The Divisional Clinical Director (Paediatric Medicine) is accountable to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the provision of strategic clinical leadership to the Division and to significantly contribute to the achievement of the Women’s and Children’s Health Network (WCHN) strategic priorities as outlined in the WCHN’s Strategic Management Plan, South Australia’s Health Care Plan and WCHN’s Service Level Agreement.

Under a co-directorship model, The Divisional Clinical Director works to the Chief Operating Officer for the Division’s operational performance in accordance with WCHN’s Service Level Agreement, Integrated Governance and Performance Frameworks and Management Domains and associated performance agreement. This includes developing and preparation of strategic business matters, including business cases.

The Divisional Clinical Director is a key member of the WCHN’s Strategic Operational Executive Committee and represents the medical staff within their Division, provides high level clinical advice that contributes to the Network’s service planning and assists in the development/implementation of local and State-wide clinical plans. The Divisional Clinical Director proactively works with the Advanced Divisional Co-Director for Nursing and Midwifery.

The Divisional Clinical Director works as part of WCHN’s Strategic Operational Executive Committee to set standards and cultural tones of the organisation, advocates for patient care and staff requirements of the Division. The Divisional Clinical Director works within WCHNs Clinical Governance Framework, is accountable for risk management and the delivery of high-quality patient and staff outcomes whilst balancing the Division’s risks, activity and allocated budget. The Divisional Clinical Director contributes to WCHN’s commissioning process, service design/redesign, prioritisation/re-prioritisation process to manage high risks and deliver a balanced budget at financial year end.

This role is accountable for, along with the Advanced Divisional Co-Director for Nursing and Midwifery the delivery of reliable, respectful health care for their patients and for providing a safe and positive environment for staff to deliver health care services. The Divisional Clinical Director sets the direction, standards and leads the change and improvement agenda for the Division along with the plans for the targets to be met. This includes the delivery of goals of WCHN’s Strategy 2026 and beyond and the National Safety and Health Care Standards as well as the speciality education, training and research agenda for the Division.

The Divisional Clinical Director will foster and embed a culture of continuous improvement and apply this methodology into day-to-day practice across their scope of responsibilities on the basis that meaningful person and family centred care occurs when there is true partnership between consumers and health professionals.

The incumbent will also maintain a clinical load within their area of speciality.

WCHN Executive Leadership

• Ensure the delivery of high quality and safe care consistent with the WCHN’s Strategy 2026 and Beyond: Healthy Generations, Thriving Communities, Integrated Governance, Performance and Consumer Engagement Frameworks and Plans.
• Ensures that service provision and the activities of the Division are person and family centred and professionally and effectively conducted by contributing to the development of an integrated team approach and culture which is highly responsive to the needs of our consumers.
• Ensures the effective management of human, financial and physical assets through appropriate planning and allocation of resources to achieve agreed Division and strategic plans.
• Leads, develops and fosters a positive work culture which is based on SA Public Sector and WCHN values and promotes patient/client focussed service, learning and development, safety and welfare of employees, acknowledges differences, and encourages creativity and innovation.
• Ensure budget preparation, monitoring, reporting and adherence to resource allocations within a financial sustainability framework.

Strategic Leadership

• Holds accountability for the provision of strategic clinical leadership and advice related to the Division and WCHN.
• Provides strong leadership for the Division, fostering an environment that inspires staff to achieve excellence and continually improve services.
• Leads the integration of clinical services across WCHN consistent with new models of service provision and identifying innovative and alternative approaches to the provision of services.
• Significantly contributes to WCHN Strategic Directions.
• Contribute to the setting of standards and targets in relation to WCHN’s management and the achievement of the National Safety and Health Care Standards as they pertain to the Division or span of responsibility.
• As required Chair, contribute to, and participate in executive committee/s within WCHN, including the Clinical Council.
• Establishes robust governance systems within the Division based on WCHN’s Integrated Governance Framework.
• Ensures effective stakeholder relationships within and external to WCHN.
• Assists in the implementation of major organisational changes and implementation of relevant national and state strategic directions in partnership with other WCHN Executive and senior managers.
• Develops flexible working environments that are responsive to the changing needs and profile of the consumer and changes in service delivery and multidisciplinary care, ensuring that resources are maximised to meet the operational needs of the Network.
• Enhances and maintains WCHN’s effectiveness as a teaching hospital by developing and fostering effective working relationships with Universities and educational institutions and other government and non-government agencies.
• Role models WCHN values of CREATE. Together and builds healthcare services and relationships with staff, patients and partners to continually build the competency of staff and a positive culture within the Division.

Management Accountability

• Holds responsibility and accountability for managing the Division and actively contributing to the achievement of the full range of Performance Agreements, targets and relevant Key Performance Indicators.
• Actively promotes a culture of performance accountability, financial sustainability, review and evaluation, research and innovation, feedback, teamwork, risk management, collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Develops policies and practices which provide clinical engagement in the management of services and the development of interdisciplinary clinical teams within the Division.
• Continually evaluating the Divisions’ services using contemporary research methods including quality and safety performance in order to monitor standards of care and determine whether service priorities are being addressed.
• Recommends the redistribution of resources and reconfiguration of services where appropriate across the Division.
• Develops and oversees operational contingency plans for managing patient flow, demand/capacity and related issues.
• Ensures compliance with the various legislative and accreditation requirements required by the Department for Health and Wellbeing (specifically National Safety and Quality Service Standards relevant to services provided within the Division).
• Fosters the continued growth of clinical research aligned to WCHN’s Strategic Management Plan.
• Works effectively within WCHN’s Integrated Performance Framework and actively addressing, planning and treating any performance issues.

Financial Management

• Holds responsibility and accountability for the effective direction and management of finances within span of control.
• Develops resource and budget allocation processes across the Division in conjunction with the Chief Finance and Commercial Officer, Divisional Co-Director, Finance Business Partner or delegate and in line with the WCHN resource and budget allocation process.
• Monitor and controls expenditure in accordance with WCHN budgeting, legal requirements and the WCHN financial delegations.
• Develops and implements financial sustainability programs that ensure the efficient and effective use of financial resources in conjunction with the Divisional Co-Director and Finance Business Partner.

Human Resource Management

• Holds responsibility and accountability for the effective direction and management of human resources within span of control.
• Ensures the Division has a skilled and experienced workforce that reflects cultural diversity (and specific growth in targeted population groups including Aboriginal workforce).
• Ensures staff are appropriately credentialed and work within their scope of practice.
• Ensures services are appropriately staffed to enable a reliable, consistent and excellent service within agreed budget and service design parameters.
• Ensures quality outcomes are achieved through the empowerment of staff and the effective use of performance coaching.
• Ensures staff have had their Performance Review and Development (PR&D) undertaken at six (6) monthly intervals.
• Oversees the development of rostering principles to maximise the cost-efficient application of human resources to defined services and activity.
• Ensures the promotion and implementation of a safe, productive and healthy work environment across the Division.
• Undertaking corrective intervention for medical staff when required, including performance management and discipline specific matters.

Safety, Quality and Risk Management

• Holds responsibility and accountability for providing leadership and direction in line with WCHN policy and procedures to a variety of safety and quality improvement processes.
• Ensures compliance with systems to respond to all incidents in line with WCHN policy.
• Ensures monitoring and reporting all incidents.
• Ensures recommendations arising from incident reviews are implemented.
• Ensures safe practices in regard to all services within the WCHN.
• Ensures a focus on the patient/client is at the core of all services provided.
• Develops clinical care escalation pathways within the Division and WCHN.
• Identifies, assesses, reviews of controls and action planning in relation to organisational, corporate and clinical risks within the Division.
• Leads the identification and implementation of evidence-based process and practice redesign.
• Provides assurance that a system to ensure staff are appropriately credentialed with clear scope/s of practice is in place and monitored.

Clinical Expertise

• Provides high level Medical Consultant service to the division.
• Ensures that all patients are properly assessed, treated, reviewed and discharged based on agreed clinical standards.
• Ensures that all clinical consultations are appropriately documented.
• Ensures that clinical risk assessments and clinical risk management processes meet all contemporary standards.
• Ensures that trainees or students are appropriately oriented and supervised.
• Fulfills any professional registration responsibilities and obligations.
• Maintains high level of individual clinical knowledge, skills and attributes appropriate to the individual’s clinical practice.
• Manages issues and recommendations associated with coronial matters.

