person, carrying forward the ministries of the Institute in health and aged care, education, and community services across Australia. MMC oversees Mercy Health Australia, Mercy Education, Mercy Community Services Australia, and McAuley Property.

Together, these ministries employ more than 15,000 people and serve over 250,000 Australians each year through hospitals, aged care, schools, family services, and community programs.

The Institute, as the Sponsor of MMC, is now seeking to appoint new Trustee Directors to Mercy Ministry Companions. The appointments will broaden the Council of Trustee Directors’ diversity of skills, backgrounds and perspectives, and we welcome candidates with the capacity to serve beyond a single term.

Commitment to the Catholic faith and the Mercy mission is essential to the role, including an ability to uphold the teaching and law of the Catholic Church and a willingness to engage in the ongoing formation that supports authentic Catholic ministry governance. Candidates will bring an alignment with the charism of Catherine McAuley and the Mercy tradition, an openness to the Catholic tradition, and a readiness to participate in the wider life of the organisation.

About the role

Trustee Directors of MMC carry both canonical and civil responsibilities. The role includes:

• Providing canonical stewardship and civil governance across MMC’s ministries
• Formulating mission and strategy and steering the organisation toward a sustainable future
• Mitigating reputational, legal and financial risk
• Championing the mission and ethos of MMC across the ministries and with stakeholders.

About the ideal candidate

We are particularly interested in candidates with:

• Experience in the community services sector, whether in service delivery, sector leadership, or governance
• Financial governance and stewardship, including the ability to oversee complex not-for-profit financial structures
• Senior experience in not-for-profit, corporate or public-sector governance, with formal director qualifications from the AICD, the Governance Institute, or equivalent
• Expertise in health or aged care, education, Church property, or safeguarding
• An understanding of, or willingness to learn, the canonical and civil framework within which MMC operates.

We invite expressions of interest from candidates who are ready to bring their skills and experience to Mercy Ministry Companions. For a confidential discussion or to request a copy of the Candidate Prospectus, please contact Dr Jackie Besley, Managing Partner, Devereaux Consulting on +61 413 633 195 or email [email protected]. Applications close on Monday 6 July 2026.