The Commission leads and coordinates national improvements in healthcare safety and quality. It works in partnership with patients, carers, clinicians, the Australian, state and territory health systems, the private sector, managers and healthcare organisations to achieve a safe, high-quality and sustainable health system.

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the Executive Director Clinical Governance will be responsible for leading the Commission’s work on clinical governance reform in line with its key strategic priorities: high quality care in an evolving environment; strong outcome-focused clinical governance; empowered patients, carers and communities, and an improvement driven workforce culture. While the work will initially focus on the acute health sector, development of clinical governance approaches suitable for primary and community care will also be required to meet needs for strong systems for oversight of quality of care across the health sector. A key part of this work will include strategies for strengthening the Commission’s work to empower patients and communities to have a stronger voice in health care design and delivery.

As a member of the Executive, the Executive Director Clinical Governance will collaborate with teams across the Commission to drive and coordinate delivery of initiatives on clinical governance and partnering with communities. An important part of the role is ensuring effective clinical engagement with this work. There will also be a strong focus on working with the Commission’s Measurement for Improvement team to develop measures for monitoring and assessing impact of clinical governance initiatives.

The Executive Director Clinical Governance will be responsible for the oversight and management of the Commission’s Clinical Governance team and may also provide executive oversight and input to other areas of the Commission’s work.

The Executive Director Clinical Governance will have an extensive understanding of the Australian health system with experience in both a clinical and policy environment and demonstrated performance in:

Leading development and implementation of major projects and national programs of work aimed at improving quality of care.

Undertaking widespread consultation to inform and improve policies and programs of work.

Developing effective relationships and partnerships with critical stakeholders to ensure national programs of work are delivered according to plan.

Negotiating decisions through collaboration and consensus.

Effective communication through public speaking and written reports.

Acting as a respected representative of their organisation at a senior level in meetings with key agencies and on committees and advisory groups.

Leading and managing staff to ensure that they work effectively and productively both as individuals and members of a team.

Duties of the Executive Director will include, but are not limited to, the following:

Lead development of the Commission’s strategic approach for strengthening outcome-based clinical governance across the Australian health care system, in line with the priorities of the 2025 – 2030 Strategic Plan. Develop measures that can be used to monitor impact and outcomes of clinical governance activities.

Lead relevant programs within the Commission to produce a new clinical governance model for the acute health sector with an accompanying set of strategies and resources to promote widespread use of the model. In collaboration with other key program areas lead development of the clinical governance components of the 3rd edition of the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards.

Liaise and work closely with the Commission’s team responsible for reviewing cultural safety standards so that this work can be appropriately integrated with the new clinical governance standard.

Liaise and collaborate with other programs within the Commission to produce clinical governance frameworks for high quality care in non-acute settings with accompanying resources.

Build effective relationships with key stakeholders external to the Commission to ensure that clinical governance activities have strong clinician engagement and effective mechanisms for empowering patients.

As part of the Executive provide expert advice to support the CEO to ensure the Commission is functioning at its highest level, meeting its legislative requirements and has effective and productive relationships with the Commonwealth, jurisdictions and key health sector agencies and organisations. Work as a team with other members of the Executive and their program directors to implement, and report progress on key deliverables of, the agreed work plan of the Commission, as directed by the CEO.

Promote the priorities and work of the Commission through a range of communications, public relations and appropriate fora as required by the CEO.

Provide advice and coordinate the Commission’s involvement in relevant inter-government committees, working groups and projects at a national and international level, including undertaking representational activities on behalf of the CEO and Commission.

Advise the CEO, Board and Commission standing committees on the relevant programs.

Manage and supervise staff of relevant programs including performance management responsibilities.

Accountable for the fiscal management of the relevant programs including budgeting and staff resourcing

The successful candidate will have:

Extensive experience in planning, developing and evaluating complex, multi-faceted programs aimed at improving safety and quality of health care at national and jurisdictional levels based on extensive and comprehensive understanding of Australia’s healthcare system, including the development and implementation of national approaches to improve clinical governance.

Demonstration of extensive experience in liaison, negotiation, and influencing and consultation skills at a senior level, and ability to engage and develop relationships with senior stakeholders and to broker decisions through collaboration and consensus.

Proven capacity to develop strategy and provide high-level advice to government and organisational Board level on the design, implementation and evaluation of policies and programs.

Highly developed oral and written communication skills including demonstrated ability to prepare high-level briefing documents and reports, present publicly to large audiences and effectively represent the interests of their organisation in key meetings and committees.

Excellent interpersonal, leadership and staff management skills with a demonstrated capacity to develop and maintain high performing teams.

Strong analytical and conceptual ability with the demonstrated capacity for sound judgement, innovative problem solving and ability to grasp the underlying concerns which may influence positions.

For further information, please refer to the position description and applicant pack available from the Commission’s website at: https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/careers .

To apply for this position, please complete and submit an application form through https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/careers and upload:

A CV summarising your relevant experience and qualifications

A statement addressing your suitability against each of the selection criteria (no more than 250 words per selection criteria).

PLEASE NOTE: To apply for this role, please apply through the Commission's website, not through SEEK. Only complete applications will be considered. Auto-generated applications will not be considered.

Candidates must be Australian citizens to be eligible to apply.

Please note: This position will be offered in a hybrid model of office based (Sydney) and working from home, where operationally feasible. A regular weekly presence in the office is required.

Questions about the role can be directed to Heather Buchan 02 7232 5149 between Monday to Wednesday or email [email protected].

Closing date for applications is 11.59pm Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) Sunday 5 October 2025.