This position is accountable for the effective leadership, governance and operational performance of Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drug Service within the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service. You will ensure the service delivers recovery focused services which optimise positive outcomes for consumers and their families.

Strategy and Operational Planning:

• Give advice to the Board and Chief Executive on the development and implementation of the HHHS’s vision, values and strategic direction.
• Develop annual operating plan for this portfolio to meet the strategic direction of the HHS.
• Ensure robust plans are developed to meet the KPI’s related to this role as outlined in the HHS’s service level agreement with the Department of Health.
• Oversee the development and strategies to ensure disaster preparedness and emergency incident response for this portfolio.
• Working in partnership with other areas of the business, to achieve outcomes in accordance with strategic directions and performance agreements acknowledging diversity of service models.
• Develop MHAOD strategic and clinical service plans, annual business plans and budget plans which are aligned to Queensland Health and the CHHHS strategic and related plans and initiatives.
• Ensure appropriate reporting, monitoring and control systems are in place to ensure achievement against business plans and approved budget, including performance agreements and contracts.

Safety and Quality

• Ensure the portfolio achieves the highest level of quality and safety of services.
• Contribute to delivery of CHHHS Clinical Governance Framework.
• Ensure portfolio and HHS achieves accreditation requirements.
• Implement all recommendations to improve quality and safety from reviews within the agreed timeframes.
• Actively participate in improvements in patient centred care.
• Ensure appropriate policies, procedures, training and development, performance measures and risk management processes are in place to ensure safe service delivery.
• Ensure a commitment to innovation and research to improve service delivery.
• Implement and monitor the organisation’s quality standards, occupational health and safety policies, procedures and programs and provide governance in the relevant work area.
• In partnership with senior management ensuring quality services are provided in accordance with the approved service/business plans and budget and statutory requirements.
• In partnership with senior management ensure implementation of the Mental Health and ATOD legislation, National and State standards, policies and plans

Leadership and Management

• Lead and manage the day to day activities within the portfolio in accordance with the values of the CHHHS.
• Positively contribute to delivery of the strategic and operational requirements of the HHS.
• Develop an effective, cohesive senior management team.
• Provide strategic leadership and professional management expertise to ensure effective clinical and corporate governance, operational management and budget performance of the portfolio. This will include ensuring optimal performance against agreed plans, performance measures and key performance indicators.
• Ensure appropriate management and governance systems and strategies are in place to effectively manage and improve service standards, patient/consumer and staff safety, equitable access to services, employee engagement/productivity and organisational risk within legislative/statutory requirements.
• Strategically lead an effective and cohesive senior management team that provide the leadership and management required to effectively manage the day to day operations within a framework of quality and safety.
• Develop a positive culture within the portfolio which encourages and recognises high performance, builds leadership capabilities and supports staff to maximise their health and wellbeing and treat all HHS staff and visitors respectfully.
• Create a culture which embraces high quality customer service across the service, ensuring that management systems and processes drive service delivery outcomes.

Actively contribute towards meeting HHS and Service Key Priorities as per HHS performance agreement including active participation in decision making and attendance at performance and other meetings as required.

Financial Sustainability

• In consultation with finance, develop annual operating budgets including MOHRI targets for each department/service.
• Ensure this portfolio meets the agreed financial targets.
• Develop and implement financial sustainability plans to ensure the HHS has financial sustainability.
• Ensure the portfolio actively delivers on revenue targets.

Relationship and Engagement

• Ensure effective working relationships across the HHS’s and support other portfolios in the delivery of the HHHS strategy.
• Implement clinician engagement strategies to improve consultation and collaboration.
• Ensure engagement with the community and external health providers.
• Ensure openness and outcomes to complaints from Healthcare users.
• Ensure active participation with consumer engagement strategies especially in relation to service improvement
• Actively contribute in high level forums (internal and external) to influence policy and strategic direction.
• Foster and promote an environment of participation and collaboration for service development and improvement across the CHHHS and broader community of stakeholders through consultation with other government departments/agencies, non-government organisations and community groups.

View the comprehensive Key Result Areas and Responsibilities in the Role Description.

