About Northern Health:

As an organisation we have a clear focus on how we service and partner with our community, including our strategy of helping the community stay well when at home. Our reputation of community minded, inclusive and progressive is matched to none.

Northern Health is located in the rapidly growing northern suburbs with projected growth the biggest in the state. With a booming, culturally rich and diverse community, and less than an hour’s drive from the CBD, Melbourne’s North is fast becoming the place to be!

Northern Health are seeking applications for a motivated and suitably experienced Chief Operating Officer.

About Northern Health:
Northern Health is the major provider of acute, maternity, sub-acute, mental health, specialist, community and home-based services in Melbourne’s rapidly growing outer north.

Services are provided through our five main campuses:
Northern Hospital Epping, Broadmeadows Hospital, Bundoora Centre, Craigieburn Centre, and Kilmore District Hospital. In addition, Mental Health Services are provided at Epping, Broadmeadows, Jacana, Preston, Mill Park and Coburg.

About the Role:
Northern Health is a leading provider of health services to a diverse community within a rapidly expanding catchment area, projected to grow by 50-53% by 2036. We have created an environment that fosters collaboration, innovation, and efficiency, all while delivering high-quality care through our commitment to research, education, and our core values of safe, kind, and together.

As we continue to grow, so too does our workforce, with over 9,200 staff and a $1.1 billion revenue for FY23-24. We provide services across five main campuses—Northern Hospital Epping, Broadmeadows Hospital, Bundoora Centre, Craigieburn Centre, and Kilmore District Hospital (following successful voluntary amalgamation in late 2023). Our Emergency Department treats over 116,000 patients annually, and we are expanding services such as the Statewide Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED), which now cares for 200,000 patients yearly. Mental health services have grown significantly, now available at Epping, Broadmeadows, Jacana, Preston, Mill Park, and Coburg.

We are seeking a dynamic and accomplished Chief Operating Officer (COO) to lead and manage our diverse operations and integrated hospital services.

The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in continuing to shape Northern Health’s Operational culture.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership across Northern Health’s operations, ensuring the delivery of high-quality and efficient patient care.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, focusing on operational excellence, patient safety, and employee engagement.
• Manage and develop key hospital operations, ensuring alignment with Northern Health’s strategic vision and values.
• Ensure ongoing operational sustainability while embracing innovation and leveraging emerging healthcare trends.

To be successful in this role you will have:

• Extensive experience in operational leadership within a large and complex healthcare setting.
• Proven success in managing hospital operations, access, and service delivery.

Next Steps . . .
If this opportunity sounds like the next step in your career, then we would love to hear from you.
For further details, please refer to the Position Description. Alternatively, you can contact for a confidential discussion about this exciting opportunity, please contact Michelle Fenwick at michelle.fenwick@nh.org.au

Join us at Northern Health, where together, we lead, innovate, and provide exceptional care to our growing community.

Applications close 13 December 2024

Why work at the Northern Health?


We offer a range of benefits to support and reward staff both personally and professionally, which includes:

• Health and Wellbeing programs, including our ‘Thrive’ program
• Flexibility in the workplace and extra leave options and support
• An inclusive and culturally safe space
• State of the art facilities and campus partnerships
• A commitment to ongoing professional development through our ‘Learning Labs’
• Access to salary packaging, EAP and our online library

Work with us! Northern Health is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce which reflects the community we serve. Applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, as well as applicants who are LGBTIQ+, who have different abilities, or are from culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds are encouraged.

All employees of Northern Health must comply with the health service’s Staff Health / Workforce Immunisation procedure (as amended from time to time) together with any relevant State Government and Departmental directives. This requires all employees to be vaccinated for various diseases such as, but not limited to influenza.