Scholar / Teacher

• Ensures all medical staff, including trainees participate in appropriate medical education and training activities.
• Supports medical staff participation in research activities.
• Participates and / or leading researching activities and collaborating with Universities.
• Supports undergraduate teaching and maintain effective relationships with the relevant colleges for postgraduate training.
• Participates in ongoing continuous professional development.

Professionalism

• Ensures that medical staff adhere to South Australian privacy laws and legislation, as well as other laws that regulate the handling of personal information.
• Provide professional leadership around clinical risk management activities.
• Ensures all medical staff participate in regular peer review and clinical audit activities.

ESSENTIAL

• Bachelor of Medicine; Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) or equivalent.
• Appropriate Specialist Qualifications and registrable with the Medical Board of Australia as a Medical Practitioner with Specialist registration; or another qualification as defined in the SA Medical Officers Award.

DESIRABLE

• Relevant postgraduate qualifications.

ESSENTIAL

Personal Abilities/Aptitudes/Skills:

• Proven leadership skills and an ability to motivate others.
• Highly developed interpersonal, communication and conflict resolution skills.
• Proven ability to successfully lead professional groups to achieve best practice clinical outcomes.
• Highly developed analytical skills and a demonstrated ability to make sound management decisions.
• Demonstrated capacity to effectively lead in an environment of dynamic change and financial constraint.
• Demonstrated ability to achieve outcomes using a consultative and participatory management style.
• Demonstrated capacity to establish and maintain productive working relationships with a diverse range of professional staff.
• Proven clinical skills in an area of speciality.
• Demonstrated ability and interest in Clinical/Basic Research and translate into practice.
• Ability to provide Medical Teaching.
• Proven commitment to the principles and practice of:
  • EEO, Ethical Conduct, Diversity and Worker Health and Safety.
  • Quality management and the provision of person and family centred care.
  • Risk management.

Experience

• Demonstrated experience in a Senior Clinical leadership role.
• Demonstrated experience in the planning and provision of health services.
• Demonstrated experience in working with consumers and carers.
• Proven experience in delivering high quality and safe care consistent with the National Safety and Quality Health Care Service Standards – Mandatory for all clinical positions.
• Proven experience in basic computing skills, including email and word processing.

Knowledge

• Knowledge of National Safety and Quality Health Standards.
• Demonstrated knowledge of public health system operations particularly as they relate to acute and primary health care services.
• An understanding of emerging directions within health services, nationally and internationally.
• Knowledge of the political and socio-economic factors that impact on health services.
• Expert knowledge in area of clinical speciality.
• Sound knowledge of Quality Management principles and procedures.
• Understanding of delegated safety roles and responsibilities.
• Understanding of the Charter of Health and Community Services rights.
• Understanding of Work Health Safety principles and procedures.
• Awareness of person and family centred care principles and consumer engagement principles and procedures.

DESIRABLE

Personal Abilities/Aptitudes/Skills:

• Analytical, computing and statistical skills.
• Expertise in experimental and laboratory research methods.
• Demonstrate research activity including publications.
• Commitment to continuing medical education.

Experience

• Experience in representing the health sector across the continuum.
• Experience in planning workforce requirements.
• Experience in negotiating with clinical leaders.
• Clinical experience in the care of complex patients in acute and chronic settings.
• Extensive experience in clinical education.
• Experience with problem-based learning.

Knowledge

• Understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander / vulnerable populations' health issues and effective population health, primary health, secondary and tertiary services.
• Understanding of contemporary Digital Health approaches and application into practice.

Direct Reports

• Medical Heads of Unit within the specific Division.
• Other positions as determined.

