Associate Professor / Professor in Nursing & Midwifery Education and Workforce Development

Position Details

• Fixed Term | Available for 3 years

• Academic Level D | $169,706 - $202,291

• Academic Level E | $217,876

• Location: Bedford Park / Kaurna Country (with the exciting opportunity to work across multiple locations across Flinders Campuses & SALHN sites)

• Level D Position Description

• Level E Position Description

The successful candidate will be appointed to either the Level D or Level E position. Please indicate on your application documents which position(s) you would like to be considered for.

About Southern Adelaide Local Health Network (SALHN)

Southern Adelaide Local Health Network (SALHN) has clarified it’s priorities in The Strategic Plan 2023-2027.  Our primary goal is to deliver the best possible health outcomes for the South Australian community. This will be realised through effective leadership and initiatives that support and promote excellence in professional practice and strengthen the organisation's reputation. Flinders University’s College of Health and Enablement and SALHN’s longstanding partnership remains strong, where improving the healthcare workforce to advance positive community impact remains our shared vision.

About the College of Health and Enablement (CHE)

At the College of Health and Enablement, we aim to be an innovator in contemporary education producing a safer and more resilient health and social care workforce. Our mission is to improve lives and empower communities, enabling better health and caring in the world through an exceptional student learning experience. We offer a wide range of undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing professional development programs, and leads diverse research and community engagement initiatives. Academic staff design and deliver activities that develop high-quality graduates and advance the nursing and midwifery disciplines. These efforts align with Flinders University's Agenda 2035, which outlines the institution's priorities, strategies and key performance indicators, as well as the College's vision to empower people and communities to build a healthier future. This vision is realised through world-class teaching and research, supported by strong, sustainable partnerships.

Please note, this position will have a formal presence across Southern Adelaide Local Health Network (SALHN) and the College of Health and Enablement (CHE), Flinders University.

About the Positions

The College of Health and Enablement in partnership with Southern Adelaide Local Health Network (SALHN) is seeking an exceptional academic leader for this distinguished professorial appointment, where you will be responsible for fostering a high-performance culture that supports strategic priorities and delivers outstanding outcomes for patients, consumers, and the healthcare workforce.

Working in close partnership with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders, the Associate Professor / Professor will lead the development and delivery of innovative education, workforce development, research, and leadership initiatives that create shared value and strengthen organisational capability, to better position South Australia’s healthcare for the future. You will play a key role in building and maintaining collaborative relationships that enhance professional development opportunities and support a sustainable, future-focused nursing and midwifery workforce. As the Associate Professor / Professor, you will provide visionary leadership, governance, strategic support and professional guidance for nursing and midwifery services, and also have the unique opportunity to:

• Collaborate as an equal member of SALHN and CHE leadership teams and committees to strengthen academic-health service partnerships and achieve synergistic outcomes.

• Work collaboratively with the Nursing and Midwifery Community of Practice and relevant SALHN committees and groups progress SALHN values, vision and strategic direction.

• Contribute to relevant education and workforce development activities at SAHLN and Flinders University, including assisting with recruitment, mentoring and support of high quality early and mid-career nurses and midwives and postgraduate students.

• Guide and enact clinical governance, and foster sustainable internal and external partnerships, policy development, scholarly activity and leadership initiatives, including the introduction and governance of new and emerging nursing and midwifery competencies (e.g. nurse prescribing).

• Lead, supervise and participate in high performing multi-disciplinary teams with an education, workforce and research focus and contribute to the development of a respectful, trusting and collaborative working partnership.

This position makes a significant contribution to the University’s strategic plan to changing 10 million lives, Everyone Matters, by 2035 through the Strategic Driver of ‘the university for industry and enterprise’. This role works to build close partnerships with business and industry to deliver shared value and meaningful impact for our South Australian healthcare system and wider community.

About You (Level D)

You are an experienced nursing and / or midwifery clinician and educator who effortlessly champions a student-centred learning approach through your teaching materials and deliveries, highlighting your genuine passion for inspiring and nurturing emerging nursing and/or midwifery professional and aspiring healthcare leaders. Paired with your longstanding, successful experience in healthcare leadership roles, you have a proven ability to provide governance and workforce planning that supports the healthcare industry, to better support our community for a healthier future. To succeed in this role, you will also be able to demonstrate the following:

• Completion of a PhD, or other relevant and equivalent qualification and/or experience.

• Registration or an eligibility for registration with Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia/ Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, as well as holding and an ability to maintain a current membership with a relevant professional association.

• Autonomous, strategic decision-making informed by nursing, midwifery and broader health policy and regulatory frameworks.

• Evidence of educational leadership relevant to workforce development and demonstrated experience leading innovation.

• An established national reputation in scholarship or research in an area aligned with the SAHLN priorities or College's research strengths evidenced by sustained high quality publications and attraction of competitive internal and external grants.