You will be assessed on your ability to demonstrate the following key capabilities, knowledge and experience. Within the context of the responsibilities described above under ‘Your role’, the ideal applicant will be someone who can demonstrate the following:

1. 1.Commitment to or the ability to commit to Queensland Health’s core values of Caring for People, Leadership, Partnership, Accountability, efficiency and effectiveness and Innovation.
2. 2.Demonstrated experience in the leadership and management of a large and complex mental health service workforce and budget.
3. 3.Detailed understanding and knowledge of current trends in the provision and management of regional health services, specifically Mental Health and AOD services.
4. 4.Demonstrated knowledge of the principles, intent and application of contemporary Mental Health and AOD legislation, National and State Mental Health standards, National Safety and Quality Health Standards, policies and plans.
5. 5.Effective communication skills and ability to work cooperatively across the organisation, with our industrial partners, with patients and their families and the community.
6. 6.Sensitivity to cultural complexities which may occur within workforce and/or patient population.
7. 7.Demonstrated ability to actively participate in a working environment supporting quality human resource management practices including workplace health and safety, employment equity, anti-discrimination and ethical behaviour.
8. 8.Targeted assessment of core behavioural competencies:

• Problem Solving
• Political Savvy
• Dealing with Ambiguity
• Managing Through Systems

The Service Director, Mental Health, Alcohol and Other Drug reports directly to the Chief Operating Officer.

This is an opportunity for an experienced Mental Health, Alcohol and Other Drugs professional to take on a significant leadership role with a view to making a difference to the community of the Cairns and Hinterland region of Queensland.

The challenge for the successful candidate is to be comfortable with leading cultural transformation of the service.

Building stronger relationships with the communities and stronger partnerships with other providers in the region is an opportunity.

Promoting innovation and alternative safe care models to increase primary and preventative care, early intervention and increased care outside of acute settings is a challenge.

Sustaining safe, quality services for a large geographically dispersed and diverse population is a challenge.

Attracting, developing and retaining a diverse workforce that can offer the right mix of generalist and specialist services for our community, including supporting workforce wellbeing and optimising staff safety is a challenge.

The increasing demand for health services, along with increased service delivery costs is a challenge.

• Annual Budget – $99.77 Million
• Annual Own Source Revenue: $2.33 Million
• Direct Reports: 10 FTE
• Indirect Reports: 575 FTE

• Appropriate and relevant undergraduate and/or postgraduate tertiary qualifications are required e.g. Health Service Management, Bachelor of Finance, Nursing, Medicine, Law, MBA.
• Experience in health service delivery environment would be highly regarded.
• Experience in leadership roles would be highly regarded.
• This position requires the incumbent to operate a class C motor vehicle and an appropriate license endorsement to operate this type of vehicle is required. Proof of this endorsement must be provided before commencement of duty.
• It is a condition of employment for the employee in this role to be, and remain, vaccinated against or non-susceptible to the following Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPDs) during their employment: Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR), Varicella (chicken pox) and Pertussis (whooping cough). Existing staff engaged prior to 1 July 2016 (and have not had a break in service) are not subject to this new condition of employment unless they are moving from one Hospital and Health Service to another Hospital and Health Service within Queensland). Existing staff that have previously submitted this evidence since 1 July 2016 will not be required to resubmit.
• It is a condition of employment for the employee in this role to be vaccinated against or not susceptible to Hepatitis B. Proof of vaccination or non-susceptibility is a condition of employment for all staff (new and existing) who have direct contact with patients or who in the course of their work may be exposed to blood/body fluids or contaminated sharps.

– It is strongly recommended that you complete the VPD Evidence Form and prepare your documents prior to meeting with the selection panel; however, you will only be required to supply the evidence if you are the preferred applicant. If you are the preferred applicant, your application for employment will not be successful unless you comply with this Queensland Health policy. Further information and Evidence Forms can be found at https://www.health.qld.gov.au/employment/work-for-us/dept-of-health/pre-employment/vaccinations/providing-evidence

The total remuneration for a HES2 Low is $216,480 - $224,633

This position is Permanent Full Time

The closing date for applications is Friday 7th March 2025

The reference number to include in your application is H25_5010

Note: Please use the online HardyGroup 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, Natasha Tirado: [email protected] | +61 0468 301 310

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

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:

Liz Hlipala

HardyGroup Principal Consultant

M.+61 0401 122 301

E: [email protected]