Program Manager

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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 Strategy, Sustainability and Engagement Directorate

The Strategy, Sustainability and Engagement Directorate brings together the teams that shape Austin Health’s long-term direction and ensure we deliver sustainable, high-quality care for our community. The directorate includes Service Improvement and Innovation, Strategy and Service Planning, Integrated Programs, GP Liaison, the Austin Health Foundation, and Corporate Communications. Together, these teams drive organisational strategy, foster innovation, strengthen partnerships, support integrated models of care, enhance community and philanthropic engagement, and ensure clear, consistent communication about and across the organisation.

About the role 

The Program Manager reports to the Service Improvement Director and is responsible for providing expert leadership of key strategic change and improvement initiatives across Austin Health. This role is accountable for working with senior clinical, operational, and executive leaders to lead the design and implementation of strategies to enhance organisational performance. This is a full time, fixed term 12-month position.

A regular day will see you:   

• Lead the development of practical and impactful organizational strategies and implementation plans designed to address complex organisational challenges, which deliver measurable improvements in performance outcomes.
• Lead, drive and deliver complex and typically cross-organisational strategy, improvement and transformation programs, on time, and to budget, and adapting to changing organisational context and priorities as required.
• Build strong coalitions for change, working effectively to engage stakeholders’ priorities, build buy-in, and sustain cross-organisational collaboration.
• Engage effectively and co-design solutions with consumers, carers, and medical and operational staff, and with teams across and beyond Austin Health.

About you 

To be successful in this role you’ll bring with you:

• Strong knowledge of contemporary health services, operations, and strategic and service delivery objectives.
• Proven ability to lead and deliver large-scale strategy, implementation, and change projects in complex healthcare settings.
• Demonstrated leadership in complex stakeholder engagement, with the ability to build trust and credibility, influence, and maintain effective relationships at all levels, and in the face of ambiguity and competing priorities. 

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. If you require any reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process, you are welcome to reach out to the hiring manager: Danielle Romanes, Director, Organisational & Service Sustainability at Danielle.Romanes@austin.org.au

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

Application closing date: Monday 12 January 2026