Company description:

Local Health Service Networks have been established in response to recommendations in the Health Service Plan (April 2024) for reform of Victoria's health system by grouping health services within a geographical region into a Network that is responsible for delivering better care, as close to home as possible.

Job description:

Northern Health are seeking applications from motivated and suitably experienced candidates for the role of Associate Director Safer Together Program for the North Metro and Mitchell Local Health Service Network, based in the Strategy and Planning team at Northern Health.

About Local Health Service Networks:

Local Health Service Networks have been established in response to recommendations in the Health Service Plan (April 2024) for reform of Victoria's health system by grouping health services within a geographical region into a Network that is responsible for delivering better care, as close to home as possible.

From 1st July 2025, Austin Health, Mercy Hospital for Women, Northern Health and Seymour Health will work together to:

• Streamline patient access to timely and coordinated health care, optimising patient flow and minimising the need to transfer outside the network
• Improve the quality and safety of care, including through strengthening clinical governance systems, reporting and transparency under the Victorian Clinical Governance Framework.
• Foster a skilled and engaged workforce that is supported by a common approach to professional development and training, and share workforce resources and expertise across the network
• Share data, resources and functions to lever economies of scale, improve efficiency and sustainability and minimise duplication in clinical and non-clinical support services.

These strategies aim to strengthen the health system so that patients who require routine care receive this as close to home as possible, sooner and with better outcomes. Patients with more complicated care needs will have clear pathways to timely access to specialist services, equipment and staff including the latest technology and treatments.

About the Role:

The Associate Director, Safer Together Program is a senior leadership role spanning the North Metro and Mitchell Local Health Services Network (LHSN), funded by Safer Care Victoria (SCV).

The role is pivotal in leading the strategic implementation, integration, and sustained adoption of Safer Together Program (STP) priority initiatives and broader safety and quality improvement efforts across four major health services: Austin Health, Mercy Hospital for Women, Northern Health, and Seymour Health.

This position is responsible for designing, operationalising, and embedding a coordinated, high-impact safety, quality, and clinical improvement strategy underpinned by a governance framework.

Acting as a key system integrator, the Associate Director will foster strategic alignment between local innovation agendas and state-wide objectives set by SCV and the Department of Health.

Working in close partnership with executive and operational stakeholders, including the Improvement, Safety, and Quality teams across the participating health services, the role will build high-functioning cross-organisational relationships, cultivate a culture of continuous improvement, and drive systemic change to elevate the standard of care delivery across the Network.

To be successful in this role you will have:

• Demonstrated success in using learning improvement methodologies to strengthen organisational capability in quality, safety and risk systems in health settings.
• Experience acting as a principal advisor in a similar project, with prior accountability in setting the strategic direction of a program.
• Previous responsibility for providing leadership in implementing and promoting continuous improvement, innovation and a climate of change that may have involved a high level of autonomy and broad or limited direction.
• Proven ability to build and lead high performing team with responsibility for providing direction to staff or of a significant resource.
• Well-developed skills in fostering strong, collaborative relationships between multiple, diverse stakeholders, and confidently engaging and managing stakeholders, whilst maintaining a high level of responsiveness.
• Experience with highly complex and sensitive issues that require advanced problem-solving.

Next Steps . . .

If this opportunity sounds like the next step in your career, then we would love to hear from you. Please click on the 'Apply' button and follow the prompts.

For further details, please refer to the Position Description. Alternatively, you can contact Chelsea Simpson, Director, Strategy and Planning on 8405 8530.

Applications close Tuesday 1 July 2025.