Job Description:

Better and fairer care.  Always.

St Vincent's has been a leader in Australia's health and aged care landscape for more than 165 years. Since our founders, the Sisters of Charity, opened our first hospital in 1857, our services and people have been behind some of Australia's most important medical breakthroughs.

St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne provides a diverse range of adult clinical services and is driven by values of Compassion, Justice, Integrity and Excellence.

About The Opportunity

St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne (SVHM) is seeking an exceptional leader to join our Executive team as Executive Director Quality & Improvement. This is a pivotal opportunity to shape organisation-wide quality, safety, patient experience, innovation and continuous improvement across a complex tertiary health service comprising 16 sites and more than 7,500 staff. 

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, you will provide inspiring and people centric leadership and assurance, ultimately ensuring SVHM continues to deliver safe, high-quality and person-centred care whilst strengthening our capability to learn, innovate and continuously improve.

Leading multidisciplinary teams across quality operations, patient experience, infection prevention, health information systems, continuous improvement, and environmental services, you will foster collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders including the Department of Health, Safer Care Victoria, St Vincent’s Health Australia, clinicians, consumers, and partner organisations.

Primary day to day accountabilities for this organisationally critical appointment include:

• Provide executive leadership for organisation-wide quality, safety and continuous improvement. 
• Lead the development and implementation of SVHM's quality, safety and improvement strategy. 
• Provide assurance to the CEO, Executive and Board Committees on quality, safety, risk and performance. 
• Strengthen the organisation's clinical governance framework, including clinical risk, accreditation, credentialing and clinical accountability. 
• Lead a system-wide approach to learning from incidents and adverse events and embed a strong just culture. 
• Champion exceptional patient and consumer experience, including meaningful consumer and lived-experience participation in service design and improvement. 
• Oversee quality data analytics and clinical information systems to support evidence-based decision making. 
• Lead major quality improvement, service redesign and transformation initiatives. 
• Oversee the Innovation and Improvement function and support the development of contemporary models of care. 

As Executive Director Quality & Improvement you will ensure the organisation maintains robust governance systems, achieves accreditation and regulatory requirements, and responds effectively to emerging healthcare challenges and system priorities.

About You

We are looking to appoint a collaborative and values-driven executive who combines engaging leadership with the ability to translate strategy into measurable improvements in quality, safety and patient outcomes.

Specifically, it is anticipated the successful candidate will offer:

• Previous senior leadership experience within a complex healthcare environment. 
• A strong understanding of the Victorian and Australian public healthcare systems, including funding, policy, accreditation and governance. 
• Demonstrated success leading clinical governance, quality, safety and improvement agendas. 
• Experience operationalising large-scale strategic projects, transformation, change management and service re-design. 
• The credibility and confidence to work effectively with clinicians, executives, government, consumers and external stakeholders. 
• Exceptional communication, influencing, negotiation and relationship-building skills. 
• Strong organisational acumen, with the ability to use data and insight to drive performance and outcomes. 
• A commitment to person-centred care, equity, ethical practice, workplace safety and continuous improvement. 

Additionally, a relevant tertiary qualification in health, public health, health management, business, economics, public policy or a related discipline is required. Whilst not essential, postgraduate qualifications in health management, business administration, leadership, public policy, or quality and safety will be highly regarded. 

This is more than a quality role. It's an opportunity to shape how a major tertiary health service learns, improves and delivers better outcomes for patients and consumers.

Because you’re like us, you believe in our vision that every person, whoever and wherever they are, is served with excellent and compassionate care, by a better and fairer health and aged care system. Better for all our employees and volunteers, who work tirelessly to provide the highest levels of care and quality of life for our patients and clients. And better support for the local communities we play an important role in, and continue to support.

How to Apply

Please submit your application via the Apply Now button, including your resume and cover letter, articulating your motivation in applying for this opportunity.

The scheduled closing date for applications is Sunday 11th October 2026 however shortlisting for this position will commence immediately. We encourage you to apply promptly as the advertisement may close early should a suitable applicant be identified.

Pre-Employment Checks

Your employment is conditional upon the completion of all role-required pre-employment checks, including relevant immunisations.

Equal Opportunity

We celebrate diversity & inclusion and are committed to equal employment opportunity for everyone. We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and abilities. Inclusion is essential to our mission and diversity reflects the community we serve.

Please visit our website, for further information regarding our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment at SVHM.

Respectfully, no recruitment agencies – we have an existing panel of suppliers and are not presently looking to add to this.

Closing Date:

Reconciliation Action Plan:

At St Vincent's we acknowledge the importance of creating a work environment that is welcoming, safe, equitable and inclusive for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Employees. As part of our Commitment to Reconciliation and Closing the Gap in employment related outcomes, we encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

For further information, visit https://www.svha.org.au/about-us/reconciliation or get in contact at [email protected]

View Reconciliation Action Plan

Code of Conduct:

View Code of Conduct