About You (Level E)

You are an accomplished and respected nursing and / or midwifery leader with a distinguished record of achievement in clinical practice, higher education, and strategic leadership. Your network in the healthcare space is extensive, trusting and wide-spreading across all local, national and international levels, highlighting your longstanding contribution to the discipline of nursing and / or midwifery and healthcare domain at-large.

As an experienced member of an executive leadership team, you have actively contributed to clinical and corporate governance and workforce planning, ensuring the delivery of safe, high-quality, and sustainable services. You foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement while effectively engaging with a broad range of stakeholders. You are recognised for this, as well as your ability to make autonomous, strategic decisions informed by contemporary nursing and midwifery practice, health policy, regulatory requirements, and the evolving needs of the healthcare sector. You will also bring:

• Completion of a PhD, or other relevant and equivalent qualification and/or experience.

• Registration or an eligibility for registration with Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia/ Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, as well as holding and an ability to maintain a current membership with a relevant professional association.

• Significant experience in education and workforce methodology.

• Demonstrated experience with engaging and developing flexible methods to deliver teaching programs such as through e-learning platforms and other communications technologies.

• An established international reputation in scholarship/research in an area aligned with the College's research strengths evidenced by sustained high quality publications and attraction of several competitive external grants.

Life at Flinders

We're transforming and investing in people and facilities to create contemporary, stimulating, and satisfying learning and work environments that reflect our core values of excellence, innovation, courage, and integrity. Flinders is refocusing its strategic priorities with the aim of elevating its performance to be a top ten Australian university, and amongst the top 1% in the world.

Reaching beyond the limits of buildings, borders, and backgrounds, ours is an inclusive culture that believes absolutely in equality and opportunity for all. We don't just accommodate differences; we embrace and celebrate them. So, why work at Flinders?

• Generous 17% Superannuation + salary packaging options

• Genuine flexible working arrangements

• Wide range of professional development activities and services, including exclusive staff study offers 

• Ranked in the top 2% of universities worldwide for research, where ninety per cent of Flinders research has been ranked at ‘world standard or above’ by Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA)

• Ranked top 50 for nursing in QS Global rankings

• We embrace diversity and promote equity and inclusion for all students and staff, as shown through our three SAGE Cygnet Awards

• Awarded the AHEIA Higher Education Award for Workplace Culture Excellence due to our commitment to wellbeing through our Thriving@Flinders staff wellbeing program

• Recognised as a Veteran Employer of Choice 

• Vibrant campus life and amenities including on campus health care services, gym and childcare centre (Bedford Park, South Australia)

Our Commitment to Reconciliation and Indigenous Employment

Flinders University is proud to be an organisation that is committed to our Reconciliation Action Plan and Indigenous Workforce Strategy. Our vision is to be a preferred employer for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.  We are committed to progressing Indigenous advancement in education, research, employment, and wellbeing, and strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for all Flinders vacancies.

• Please see here for our Reconciliation Action Plan 

• Please see here for our Indigenous Workforce Strategy 

Prescribed Conditions for Employment

• Flinders University will require a current completed Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check and Gender Based Violence Declaration which is satisfactory to the University. The contract of Employment is conditional upon the receipt of these completed compliance checks. A disclosable outcome will not automatically disqualify a candidate from consideration. Each case will be assessed on its individual merits and relevance to the inherent requirements of the role.

• In addition, it is a requirement of this position that the incumbent maintain a current Working with Children Check which is satisfactory to the University in accordance with the Child Safety (Prohibited Persons) Act 2016 (SA).

• SA: Staff working in a health care setting are strongly recommended to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in line with the SA Health policy

How to Apply and Information

• You are required to submit a CV, along with a Suitability Statement as a separate document.  This should be no more than 3 pages, and address the Key Position Capabilities of the Level D Position Description or  Level E Position Description

• Flinders University is committed to providing an environment where staff with disability are valued, supported and encouraged to participate fully and independently in the life of the University. If you require any reasonable adjustments to assist you in the selection process, please advise the contact in the Recruitment Team so that we can make appropriate arrangements through [email protected] or call 08 8201 2383

• For a confidential conversation regarding this position, please reach out to Jo Laird at: [email protected] to connect with the Executive Director of Nursing & Midwifery, Maryellen Dean (SALHN), or Chris Barr at: [email protected], Dean People & Resources (Flinders, CHE).  

Applications to be submitted before 10:00pm (ACDT) 20/08/2026

Please note, late applications and applications sent via agencies will not be accepted.

At Flinders we embrace and celebrate diversity and encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and people of all ages, ethnicities, abilities, sexual orientations, and gender identities.

Certification

Applications to be submitted before 10.00pm:

20 Aug 2026

At Flinders we embrace and celebrate diversity and encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and people of all ages, ethnicities, abilities, sexual orientations, and gender identities.

Flinders. Fearless.