Job Description

• Better and fairer care. Always.

• Exciting opportunity to further enhance our cardiovascular capabilities

• High profile, clinical leadership career development opportunity

Better and fairer care.  Always.

St Vincent's has been a leader in Australia's health and aged care landscape for more than 165 years. Since our founders, the Sisters of Charity, opened our first hospital in 1857, our services and people have been behind some of Australia's most important medical breakthroughs. We are a microcosm of our Australia’s health and aged care system and are uniquely positioned to lead and respond to our rapidly changing environment.

The Opportunity

Director of Cardiothoracic Surgery, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne

St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne (SVHM) is seeking an exceptional clinical leader to serve as Director of Cardiothoracic Surgery. This pivotal role will guide the strategic and operational direction of the Cardiothoracic Surgery Unit, building on its reputation as one of Australia’s leading cardiac surgery services.

Reporting to the Clinical Program Director – Specialty Services, with operational oversight from the General Manager – Specialty Services, the Director will lead a high-performing team in delivering world-class, patient-centred care. This role is also positioned to influence the development and integration of cardiovascular services across the broader SVHM network and affiliated institutions.

Located on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri people, SVHM is committed to advancing cardiovascular care through innovation, collaboration, and clinical excellence. The Director will be a central figure in fostering multidisciplinary partnerships, advancing research and education, and contributing to the national cardiac surgery agenda through active participation in key forums and professional networks.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide overall clinical and strategic leadership of the Cardiothoracic Surgery Unit, ensuring the delivery of safe, high-quality, and timely care

• Maintain a balanced clinical workload, supporting departmental goals and hospital-wide performance targets such as ‘Treat in Time’ and elective surgery benchmarks

• Implement robust clinical governance systems, promoting a safety and learning culture that encourages incident reporting and continuous improvement

• Ensure departmental compliance with the National Standards and Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) accreditation requirements

• Develop and nurture productive working relationships across departments, research institutes, and academic partners to enhance interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation

• Lead and contribute to undergraduate and postgraduate education, clinical teaching, and ongoing professional development within the department

• Champion the department’s research agenda in collaboration with academic partners, including the Aikenhead Centre for Medical Discovery

• Provide mentorship, supervision, and professional development for all departmental staff, including consultants, registrars, nursing, and administrative teams

About You

You are an experienced and credentialed Cardiothoracic Surgeon with a demonstrated record of clinical excellence, strategic insight, and collaborative leadership. You bring a patient-first approach, a commitment to continuous improvement, and the capacity to lead within a complex, multidisciplinary environment. Your ability to inspire, innovate, and build partnerships will be central to your success.

Why Join Us

As one of Australia’s leading cardiac surgery centres, SVHM offers a dynamic environment with access to advanced research and innovation platforms, including the Aikenhead Centre for Medical Discovery. This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of cardiothoracic care at a time of significant growth and transformation.

Selection Criteria

When formalising your application, please consider the following selection criteria:

• Appointees must be legally qualified medical practitioners, registered or registrable with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)

• Hold Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of Surgeons

• Fulfil the “Continuous Professional Development” Program requirements for the Royal Australian College of Surgeons

• Leadership qualities with proven ability to direct, enthuse and encourage teams of clinicians, researchers and support staff

• Excellent qualities as a clinician and excellent communication skills with patients and colleagues

• Teaching commitment and skills in the areas of undergraduate, postgraduate, and continuing medical education

• Commitment to and participation in ongoing Quality Improvement in clinical, hospital services and business activities

• Commitment to and participation in continuing professional development activities

• Involvement in wider hospital/community activities

Whilst not critical to this appointment, evidence of a high-level achievement in research activity by holding a higher degree in research (MS, MD, PhD, DMedSci), scholarly publications and other activities will be well regarded.

At St Vincent’s, we share a common purpose: to ensure that every person - regardless of who they are or where they come from - receives compassionate, high-quality care within a health and aged care system that is fair, inclusive, and equitable. We are committed to supporting not only our patients and clients, but also the dedicated staff and volunteers who deliver this care every day. Together, we strive to strengthen the health and wellbeing of the diverse communities we serve, now and into the future.

Pre-Employment Checks

Your employment is conditional upon the completion of all role-required pre-employment checks, including relevant immunisations.

