A move into housing

Those early experiences in community-based children’s services would eventually lead her into community housing, although not through a deliberate career plan. Whilst still in local government, Julie came across an executive role with Hume Community Housing. As she read through the position description, she was struck by how closely it aligned with the work she had already been doing.

“There was the property and asset management side,  maintenance and capital upgrade programs, the governance and compliance regimes and government partnerships and the focus on the customer and their aspirations and connection to community. When I looked at it, I could see so many connections to the work I had done in local government. It felt like there was a real opportunity there.”  Another commonality was the high female representation in the workforce.  I have always been passionate about coaching and mentoring emerging talent, with a particular focus on driving leadership, professional development, and recognition within sectors with high female representation.

What was initially a new direction to explore became almost ten years with Hume, during a period of significant growth and transformation for the organisation.

Like many people who find their way into housing, Julie quickly became passionate about the sector.

“Housing gets under your skin. There’s something about it that keeps people there despite the challenges.”

For Julie, part of the attraction was the balance between tangible outcomes and long-term community impact.

“I loved that community housing had both aspects. On one hand, you’re building homes and creating something you can physically see and touch. On the other hand, you’re working alongside people and communities, and those outcomes can take years to unfold. Sometimes you never see the end result, but you know you’re contributing to something important.”

While she is proud of the growth achieved during her time at Hume, what stands out most is the organisation’s commitment to ensuring that growth remained connected to purpose.

“It’s very easy to get lost in growth for growth’s sake. One of the things I valued most was that we always tried to stay focused on social impact and the outcomes we were there to achieve.”  Customers were the drivers for the holistic services and programs we designed and the development of new social and affordable housing across Greater Western Sydney and regional areas created the foundation for building stronger communities.”

Recognising the professionals behind the work

Across both local government and housing, a common theme has been Julie’s belief in recognising the professionalism of people working in community-focused roles.

In local government, she worked closely with early childhood educators and centre directors, advocating for greater recognition of their expertise and the important role they play in children’s development and community wellbeing.

“We spent a lot of time talking about education as well as care, because these were highly skilled professionals. That shift changed the relationship with families and helped create stronger partnerships around children’s learning and development.”

Education has remained a consistent thread throughout Julie’s career. Whether working with early childhood services, supporting the development of staff and future leaders, or more recently contributing to the vocational education sector, she sees education as one of the most powerful ways to create opportunity and choice.

“Education creates choice for people. That’s what I’ve always valued about it. When people have accessible resources and learning and development opportunities, it opens doors and gives them more control over the direction of their lives. It’s a purpose that’s easy to connect with.”

She sees a similar professionalism in housing. “Housing professionals have the privilege of being invited into people’s homes. That’s something I’ve always taken seriously. It’s about treating people with respect, understanding their circumstances and being clear about the role you can play in supporting them to achieve their goals.”

The reward of seeing people grow

When asked about her proudest achievements, Julie doesn’t point to a particular project or development, she talks about people.

Throughout her career, she has mentored and supported countless team members, many of whom have gone on to senior leadership positions.

“Watching people grow has probably been the most rewarding part of my career. I’ve worked with people who started in frontline roles and progressed into senior management and executive positions. Being able to support people as they build confidence and develop their careers is incredibly rewarding.”

She believes there is a direct connection between employee fulfilment and organisational impact.

“When people feel supported and fulfilled in their roles, they’re more engaged with the purpose of the organisation and that flows through to better outcomes for customers, clients and communities.”

Strengthening the backbone of organisations

In recent years, Julie has focused on consulting, professional development and project-based work, including a recent 18-month project management role with TAFE. Working with project leads and managers across the organisation, she supported the delivery of strategic initiatives while helping teams build capability in project and change management.

The role gave her the chance to combine what she enjoys most: strategy, transformation, capability building, and mentoring others.

“I still found myself coaching, mentoring and helping people navigate change, but without the day-to-day operational responsibilities. It reminded me how much I still want to contribute directly into an organisation, and helped me think about what I want the next stage of my career to look like.”

Julie’s experience has given her a clear view of where she can make the strongest contribution.

While operations has been a major focus throughout her career, she is increasingly drawn to strategy, transformation and organisational change. This is influenced by the organisation wide view that’s essential for a COO and the work with peer Executives, the Board and reflection on the work that most challenged and inspired her.

The phrase she keeps returning to is “strengthening the backbone” of an organisation.

“I’m most interested in contributing to strengthening an organisation’s foundations so they can grow, adapt and succeed over the long term. That’s where I feel I can make the greatest contribution, bringing together strategy, transformation, governance and organisational capability to create clarity and direction.

What I’ve learned over time is that the strongest organisations balance structure with flexibility. They have a clear sense of purpose and good governance, while still creating space for innovation, continuous improvement and genuine responsiveness to their customers, communities and stakeholders. Helping organisations find that balance is the work I’m most passionate about.”

Looking ahead

Julie is now seeking an executive or senior leadership opportunity where she can apply her experience in strategy, transformation, organisational development and leadership to strengthen an organisation’s foundations and position it for sustainable growth.

If this story resonates and you can see a potential opportunity for Julie within your organisation or network, we’d love to put you in touch.

Please contact our CEO, Natalie Carrington to start a conversation. Click here to schedule a call with Natalie or drop an email to hello@bloomhr.com.au.

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