Director of Colorectal Surgery Unit

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• Lead with Impact. Operate with Excellence
• Director of Colorectal Surgery
• Austin Health | Melbourne | Part-time

Are you a visionary leader ready to shape the future of colorectal surgery in one of Australia’s leading tertiary health services? Austin Health is seeking an experienced and passionate Director of Colorectal Surgery to lead our dynamic team into its next era of clinical innovation, surgical excellence, and academic distinction.

Austin Health is one of Victoria’s largest health care providers. Our 11,000 employees and volunteers provide safe, high quality, person-centred care at Austin Hospital, Olivia Newton-John Centre, Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital and Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre, as well as in the community through Hospital-in-the-Home and partner health services.  We are an internationally recognised leader in clinical teaching, training and research and have affiliations with many leading universities and research institutes.  We have a highly engaged, diverse and collaborative workforce that is unified by our purpose, which is to help people live healthy and fulfilled lives.

About the department:

The Department of Colorectal Surgery is located on Level 8 of the Harold Stokes Building, Austin Hospital Campus, with clinical functions based within the Austin Tower on Ward 8 East and The Surgery Centre (TSC) at the Repatriation Campus.

The department provides a comprehensive range of inpatient and outpatient colorectal services, including surgical consultations, endoscopy, anorectal manometry, and specialist colorectal surgical procedures. The unit has recently introduced robotic surgery at Austin Health. In collaboration with other general surgical units, the Colorectal Department also undertakes one-quarter of the general surgical on-call service at Austin Health.

Department Highlights:

• Home to robotic colorectal surgery and state-of-the-art procedural services.
• Strong academic partnership with the University of Melbourne.
• Dedicated clinical nurse consultants and a full team of surgical registrars and fellows.
• Active involvement in on-call surgical services.

About the role: 

• Hours per week: 12.95
• Employment status:  Fixed-term Fractional
• Appointment period: 5-years

As the Director of Colorectal, you will provide strategic and operational leadership of a high-performing department renowned for complex surgical care, multidisciplinary collaboration, and cutting-edge research. You’ll work alongside senior leaders within the Surgery, Anaesthesia and Procedural Medicine (SAPM) Division to champion safe, timely, and patient-centred services across the full continuum of colorectal care.

This is your opportunity to:

• Drive advanced surgical programs, including robotic, laparoscopic, and pelvic floor procedures.
• Mentor and inspire the next generation of colorectal surgeons.
• Expand innovative research initiatives and clinical audits.
• Guide service redesign and improve access, flow, and outcomes across sites.
• Collaborate in strategic planning and health system leadership.

About you:

You're a respected colorectal surgeon with a Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (or equivalent), advanced leadership experience, and a passion for public health. You have:

• A record of excellence in patient care, teaching, and research.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary teams with clarity and compassion.
• The drive to shape policy, innovate models of care, and make a system-wide impact

To be successful for this role you must: 

• Be a registered Medical Practitioner in Australia with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
• A commitment to Austin Health values
• Hold a current Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in Colorectal Surgery or its equivalent with postgraduate qualification.
• Have appropriate training and experience applicable to the field of Colorectal and its applicable sub-specialty.
• Demonstrated advanced leadership capabilities including the ability to lead in a clinical and non-clinical context. 

Our benefits:
Working at Austin Health means enjoying a strong sense of purpose, engaging in meaningful work every day.  Our people also receive a variety of rewarding benefits, including:

• Greater take-home pay through generous salary packaging
• A suite of wellness initiatives designed to support you, including discounted fitness memberships and special offers on health insurance, and a comprehensive wellbeing program
• Mentoring and career development opportunities
• Onsite childcare, easy access via public transport, car parking and end of journey facilities for cyclists
• Paid conference and exam leave
• Relocation expense reimbursement

Work with us!

We are committed to cultural safety and health equity for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander People. We celebrate, value, and include people of all backgrounds, genders, identities, cultures, bodies, and abilities. We welcome and support applications from talented people identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, people with disability, neurodiverse people, LGBTQIA+ and people of all ages and cultures.

If you feel this role is right for you, we encourage your early application. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and interviews may take place prior to the closing date. This means we reserve the right to close a job ad prior to the advertised closing date.

All appointments are made subject to a satisfactory National Police Check and if required, a Working With Children Check. If you require any reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process or have questions about this opportunity, you are welcome to reach out to the hiring manager: Rhys Vaughan, Divisional Medical Director- SAPM at Rhys.VAUGHAN@austin.org.au.

Application instructions:

Please click on ‘Apply Now’ and you will be required to sign in or register for an Austin Health Careers Account.
As part of the process, you will be directed to Austin Health’s Online Credentialing System to complete your application.  Please follow the instructions on the Credentialing and Scope of Clinical Practice Application Form to ensure your application is processed through the Austin Health Medical Workforce Unit. All appointments are made subject to a satisfactory National Police Check and if required, a Working With Children Check. If you require any reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process, you are welcome to reach out to the hiring manager: (include hiring manager name and contact details).
Please note you will be required to attach copies of the following to your online application:

• Cover letter
• Current Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Undergraduate Qualification Certificate (Medical Degree)
• Fellowship Certificate (Specialist Medical College)
• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
• Current Medical Indemnity Certificate
• Proof of Identification (current passport or Australian drivers licence)
• Working with Children’s Check Card (where applicable)

Interested in finding out more about this opportunity? Read the position description for further details.

Application closing date: 1 June 2025