St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria appoints Group CEO: Next chapter in fight against homelessness 

Charlie Spendlove has been appointed as Group Chief Executive Officer of St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria to lead the organisation through Victoria’s social emergency and housing crisis. 

The St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria – one of the state's largest community service organisations – has announced the appointment of Charlie Spendlove as Group CEO, bringing permanent leadership to a group serving hundreds of thousands of Victorians each year.

Charlie will lead the Group's three entities, St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria, VincentCare Victoria and VincentCare Community Housing, at a moment of growing social urgency. With more than 30,000 Victorians in acute housing need and 800,000 living below the poverty line, the Society has committed to helping halve homelessness in Victoria by 2035.

The appointment follows three months of Charlie serving as Interim Group CEO and a formal recruitment process where the Board, State Council and Company Members have now unanimously endorsed her appointment.

Charlie will now lead the Group into its next phase with a clear agenda and strong focus on reducing homelessness with more affordable housing against a backdrop of an increasing social emergency.

Beyond building new affordable and community housing, the Society’s agenda includes strengthening digital innovation and specialised resources for 10,000+ conference members and volunteers; deepening advocacy for affordable housing policy at a state level; growing the Vinnies Shops network and developing new funding models to sustain the Group's frontline mission.

Chair of the St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria Board, Bernie Bicknell, welcomed the appointment, saying, “Charlie is a respected and proven leader with a strong track record in complex, for-purpose organisations. The Board is very confident that she will bring a focus on high-performing teams and accountability to the role balanced with a deep understanding of our mission and the opportunities that lie ahead.”

Victorian State Council President, Brendan Podbury, also endorsed the appointment, commenting, “Across the state, our 10,000 conference members and volunteers embedded in their local communities are carrying more than ever before. Charlie understands this and has built strong, trusted relationships with both our State Council and the Board and brought our team of members, employees and volunteers together around one mission, inspiring action and driving meaningful change for the people we support.”

Commenting on the permanent appointment, Charlie thanked the Victorian State Council and the Board for the faith they have placed in her permanent appointment as Group CEO. “It’s an honour to lead the Society into this next phase – and what a privilege to work with a legacy of almost two centuries of serving and adapting to the changing needs of our community.”

“We’re being asked to adapt again, to help more vulnerable people in the face of a social emergency. Continuing to deliver impact will require focus, discipline and alignment across the Group and a sustained effort from our members, volunteers and employees. My commitment is to lead with clarity, respect and integrity and to enable everyone to contribute and perform at their best,” she said.  

-ENDS-

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Meabh O’Mahony | Senior Account Manager 
Momahony@keepleft.com.au  | 0452 215 339 

ABOUT ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY
The St Vincent de Paul Society and its wide network of members and volunteers provide practical frontline support, advocacy and friendship for the most vulnerable members of our community. Key services include home visitation; Vinnies Shops; youth programs; soup vans; assistance for asylum seekers and refugees; education and tutoring; and professional accommodation and health services through VincentCare. The St Vincent de Paul Society in Victoria has more than 10,000+ members and volunteers, and more than 60,000 across Australia. Internationally, the Society operates in 149 countries and more than 950,000 members. To find out more visit www.vinnies.org.au/vic