Internal

• The Divisional Clinical Director will be accountable for providing strategic clinical leadership and advice to the Chief Executive Officer.
• The Divisional Clinical Director will, for operational matters, work to the Chief Operating Officer of the Women’s and Children Health Network. The Divisional Clinical Director functions in a co-director model with the Advanced Divisional Nursing and Midwifery Co-Director who reports to the COO.
• The Divisional Clinical Director reports professionally to the Executive Director Medical Services, WCHN who is the overall Executive Lead for ensuring the highest standards of clinical governance exist within the Network.
• The Divisional Clinical Director is a member of the WCHN Strategic Operations Executive, is a core member of the WCHN Safety and Quality Committee, and actively participates in the WCHN Medical and Leadership Councils.
• Other Divisional Clinical Directors, Divisional Nursing and Midwifery Co-Directors and senior managers within WCHN.
• Medical students, Interns, RMO’s, Registrars, Nurses and Allied Health.

External

• Consumers, Specialists, General Practitioners, Non-Government Organisations.
• Department of Health and Wellbeing, other government agencies, key community stakeholders and service providers.
• Universities / Research Institutes.

Major challenges associated with the role include:

• Embedding a culture of continuous improvement and accountability within a performance framework.
• Cultural change associated with governance reforms including achieving financial sustainability.
• Providing safe, quality critical health care services to patients and their families within finite resources.
• Maximising patient outcomes through innovative patient care.
• Building digital health capability to apply into practice to improve health care outcomes.

Please discuss with HardyGroup Principal Search Consultant

Service Location: SA - North Adelaide, Women’s and Children’s Hospital

Classification: MD2

Contract Term: 5 years

• It is mandatory that no person, whether or not already working in SA Health, may be appointed to a position in SA Health unless they have provided a satisfactory current Criminal and Relevant History Screening, as required by the SA Health Criminal and Relevant History Screening Policy Directive.
• For appointment in a Prescribed Position under the Child Safety (Prohibited Persons) Act (2016), a current Working with Children Check (WWCC) is required from the Department for Human Services Screening Unit. For other positions, a satisfactory National Police Certificate (NPC) assessment is required.
• For appointment in a Prescribed Position under the Child Safety (Prohibited Persons) Act (2016), a current Working with Children Check (WWCC) is required from the Department for Human Services Screening Unit, and must be renewed every 5 years from the date of issue.
• For ‘Risk Assessed Roles’ under the NDIS Worker Screening Rules 2018, the individual’s NDIS Worker Check must be renewed every 5 years from the data of issue (or are required to be compliant with transitional arrangement for South Australia).
• Failure to renew required criminal history screenings prior to nominated expiry will require your absence by way of approved leave until a renewal is obtained.
• A satisfactory National Police Certificate (NPC) assessment is required.
• Appointment is subject to immunisation risk category requirements. There may be ongoing immunisation requirements that must be met.
• As a state-wide service, WCHN employees may be required to undertake work at various locations in metropolitan Adelaide and provide outreach to other parts of South Australia (the latter in consultation with the incumbent of the role).
• Depending on work requirements the incumbent may be transferred to other locations across SA Health to perform work appropriate to classification, skills and capabilities either on a permanent or temporary basis subject to relevant provisions of the Public Sector Act 2009 for Public Sector employees or the SA Health (Health Care Act) Human Resources Manual for Health Care Act employees.
• The incumbent may be required to participate in Counter Disaster activities including attendance, as required, at training programs and exercises to develop the necessary skills required to participate in responses in the event of a disaster and/or major incident.
• This Role Description provides an indication of the type of duties you will be engaged to perform. You may be lawfully directed to perform any duties that a person with your skills and abilities would reasonably be expected to perform.

Role Description

Women's & Children's Health Network

Women’s and Children’s Hospital

The closing date for applications is Sunday, 12 April 2026

The reference number to include in your application is H26_5417

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, Bradie Hammat via bhammat@hardygroupintl.com / +61 (0)417 882 900

Your application must include:

1. 1.Cover letter addressed to the Principal Consultant;
2. 2.A written response addressing the key selection criteria; and
3. 3.An up to date copy of your Curriculum Vitae.

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:

Janine Hammat
​HardyGroup Principal Consultant

M. +61 (0)488 555 858
​E. jhammat@hardygroupintl.com