Surgical Reform Project Lead

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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 state-wide. We have a highly engaged, diverse and collaborative workforce that is unified by our goal to help people live healthy and fulfilled lives.

About the Surgical Anaesthesia and Procedural Medicine Division

The Surgical Anaesthesia and Procedural Medicine Division (SAPM) is part of the Operations Directorate at Austin Health. SAPM manages a number of specialties and services including theatres, Central Sterilising Services Department (CSSD), outpatients and the surgical wards at the Austin or Heidelberg Repatriation Hospitals.

SAPM promotes a culture of delivering quality patient care, whilst providing a broad range of elective and acute surgical procedures including Liver and Renal Transplant and Cardiac Surgery. Other surgical specialties include Neurosurgery, Orthopaedics, Plastics, Vascular, Thoracics, Orology, ENT, Paediatrics, General Surgery, HPB, UGI, Endoscopy and Radiology Services.

About the role

Join our team as a Surgical Reform Project Lead and play a pivotal role in transforming our theatre services. We are seeking a dynamic leader with clinical expertise and project management skills to drive strategic reform initiatives, optimise resource utilization, and deliver high-quality, patient-centred care. In this role, you will develop and implement innovative strategies to reduce downtime, enhance theatre throughput, and streamline workflow coordination.

As the Surgical Reform Project Lead, you will report directly to the Divisional Director. You will be responsible for creating a shared vision, modelling a values-based approach, and fostering a culture of innovation.

The key outcomes for the project are:

• Improved theatre efficiency and start-on-time performance.
• Enhanced list utilisation, reducing waste and optimising resources.
• A sustainable and effective emergency surgery model of care.
• A well-structured Theatre Reference Group with strong governance supporting ongoing improvements.
• Measurable, long-term improvements in theatre operations and patient outcomes.

About you

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

• Clinical background in a relevant healthcare discipline (e.g., nursing, perioperative services).
• Strong project management experience with a track record of leading and delivering complex healthcare reform initiatives.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills, with the ability to influence and drive change.
• Knowledge of quality improvement methodologies, change management frameworks, and governance structures in a healthcare setting.
• Proficiency in data collection and analysis, with the ability to identify trends and improve performance.
• Self-motivated and collaborative, with the ability to work effectively within a team setting.

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: Fiona Middleton, Div Director Surg Anaesthesia and Procedural Med at Fiona.Middleton@austin.org.au

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

Application closing date: Friday 13 June 2025