EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SA PATHOLOGY
CANDIDATE INFORMATION PACK
SA HEALTH
We respect and honour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and commit to building a brighter future together
Executive Summary
- Visionary and Inspirational Leadership
- Proven Ability to Lead Reform and Change
- Innovate to Ensure High Levels of Service and Performance
THE OPPORTUNITY
SA Pathology is the statewide pathology provider for the public health sector, an institution recognised for the highest standards of medical testing and research. SA Pathology provides a complete diagnostic and clinical service for our patients and the South Australian population – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
SA Pathology delivers quality pathology to medical practitioners and public and private hospitals through a linked system of laboratories across the state – from branch laboratories in rural and regional hospitals, general laboratories in metropolitan hospitals and specialist laboratories responsible for tertiary referral – and through a network of patient centres which cover all of the state’s major population centres.
THE ROLE
An exceptional Executive Director is now sought to lead the organisation and in partnership with the Clinical Services Director (Chief Pathologist) lead the consistent provision of clinically excellent diagnostic services. This exciting leadership position will play an important role in the delivery of high-quality, efficient and effective diagnostic and associated clinical services to both public and private markets. The further development of SA Pathology into a flexible and responsive organisation, with a culture which can respond in a coordinated and cohesive way to significant and emerging issues, is critical to the provision of high quality public pathology services in South Australia.
THE CANDIDATE
- An ability to lead reform and substantial sustained change across public and commercial performance, workforce and service delivery in a complex environment is essential
- Able to lead the building of a culture that promotes respectful conduct, high standards of clinical care, safety, quality and innovation
- Executive leadership skills with commercial and corporate experience in the delivery of Pathology or related services is desirable; and
- Knowledge of the public healthcare and pathology industries and an ability to apply that knowledge to improving the efficiency, safety and cost effectiveness of services.
For a confidential discussion, please get in touch with:
Liz Hlipala, HardyGroup Principal Search Consultant
M. +61 401 122 301
E. lhlipala@hardygroupintl.com
SA HEALTH
SA Health is committed to protecting and improving the health of all South Australians by providing leadership in health reform, public health services, health and medical research, policy development and planning, with an increased focus on well being, illness prevention, early intervention and quality care.
SA Health is the brand name for the health portfolio of services and agencies responsible to our Minister, the Minister for Health and Wellbeing.
Vision
The best health for South Australians.
Our Mission:
SA Health will lead and deliver a comprehensive and sustainable health system that aims to ensure healthier, longer and better lives for all South Australians.
We will achieve our aims by:
- strengthening primary health care
- enhancing hospital care
- reforming mental health care
- improving the health of Aboriginal people.
- commitment to a health system that produces positive health outcomes by focusing on health promotion, illness prevention and early intervention.
We will work with other government agencies and the community to address the environmental, socioeconomic, biological and behavioural determinants of health and to achieve equitable health outcomes for all South Australians.
The South Australian Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2020 – 2025
The Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2020 – 2025 informs the work, priorities and direction for the public health system. This direction emphasises the importance of keeping people healthy and refocuses our energy on prevention, promotion and early intervention initiatives, as well as expanding our service capacity in community settings to support people to avoid unnecessary interactions with the hospital sector.
Building on the previous SA Health Strategic Plan 2017 – 2020, there is a stronger focus on delivering better public health services to the community. It supports greater accountability at the local service level, delivery of more out-of-hospital services and greater emphasis on investing in the right areas to reduce the pressures on the health system.
The strategy comes from deep analysis of our current and growing demands, along with extensive community and stakeholder consultation and seeks to inform the work of DHW, the 10 LHNs, Statewide Clinical Support Services, SAAS, Prison Health and DASSA.
As our State grows we will move to a health system that is innovative and where technology and research is valued and supported. It will also recognise and accommodate our people’s diversity to ensure that outcomes are measured and transparently reported. The health workforce will be appropriately trained, motivated and supported to deliver exemplary services to communities. The Strategy sets out our intention to build these capabilities quickly.
We are committed to a flexible, agile implementation that will be measured and adapted to ensure we deliver on our commitments to all South Australians.
Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2020 - 2025
Central Adelaide Local Health Network
Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN) is South Australia’s largest health network, covering almost 30% of the South Australian population.
We deliver public health services through two major Adelaide hospitals and a range of rehabilitation and mental health facilities. We also deliver specialised community and clinical support services across SA.
Our ambition is to shape the future of health in South Australia through world-class care and world-class research. This is key to achieving our vision of becoming one of the top five performing health services in Australia and one of the top 50 performing health services in the world.
We support the health and well-being of the South Australian community through our world-leading sites and specialised community and clinical support services.
Our services not only cater for the health needs of residents from Adelaide’s eastern, central and western metropolitan areas, our highly specialised capabilities also provide world-class care to people from rural and remote regions, as well as interstate and overseas.
Our statewide clinical support services include Breastscreen SA, SA Dental, SA Pathology, SA Medical Imaging and SA Pharmacy and our community health services include, SA Prison Health and Donate Life SA.
Explore all our sites and services.
Our Vision
To shape the future of health with world-class care and world-class research - to become one of the top-five-performing health services in Australia and one of the top-50-performing health services in the world within five years.
Values
Our values and behaviours were defined by our workforce and are the core principles we are all expected to abide by. They reflect our network’s aspirations for appropriate workplace behaviour and will play a role in helping build a positive workplace culture. The values and behaviours are our ‘being’ and help us remain true to our purpose – giving our patients the best possible care.
Role Specification
The Executive Director, SA Pathology is accountable to the Group Executive Director, Statewide Clinical Support Services for the delivery of a high-quality, efficient and effective diagnostic and associated clinical services to both public and private markets.
