National Director of Nursing and Clinical Governance

Better and fairer care.  Always. 

For over 175 years, St Vincent’s has stood as a pioneer in compassionate, high-quality care.  Inspired by the enduring legacy of the Sisters of Charity and their Founder Mary Aikenhead, we are now embarking on our most ambitious chapter yet: Bringing Care Home. 

This bold strategy redefines how we serve our communities, extending our reach beyond traditional residential and hospital settings directly into people’s homes.  To spearhead this transformation, we are seeking an inspirational executive clinical leader to oversee our aged care clinical governance team, lead our professional nursing stream, and command clinical excellence across our multi-state footprint of 30 residential aged care homes and retirement villages. 

The Opportunity 

As the National Director of Nursing & Clinical Governance, you will provide contemporary leadership in clinical governance, quality resident safety professional nursing. 

Reporting directly to the CEO, Care Services (and dotted-line to the National CMO), you will serve as the principal clinical voice across our operation.  Your experience will be best utilised through working with the Clinical Governance Team and the Care Services Leadership Team (CSLT) to bring exemplary clinical and care governance to our frontline, residents and families.  A strategic and operational role, this position provides strategic assurance while partnering to drive a culture of clinical excellence, innovation, continuous learning, and person-centred care. 

This permanent full-time opportunity can be based in Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne from any of our Group Head Office locations with interstate travel as required.  

Key Responsibilities:  

• Lead and refine our national clinical governance team to ensure robust safety systems, clinical risk mitigation, and outstanding accreditation outcomes across all care settings 

• Drive contemporary nursing standards, professional governance, and practice models that elevate clinical capability and foster evidence-based care   

• Partner with executive and operational leaders to design, embed, and evaluate clinical models of care that align with regulatory frameworks and evolving resident needs 

• Collaborate with CSLT and enterprise L&D to embed a culture of high-performing continuous education, establishing consistent, enterprise-wide learning matrices and leadership succession pathways for our workforce 

• Act as the primary clinical nursing authority while advancing our strong strategic partnerships with regulatory bodies, government departments, education institutions and sector stakeholders 

About You: 

You are a strategically minded, values-driven executive nurse leader who thrives in complex, highly regulated environments and is passionate about clinical innovation and quality transformation.  

You will bring:  

• Proven senior leadership experience within aged care, complex care, or broader health sectors with multi-site accountability 

• Expert knowledge of clinical governance frameworks, Aged Care Quality Standards, AHPRA standards, and contemporary risk management systems 

• A collaborative leader with a coaching style with proven ability to influence without direct authority and a motivation for transformational change 

• A thorough understanding of adult learning principles to support a growth mindset and agenda 

• High-level capability in driving organisational improvement, models-of-care transformation, and workforce sustainability in highly regulated environments 

• Current registration as a Registered Nurse with AHPRA supported by Post-Graduate qualifications in Business, Leadership, or Health Management 

Things that work for you:  

• A critical leadership seat shaping the future of nursing and clinical care across our national footprint 

• Join an inclusive, compassionate, and purpose-led organisation committed to social justice, equity, and leading as One St Vincent's 

• More take-home pay with competitive salary packaging options up to $15,990, Novated leasing, plus an optional Meals and Entertainment card up to $2,650 per annum 

• Office-based locations in Brisbane, Sydney, or Melbourne with flexible, hybrid working arrangements 

• Access to the Fitness Passport (FP), Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for you and your family, excellent internal career development and more! 

Pre-Employment Checks 

Your employment is conditional upon the completion of all required pre-employment checks, including Responsible Person and NDIS Worker Screening checks. 

Equal Opportunity and Reconciliation 

At St Vincent’s, we value inclusivity and diversity. We acknowledge the importance of creating a work environment that is welcoming, safe, fair, and impartial, and we invite people from all backgrounds to join us. 

St Vincent’s Health Australia embraces Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s unique perspectives, knowledge, and culture. We warmly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. For further information, visit https://www.svha.org.au/about-us/reconciliation, https://www.svcs.org.au/people/aboriginal-torres-strait-islander-recruitment 

How To Apply