Director Quality and Patient Safety
* Full time, Fixed Term role until 28 December 2026
* Parkville location with flexible, hybrid working
* Salary Range: $150,000 - $160,000 + salary packaging + super + 5 weeks annual leave
About Peter Mac
The Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre (Peter Mac) is a Victorian public health service and a world-leading comprehensive cancer centre, dedicated to excellence across clinical care, research and education. We are home to Australia's largest cancer research enterprise and provide treatment to around 40,000 people with cancer each year. Welcoming staff from diverse backgrounds and experiences is integral to fostering innovation and compassion, and delivering the best possible cancer care for our patients.
About the team
The Quality and Patient Safety Department plays a critical role in ensuring Peter Mac delivers safe, high-quality care. The team works collaboratively across the organisation to implement clinical governance frameworks, manage risk, and drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance patient outcomes.
About the role
The Acting Director, Quality and Patient Safety is responsible for providing strategic leadership to the Quality and Patient Safety department at Peter Mac. This role provides an important opportunity to advance our patient safety functions, strengthen our governance processes and support Peter Mac's commitment to delivering safe, high quality care. The successful applicant will work closely with clinical and operational leaders to oversee incident management and support the functions that contribute to Peter Mac's World's Best Cancer Care Framework. They will also play a key role in the Executive Quality and Safety Committee and the Peter Mac Board Quality Committee.
A regular day will see you:
* Lead organisational quality and safety initiatives and monitor KPIs
* Analyse data and provide insights to inform decision-making
* Prepare reports for the Board and Executive Quality and Safety Committees and external bodies
* Mentor and coach staff to strengthen capability in quality and safety
* Oversee incident management, complaints processes, and risk registers
About you
You are a strategic leader with exceptional interpersonal and communication skills. You thrive in complex healthcare environments and have a passion for driving continuous improvement in patient care.
You'll bring with you:
* AHPRA registration and a Master's degree in Business or related field desirable
* Extensive experience in quality, safety and risk programs within healthcare
* Strong knowledge of NSQHS standards and accreditation processes
* High-level analytical, problem-solving and project management skills
* Ability to build partnerships and influence at all levels
Our benefits
* Up to $11,660 in salary packaging to increase your take-home pay
* Discounted health insurance and eye care
* Comprehensive health and wellbeing program
* Professional development pathways and career opportunities
* Five weeks annual leave, 17.5% leave loading, monthly ADOs and purchased leave options
* Flexible, hybrid working arrangements
Inclusion and belonging
Peter Mac celebrates, values and supports a diverse and inclusive environment. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, LGBTQIA+, culturally and linguistically diverse individuals, people with disability, and people of all ages.
Join us
If you feel this role is right for you, we warmly invite you to apply. For a confidential discussion, please contact Jenny McAteer via email or phone
Application closing date: 11:59pm Monday 05 January 2026.
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Position Summary
The Director Quality and Safety will lead and manage the Peter Mac, Quality and Safety Program. This includes providing strategic direction and assistance with the refinement and review of our clinical governance framework to ensure best practice across all parts of the organization and safe quality care to our consumers. This includes adaptation to address the new requirements of Safer Care Victoria.
Enterprise Agreement
Health and Allied Services, Managers and Administrative Workers (Victorian Public Sector) (Single Interest Employers) Enterprise Agreement
Classification or Salary Range
HS6
Immunisation Risk Category
Immunisation Category B
Key Relationships
Internal
* CEO
* CMO
* Executive team
* Managers and Department Heads
* Community Advisory Committee
External
* Quality and Risk Managers Victoria
* