Director of Child and Family
Health Service
CANDIDATE INFORMATION PACK
Women's and Children's Health Network
We acknowledge and pay respect to the Aboriginal Traditional Owners and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders, people, consumers, and staff, past and present, on whose land we provide health services.
Executive Summary
- Multi-classified position:
- RN/M6.5 - Registered Nurse/Midwife LV 6.5
- AHP6 - Allied Health Professional LV6
- Lead a state-wide, multi-disciplinary health service driving child health and development outcomes.
- Shape the future of child and family health through strategic leadership, innovation and workforce development.
- Play a pivotal role in delivering high quality, integrated services that support families and communities.
The Opportunity
This is a rare opportunity to step into a high-impact leadership role within the Women's and Children's Health Network (WCHN), overseeing the Child and Family Health Service (CaFHS). As Director, you will set the strategic direction and drive service excellence, ensuring a coordinated, integrated and innovative approach to child health development across South Australia. This role offers the chance to influence policy, shape service delivery models and lead a dedicated workforce committed to improving the well-being of children and families.
The Role
As the Director of CaFHS, you will provide executive-level leadership in clinical governance, service innovation and workforce development. Responsible for the development and implementation of strategic frameworks, you will lead high- quality, patient and family centred care initiatives, drive service improvement, and respond to emerging community needs. You will collaborate across WCHN, government and community stakeholders to ensure an integrated and responsive service model that meets the needs of families across the state. Your leadership will shape the future of child health services, enhancing outcomes from birth to five years of age, with a strong focus on achieving meaningful gains in Aboriginal health and wellbeing outcomes.
The Candidate
An accomplished senior leader in healthcare or community services, you bring a strong track record of driving strategic and operational excellence in complex environments. Your ability to lead multidisciplinary teams, navigate change and implement service innovations will be critical to success in this role. You thrive in high-pressure settings, balancing clinical governance, workforce engagement and stakeholder collaboration with a focus on delivering measurable health outcomes. With exceptional communication skills and a deep commitment to equity and inclusion, you will champion and a culture of excellence that aligns with WCHN's values of Compassion, Respect, Equity and Accountability and Together for Excellence. Experience in child health and development is advantageous.
We invite you to discuss this exceptional leadership opportunity with Lynette Taylor from the HardyGroup M: +61 (0)431 293 861 / E: [email protected]
Women's and Children's Health Network
The values of SA Health are used to indicate the type of conduct required by our employees and the conduct that our customers can expect from our health service:
- We are committed to the values of integrity, respect, and accountability.
- We value care, excellence, innovation, creativity, leadership and equity in health care provision and health outcomes.
- We demonstrate our values in our interactions with others in SA Health, the community, and those for whom we care.
Domestic and Family Violence
The WCHN recognises violence against women as a human rights issue that must be addressed in the workplace and is committed to a zero-tolerance policy towards violence against women in the workplace. Accordingly, employees must appropriately report and respond to any such acts in the workplace and make available appropriate support to employees who may be experiencing violence in the community.
Code of Ethics
The Code of Ethics for the South Australian Public Sector provides an ethical framework for the public sector and applies to all public service employees:
- Democratic Values - Helping the government, under the law to serve the people of South Australia.
- Service, Respect and Courtesy - Serving the people of South Australia.
- Honesty and Integrity- Acting at all times in such a way as to uphold the public trust.
- Accountability- Holding ourselves accountable for everything we do.
- Professional Conduct Standards- Exhibiting the highest standards of professional conduct.
The Code recognises that some public sector employees are also bound by codes of conduct relevant to their profession.
STRATEGY 2026
The Women’s and Children’s Health Network (WCHN) has a clear plan to support its vision of providing leading healthcare to women, babies, children and young people, and their families.
Strategy 2026: Realising Potential, Creating Together is a representative and inclusive document that showcases WCHN’s unique role as a leading healthcare organisation for South Australian women, babies, children, young people and their families. This Strategy was developed in partnership with our staff and consumers.
Role Specification
The Director of CaFHS holds a pivotal role in providing strategic, operational, and clinical leadership within CaFHS and the broader WCHN. This position entails the overarching responsibility for governance, direction, and the development of frameworks and systems that underpin clinical practice.
The Director of CaFHS ensures that these frameworks and systems are aligned with best practice, are regularly monitored, and evaluated to uphold the highest standards of clinical care and service delivery standards. The role scope may extend to other health services within and across WCHN, reflecting the Director’s advanced expertise and broad scope of practice.
With a high degree of autonomous decision-making, the Director of CaFHS operates as an expert, capable of leading and directing complex service environments, designing service models, effective at change management, and implementing transformative practices and operating models and driving continuous improvement.
The Director of CaFHS will accept accountability for the governance and practice standards of nurses/midwives, allied health professionals and medical clinicians, ensuring that robust systems are in place to support, evaluate and enhance practice. This includes fostering healthy work environments, cultivating a culture of collaboration and continuous professional development, and ensuring the cost-effective provision of health services within their span of control.
The Director of CaFHS is further responsible for determining strategic workforce planning and development initiatives, ensuring that the multidisciplinary teams are highly skilled, engaged, and equipped to meet current and future challenges. This includes implementing strategies aligned to the Early Years reform to enhance staff well-being, retention, and job satisfaction, thereby creating a resilient and responsive workforce capable of delivering exceptional care and further reach across all service areas that are sustainable.
The Director of CaFHS plays a critical leadership role within the Nursing & Midwifery and Consumer Engagement senior leadership team, guiding strategic initiatives and contributing to the overall direction and success of the service and WCHN.
The Key Result Areas for the role of Director Child and Family Health Service (CaFHS) include:
Executive Leadership
Direct / indirect patient/client care
Support of health service systems
Education
Research
Professional Leadership
View the comprehensive Key Result Areas and Responsibilities in section 10: Role Description.
1. Strategic Leadership and Governance in Healthcare Services
- Proven ability to provide high-level strategic and operational leadership in a complex healthcare environment, ensuring alignment with SA Health priorities.
- Experience in leading clinical governance, risk management, and quality improvement initiatives to drive safe and effective healthcare delivery.
- Demonstrated ability to implement and evaluate evidence-based practice frameworks that support best practice in nursing, midwifery, and allied health.
2. Workforce Planning and Organisational Capability Development
- Extensive experience in workforce planning, recruitment, retention, and professional development of a multidisciplinary team.
- Demonstrated ability to build a culture of learning, collaboration, and innovation, ensuring staff are equipped to meet evolving healthcare demands.
- Experience implementing workforce strategies aligned with Early Years Reform, supporting staff well-being, retention, and succession planning.
3. Financial and Resource Management for Sustainable Healthcare Delivery
- Expertise in budget development, financial management, and resource allocation within a public health service.
- Ability to optimise operational efficiency, ensuring high-quality service delivery while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
- Experience in securing funding, managing contracts, and exploring alternative financial models to enhance long-term service sustainability.
4. Stakeholder Engagement and Consumer-Centred Service Design
- Demonstrated experience in building and sustaining strategic partnerships across government, non-government organisations, unions, and community groups.
- Proven ability to lead consumer-led service design, ensuring healthcare services are responsive to community needs and co-designed with consumers.
- Experience advocating for inclusive and culturally safe healthcare, with a commitment to improving access for First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) populations.
5. Driving Change, Innovation, and System Reform
- Experience in leading complex change management initiatives to enhance healthcare services and workforce capabilities.
- Proven ability to navigate policy development, service integration, and legislative compliance, ensuring alignment with national and state health reform priorities.
- Strong capability in digital health transformation, research integration, and the application of emerging healthcare technologies to drive innovation.
To be considered for the Director of Child and Family Health Service (CaFHS) role, candidates must meet the following qualification requirements based on their professional classification:
For Nursing/Midwifery Candidates (RN/M6.5)
- Mandatory: Registered or eligible for registration as a Nurse and/or Midwife with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) and hold or be eligible to hold a current practicing certificate.
- Desirable:
- Postgraduate tertiary qualifications in Health Services Management, Child and Family Health, or Child Development.
For Allied Health Candidates (AHP6)
- Mandatory:
- Hold an appropriate Allied Health degree or equivalent qualification relevant to the professional stream.
- Registered or eligible for registration/membership with the relevant professional registration board or association (where applicable).
- Desirable:
- Postgraduate tertiary qualifications in Health Services Management, Child and Family Health, or Child Development.
Internal
- Partners with executive and senior clinical and management personnel and disciplines including nursing/midwifery, medical, allied health, scientific and technical services.
- Maintains collaborative relationships with Nursing/Midwifery, Allied Health and Medical Directors across the network.
- Maintains collaborative relationships with Research, Innovation and Digital Health Portfolio leaders.
- Maintains collaborative relationships with People and Culture Directorate
- Maintains collaborative relationships with ICT Applications Support
- Works closely with the Director of Strategy & Reform
External
- Partners with non-government organisations/government organisations.
- Liaises regularly with unions and staff bodies and with external agencies.
- Collaborates with consumer representatives with lived experience.
- The Director of Child and Family Health Service (CaFHS) operates within a complex healthcare environment, leading a multi-disciplinary workforce of nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, and medical clinicians. A key challenge is balancing clinical governance, workforce sustainability, and financial management while ensuring high-quality, consumer-centred care.
- The role requires strategic leadership to navigate workforce shortages, regulatory compliance, and evolving service models, all while embedding evidence-based practice, digital innovation, and cultural safety. Managing competing priorities, stakeholder relationships, and funding constraints is critical to sustaining and improving child and family health services.
