First Nations Patient Support Unit Lead

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• Fixed Term Part Time (23 hours per week)

Austin Health is the major provider of tertiary health services, health professional education and research across three campuses in the north-east of Melbourne and statewide. We have a highly engaged, diverse and collaborative workforce that is unified by our goal to help people live healthy and fulfilled lives. 

About First Nations Health Unit

The First Nations Health Unit provides leadership in cultural safety, health equity and service improvement across Austin Health. Working in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, the Unit leads initiatives that improve access, experiences and outcomes for First Nations patients and families. The Patient Support Unit is a Department of Health funded initiative focused on planned surgery reform, improving patient access and reducing barriers to care. 

About the role 

The First Nations Patient Support Unit Lead will provide leadership for First Nations planned care initiatives, supporting the design and implementation of culturally safe specialist clinic and surgical pathways. Working across Austin Health, this role will improve access to planned care and support better health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients and families.

A regular day will see you:

• Lead the development and implementation of culturally safe planned care pathways for First Nations patients.
• Work collaboratively with clinical teams to improve access, attendance and treatment completion across specialist clinics and planned surgery services.
• Engage with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, patients and families to inform service design and improvement.
• Provide First Nations leadership and cultural advice across Patient Support Unit reform initiatives.
• Monitor and report on patient pathway outcomes, supporting continuous improvement and equity in access to care.

About you 

As the First Nations Patient Support Unit Lead, you will be someone who has excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with a strong commitment to improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. You'll bring leadership experience, cultural knowledge and a passion for driving meaningful healthcare reform.

To be successful in this role, you'll bring with you:

• Identification as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person.
• Experience leading First Nations health programs, projects or service improvement initiatives.
• Strong understanding of the barriers experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people when accessing healthcare.
• Demonstrated ability to build effective partnerships with community, consumers and healthcare stakeholders.
• Experience in co-design, service redesign or project management within a health or community setting.
• This is an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Identified Position. Austin Health is committed to increasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation across our workforce. Under Section 12 of the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic), being an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person is a genuine occupational requirement for this role, and only applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples will be considered.

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, for living expenses, meals, and holiday accommodation. 
• A suite of wellness initiatives designed to support you, including discounted fitness memberships and special offers on health insurance, and a comprehensive wellbeing program. 
• Onsite childcare at Austin Hospital, easy access via public transport and car parking options. 
• Mentoring and career development opportunities. 

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. Even if you don’t meet every single requirement, we encourage you to apply. What matters most is your passion, your drive and your willingness to learn and contribute. 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. Austin Health is a child safe organisation, committed to upholding the rights, safety, and wellbeing of children and young people in line with Child Safe Standards. If you require any reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process, you are welcome to reach out to the hiring manager: Sarah Joyce, Director – First Nations Health on Sarah.JOYCE@austin.org.au

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

Application closing date: Sunday 18 October 2026