The Executive Director is responsible for the overall strategic and operational management and performance of SA Pathology across all public health campuses within SA Health.
The Executive Director will actively participate in health service planning and ensure sustainable strategic relationships are maintained across the SA Health care system and with relevant stakeholder organisations in the provision of pathology services.
The Executive Director will act, when required, as the spokesperson for SA Health on matters related to SA Pathology.
Strategic Planning and Leadership:
- Developing and maintaining an effective strategic plan for SA Pathology.
- Support the provision of effective services for the South Australian community for public and private pathology testing consistent with relevant government policies.
- Providing strategic leadership of all public sector pathology laboratories and ensuring that the goals and standards of the organisation are maintained, including the provision of best practice diagnostic services to public and private customers, high-quality clinical services, teaching and research in accordance with professional standards.
- Directing operations through the line management of discipline and site-based pathology services to ensure the delivery of a high-quality, cost efficient and effective pathology service that is managed within budget and resource allocations.
- Leading the development of a strategic research plan to co-ordinate and focus the research activities of the state-wide service.
Organisational Development:
- Lead, develop and foster a positive work culture which is based on SA Health’s values and promotes customer service, learning and development, safety, and welfare of employees, acknowledges differences, and encourages creativity and innovation.
- Foster and strengthen ongoing relationships between the Department of Health and Wellbeing, Local Health Networks, and other health entities.
- Contribute to the delivery of an integrated health care system through:
- Providing high quality executive level advice to the Group Executive Director, Statewide Clinical Support Services, Chief Executive Officers of Local Health Networks, and other senior staff across SA Health
- Development and maintenance of effective relationships with service providers, key organisations, and stakeholders both within and outside SA Health, including the various media outlets, community groups and industrial organisations.
Policy and Planning:
- Ensuring that corporate policies, plans, programs and targets are monitored and achieved effectively.
- Developing and monitoring service level agreements in relation to the responsiveness of SA Pathology services with each Local Health Network.
- Ensuring services provided by SA Pathology are consistent with the policies of the Government and in accordance with the Code of Ethics for South Australian Public Sector and all other relevant policies.
Service Management:
- Fostering a style of management, at all levels, across SA Pathology which optimises the development of staff and the utilisation of human and financial resources.
- Strengthening ongoing relationships between Local Health Networks across SA Health and with internal and external stakeholders.
Financial and Asset Management:
- Developing and implementing key performance indicators, which includes financial metrics; service efficiency and effectiveness metrics; referrer satisfaction measures, quality and safety metrics and benchmarking.
- Significantly contribute to budget preparation, monitoring and reporting and adherence to resources allocations.
- Ensure that service provision and related activities are customer focussed 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 business partners and external clients.
- Development of Service Level Agreements with the Local Health Networks which meet the needs of clinical service delivery for the Networks.
This role will report directly to the Group Executive Director, Statewide Clinical Support Services.
Key Relationships / Interactions:
Internal
- The Executive Director, SA Pathology will report to the Group Executive Director, Statewide Clinical Support Services.
- The Executive Director, SA Pathology will work collaboratively with the Clinical Services Director, SA Pathology.
- The Executive Director, SA Pathology will have strategic and operational relationship with SA Pathology Executive Management, which will provide operational and performance advice in the deliver of the pathology services.
- The Executive Director has line management responsibility for all non-medical staff of SA Pathology services.
External
- The Executive Director will have strategic and operational relationships with metropolitan and country Local Heath Networks, senior officers throughout the health service, other Government agencies (State and Commonwealth) and key stakeholder organisations.
- The Executive Director will have a close working relationship with the Department of Health, to ensure that SA Pathology services facilitates the safe and cost-effective use of pathology testing in South Australia, through promoting the quality use of pathology services.
Major challenges currently associated with the role include:
- Lead SA pathology services in a period of unprecedented change and reform.
- Building a culture that promotes respectful conduct, high standard clinical care, safety, quality and innovation and ensures that all accreditation requirements are delivered.
- Influence and provide leadership to senior clinical and SA Pathology staff to improve SA Pathology patient care, performance, and continuous improvement.
- 1.Demonstrated executive level or senior experience as it relates to implementing complex change.
- 2.Experience in budget management and achieving financial targets in complex organisations with a wide range of competing priorities.
- 3.Experience in providing leadership in a complex multi-disciplinary organisation in a climate of continuing change, increasing the effectiveness and accountability of the organisation and/or programs.
- 4.Experience in policy, strategic planning, and innovative program development at a senior level, preferably in a public sector pathology services related area.
- 5.Experience in program evaluation and continuous improvement activities.
- 6.Experience in the management of commercial/business contracts.
- 7.Knowledge of the strategic issues relevant to the management of an Australian health system.
- 8.A demonstrated awareness of the political and socio-economic sensitivities that impact on the planning, development, funding, delivery and management of health services.
- 9.An understanding of emerging directions with health services, nationally and internationally.
- 10.Knowledge of the Public Sector Management aims, personnel management standards and employee conduct standards, in particular Equal Employment and Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare.
Desirable:
Exeperience:
- Experience in leadership in a commercial health operations environment.
Knowledege:
- Knowledge of issues related to delivery of health care in rural and remote areas.
The incumbent must have a tertiary or other qualification relevant to management, governance, or research.
- Annual Budget: $320 Million
- Staffing: 1600 FTE
This role is a SAES 1 on a 3 year Executive Contract.
Service Location: Adelaide
Classification: SAES 1
The closing date for applications is Wednesday, 1st October 2025
The reference number to include in your application is H25_5257
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: M: +61 (0)417 882 900 / E: bhammat@hardygroupintl.com
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 (0)401 122 301
E. ntirado@hardygroupintl.com
ABOUT US
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