- The position also requires effective change management to drive service innovation, policy reform, and workforce development. Addressing health inequities for First Nations and culturally diverse populations is a key responsibility.
- The Director must lead cross-sector collaboration, advocate for resource allocation, and foster a culture of excellence, resilience, and inclusivity. With ongoing legislative and policy changes, the ability to adapt, influence, and drive system-wide improvements is essential for long-term service sustainability.
The Director of Child and Family Health Service (CaFHS) reports directly to the Executive Director of Nursing & Midwifery and Consumer Experience, Women’s and Children’s Health Network (WCHN).
Five direct reports include:
• Director – Operations (RN/M5.2) / Program Manager – Operations (AHP5)
• Clinical Practice Director
• Principal Manager Business and Strategy
• Executive Assistant
• Safety & Quality Risk Coordinator
FTE Accountability: 370 FTE (420 Headcount)
Budget Accountability: $48.291 million.
Multi-classified position - appointment in line with profession:
o RN/M6.5 - Registered Nurse/Midwife LV 6.5 - $177,633 p.a. (pro rata)
o AHP6 - Allied Health Professional LV6 - $152,933 p.a.
Service Location: SA - North Adelaide
Classification: Multi-classified position:
- RN/M6.5 - Registered Nurse/Midwife LV 6.5
- AHP6 - Allied Health Professional LV6
Pre-Employment Assessment: The successful applicant will be subject to the following pre-employment checks:
- DHS Working with Children Check (WWCC)
- National Police Certificate (NPC) for employment involving unsupervised contact with vulnerable groups required for this position (E.g. work involving vulnerable clients)
- Immunisation - Category A
The closing date for applications is Wednesday, 26th February 2025
The reference number to include in your application is H25_5015
Note: Please use the online platform to submit your application. It will not be accepted via email.
If you require assistance in submitting your application online, please get in touch with Executive Search Coordinator, Aldie Zuñiga via [email protected] / +61 (0)494 101 082
Your application must include:
- 1.Cover letter addressed to the Principal Consultant;
- 2.A written response addressing the key selection criteria; and
- 3.An up to date copy of your Curriculum Vitae.
- 4.Completed Pre-Employment Declaration form
It Is standard practice for HardyGroup to acknowledge receipt of your application no later than the next business day. We request that if you do not receive the acknowledgement, you contact the search coordinator listed above as soon as possible after the 24-hour business period and arrange to resend your application if necessary.
For a confidential discussion, please contact:
Lynette Taylor
HardyGroup Executive Director, Search & Recruitment
M. +61 (0)431 293 861
E. [email protected]
Living and working in Adelaide
Adelaide is one of the world’s most livable cities, perfectly positioned just a short drive from some of Australia’s most unique, globally renowned regions, so whether you choose city, suburban or country life, South Australia offers something for everyone.
South Australia is one of the more affordable places to live and work in Australia, with more than two-thirds of residents owning their homes. Adelaide continues to be one of the most cost-competitive markets for setting up business and leasing office space, and the regions are even more affordable.
A short drive from Adelaide is the Adelaide Hills which are brimming with wildlife encounters, cultural discoveries, wineries and some of the best scenery. The Barossa Valley and Clare Valley are about a two hour drive north, the Fleurieu Peninsula one hour south, and Kangaroo Island accessible within a few hours by ferry or 30 minutes by plane.
South Australia prides itself on nurturing a diverse cultural experience: from food and wine through to hosting outstanding world-class art, cultural and sporting events. Many of Australia’s best wine regions are also spread across South Australia, and with more than 200 cellar doors on Adelaide’s doorstep that are well worth a visit.
You will find it all in Adelaide and South Australia
Adelaide is the perfect starting point for your South Australian travel adventure. You can swim with dolphins, climb ancient mountain peaks, feed kangaroos, drink the world’s finest wine, and much more. You’ll love exploring South Australia.
- Adelaide City: Adelaide Botanic Gardens, Art Gallery of South Australia, South Australian Museum, the State Library of South Australia, Government House and Old and New Parliament House.
- Beaches and Coastline: Glenelg, Fleurieu Peninsula
- Adelaide Hills: Cleland Wildlife Park, Beerenberg, Hahndorf
- Regional South Australia: Kangaroo Island, Flinders Ranges
- Wine Regions: Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley
ABOUT US
HardyGroup’s (HG) mission is simple
Find and Grow Great Leaders - and we have been doing exactly that for more than 30 years in public and private health, primary, community and aged care as well as the broader public service.
Our synergistic business model of Executive Search and Recruitment integrated with Executive Leadership and Learning is our unique point of difference.
It ensures our clients can count on us for the lifecycle of their organisations leadership journey and why we are regarded as the leading trans-Tasman partner agency by clients.
When engaging HG you can be confident in a deeply personalised experience and service as nothing matters more to us than relationships and results.