Equal Opportunity

We celebrate diversity & inclusion and are committed to equal employment opportunity for everyone.

How To Apply

Please submit your application via the Apply Now button, including your resume and cover letter.

Screening and shortlisting applications may commence prior to application closing date.

For further enquiries please contact either Warren Tewkesbury (Talent Transformation Lead) on 0421 569 213 / warren.tewkesbury@svha.org.au or email TalentHealthVIC@svha.org.au for a copy of the full position description.

Respectfully, no recruitment agencies.

Please see below for a copy of the full position description.

1.THE ORGANISATION AND OUR MISSIONJOB IS FROM: italents.netVIEW

St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne (SVHM) is a leading teaching, research, and tertiary health service, employing more than 7,000 staff across 18 sites throughout Melbourne.

As part of St Vincent’s Health Australia, the nation’s largest not-for-profit Catholic health and aged care network, SVHM delivers a broad range of adult clinical services. These include acute medical and surgical care, sub-acute services, rehabilitation, medical diagnostics, allied health, mental health, palliative care, correctional health, and community residential care.

SVHM's mission is to provide high quality and efficient health services to the people of Victoria in accordance with the philosophy of St Vincent’s Health Australia.  This mission is based on the values of compassion, justice, integrity and excellence. 

The Cardiothoracic Surgery Unit at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne (SVHM) is one of the oldest and most respected units in Australia, with a rich history dating back to the early 1970s. Originally part of the combined Melbourne University unit, which predates cardiac surgery programs at the RMH and Austin Hospitals, the unit has long been a leader in both cardiac and thoracic surgery, known for its high-quality care and expertise.

The unit is a leading tertiary referral service and performs over 400 cardiac surgeries annually, specializing in coronary bypass graft surgery, cardiac valve surgery, aortic surgery, and complex re-operations for recurrent cardiac disease. Additionally, more than 250 major thoracic surgeries are conducted each year. The team, consisting of 11 surgeons, operates across 23 cardiac surgery sessions and 7 thoracic surgery sessions per fortnight, providing comprehensive, patient-centred care in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

Post-operative care is provided initially in the intensive care unit, followed by transfer to the Cardiothoracic Ward (Ward 4 East) for ongoing recovery and monitoring. With 24 beds in the ward, the unit handles a high patient turnover, ensuring that our team remains at the cutting edge of surgical practices and patient care.

Key roles within the unit include the Cardiothoracic Perioperative Surgical Nurse Assistant (PNSA), who supports the surgical team by ensuring operations are performed safely and efficiently. The PNSA assists with exposure, haemostasis, and technical tasks such as open and endoscopic conduit harvesting (EVH) for coronary artery bypass grafting, while also contributing to the education and training of Junior Medical staff in the operating theatre.

The Cardiothoracic Surgical Nurse Consultant Nurse Coordinator plays a vital role in the multidisciplinary team, coordinating and managing patient care across the continuum. This role focuses on improving waiting list management, streamlining the elective admission process, and reducing length of stay, ensuring smooth transitions from preoperative to postoperative care and optimizing patient flow.

As a teaching unit, we are deeply committed to educating the next generation of surgeons. We train two Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) accredited trainees each year, with additional registrars based on demand, while fostering an environment of collaboration for medical students, residents, and fellows. The unit also participates in regular multidisciplinary meetings to plan the care of cardiac and thoracic patients, ensuring the best possible outcomes for our patients.

In addition, the Cardiothoracic Unit houses a highly successful and innovative Research Unit, which remains at the forefront of exploring new treatment options. Research efforts include trials for advanced treatments to improve outcomes for patients with early and late-stage lung cancers, as well as post-cardiac surgery studies, contributing to the continuous advancement of medical practices and patient care.

The Director of Cardiothoracic will provide professional and clinical leadership to the Department whilst meeting agreed operational, service delivery and financial performance targets. The successful applicant will ensure high quality healthcare is delivered through exceptional leadership and knowledge across all aspects of the Cardiothoracic unit.

The Director will have a demonstrated ability to work as part of a dynamic inter-disciplinary team showing effective communication skills and the capacity to liaise professionally, and collegiately with both internal and external stakeholder groups. Suitable candidates will have extensive leadership experience, including high-level skills and knowledge across all aspects of Cardiothoracic surgery.

Clinical Service Provision:

• Overall responsibility for the provision of quality clinical services by staff in the Department

• Head of Department will maintain an appropriate clinical load to help achieve the goals of the Department and organisational targets including Treat in Time and reducing the number of long waiting patients on the elective surgery waiting list

• Develop and implement relevant clinical policies and procedures pertaining to the Department

• Ensure Department staff actively participate in relevant quality improvement meetings and forums including Senior Medical Staff meetings

• Implement systems to identify and manage risks and to deal with and learn from incidents and complaints. Promote a culture that supports learning and encourages reporting of errors

• Lead regular Department of Cardiothoracic audit meetings, as well as weekly peer review clinical meetings

• Ensure the Department meets the requirements of National Standards of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons

• Ensure the bi-weekly Cardiac Case Conference meetings function effectively for the unit

• Ensure that collaborations between the Cardiology, Intensive Care, Anaesthetic departments and other clinical services deliver an integrated service

• Ensure clinical care is undertaken within established procedures to provide safe clinical care for patients/residents, ensuring clinical risk is minimised

• Ensure clinical staff always work within their approved scope of practice and with appropriate supervision

• Ensure all clinical staff maintain their clinical registration and any required indemnity cover

• Ensure all junior clinical staff are appropriately supervised by senior clinical staff and trained to provide safe clinical care

• Ensure all staff attend necessary training that enhances safety and quality of clinical care

• Implement all facets of the SVHM safety and clinical quality programme within clinical area managed

• Collaborate with senior levels of management to implement the SVHM safety and quality agenda

• Provide feedback to senior management in relation to problems or issues that impact on safety and clinical quality.

Teaching and Education:

• Establish and manage effective working relationships between the Department and other departments, affiliated research bodies and external academic institutions and groups

• Participate in and ensure that the Department’s staff are appropriately involved in teaching activities of the University and Hospital, including medical student teaching as requested by the Clinical School, postgraduate teaching, research training, continuing medical education and nursing education.

• Establish and manage effective working relationships between the Department and other departments, affiliated research bodies and external academic institutions and groups

• Participate in and ensure that the Department’s staff are appropriately involved in teaching activities of the University and Hospital, including medical student teaching as requested by the Clinical School, postgraduate teaching, research training, continuing medical education and nursing education.

• Be responsible (in association with the other senior clinical academic staff) for the coordination and ongoing development of the teaching of Emergency Medicine within St Vincent’s Hospital Clinical School, University of Melbourne Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences. 

• Develop a culture of continuous learning

• Assist in post-graduate teaching and training.

Research:

• Provide leadership and foster excellence in research.

• Work closely with academic colleagues to develop and implement a research strategy for the Department

• Provide leadership and direction in the relevant discipline research including:

• Enhancing the profile, quantum and level of research

• Developing collaborative relationships with other SVHM departments, institutes and external academic bodies in particular University of Melbourne

• Seek external funding for research

• Publishing research papers, particularly in high impact journals

• Encourage presentations at national/international meetings

People Leadership:

• Supervise, train and counsel Department staff including Senior Medical Staff, office staff, HMO’s and/or Registrars and nursing staff allocated to the Cardiothoracic Department

• Participate in the overall appointment process for Senior Medical Staff, Fellows and accredited registrar positions (in conjunction with Training Supervisor)

• Manage the credentialing and scope of practice processes for Senior Medical Staff

• Ensure all those who work in the area managed, undertake an annual performance review and are continually developed to reach their full potential

• Ensure HMO/Registrar performance appraisal system is complied with, including completion of formal midterm and end of rotation assessments for each HMO as requested

• Support the ongoing development of clinical competence of medical staff

• Oversee all medical staff completion of required training as outlined in MyTraining curriculum

• Create relevant succession plans for key staff in the Department and actively manage the plan over time

• Ensure workplace planning is regularly undertaken and implemented to provide for the ongoing resource needs

• Ensure leave is rostered fairly and that employees regularly take leave and do not accumulate excessive leave

• Actively manage individual and team performance to maximise performance and minimise workplace problems and conflict

• Demonstrate commitment to implementation of computer technology including clinical information systems.

• Convene and lead regular Department of Cardiothoracic business meetings to ensure appropriate discussion, dissemination and implementation of professional, training, education, research and service-related business.

Workplace Health and Safety:

• In conjunction with General Manager ensure all health and safety related policies, procedures and directions are complied with

• Ensure all staff behaving professionally and in accordance with the SVHM Code of Conduct and undertake annual Workplace Culture and Equity Training

• Identify and manage workplace risks and hazards and actively assist the return to work of any employee injured at work.

General

• Perform the duties of the position to the best of their ability and to a standard acceptable to SVHM

• Ensure all staff in the Cardiothoracic team comply with all SVHM policies, procedures, by laws and directions

• Display adaptability and flexibility to meet the changing operational needs of the business

Clinical Quality and Safety 

• Ensure clinical care is undertaken within established procedures to provide safe clinical care for patients, ensuring clinical risk is minimised

• Ensure clinical staff always work within their approved scope of practice and with appropriate supervision.

• Ensure all clinical staff maintain their clinical registration and any required indemnity cover

• Ensure all junior clinical staff are appropriately supervised by senior clinical staff and trained to provide safe clinical care

• Implement all facets of the SVHM safety and clinical quality programme

• Provide feedback to more senior management in relation to problems or issues that impact on safety and clinical quality.

Person Centred Care

• Ensure that consumers receive information in an appropriate and accessible format

• Actively support consumers to make informed decisions about their treatment and ongoing care

• Ensure consumers are aware of their rights responsibilities and how to provide feedback

Health and Safety

• Ensure all health and safety related policies, procedures and directions are complied with in the area they manage

• Ensure all staff undertake annual Fire and Emergency Training and comply with fire and emergency procedures  

• Ensure all staff treat others with respect, behaving professionally and in accordance with the SVHM Code of Conduct and undertaking annual Workplace Culture and Equity Training

• Conduct regular safety audits with Health and Safety Representatives and implement required improvements

• As required, comply with fit-testing and PPE requirements

Human Resource Management

• Ensure that workforce planning is regularly undertaken and implemented to provide for the ongoing resource needs of Cardiothoracic

• Ensure recruitment and rostering practices comply with applicable Enterprise Bargaining Agreement and cost effectively delivery of quality services

• Ensure new employees are properly inducted to their local work environment and attend the General Hospital Orientation program

• Ensure all staff undertake an annual performance review and are continually developed to reach their full potential

• Ensure leave is rostered fairly and that employees regularly take leave and do not accumulate excessive leave except where a plan is in place as to when that leave will be taken. 

Financial management

• In conjunction with General Manager Specialty Services to manage budget performance as required including monitoring EFT and expenditure to ensure spending remains within budget allocation

• Manage the budget pertaining to the Department including financial and activity planning and monitor activity levels against the agreed budget and targets

• Set annual budget for SP accounts and actively manage revenue and spend

• Approve CME in accordance with the policy

• Ensure decision making remains within delegated authority

• Contribute to capital planning as required

• Participate in the development of the annual budget allocation for the area managed.

• Appointees must be legally qualified medical practitioners, registered or registrable with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)

• Hold Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of Surgeons

• Fulfil the “Continuous Professional Development” Program requirements for the Royal Australian College of Surgeons

• Leadership qualities with proven ability to direct enthuse and encourage a team of clinicians, researchers and support staff

• Excellent qualities as a clinician and good communication skills with patients and colleagues

• Teaching commitment and skills in the areas of undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing medical education.

• Commitment to and participation in ongoing Quality Improvement in clinical, hospital services and business activities

• Commitment to and participation in continuing professional development activities

• Involvement in wider hospital/community activities

• Evidence of a high-level achievement in research activity by holding a higher degree in research (MS, MD, PhD, DMedSci), scholarly publications and other activities

Closing Date:

Reconciliation Action Plan:

At St Vincent's we acknowledge the importance of creating a work environment that is welcoming, safe, equitable and inclusive for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Employees. As part of our Commitment to Reconciliation and Closing the Gap in employment related outcomes, we encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

For further information, visit https://www.svha.org.au/about-us/reconciliation or get in contact at indigenouscareers@svha.org.au

View Reconciliation Action Plan

Code of Conduct:

View Code of Conduct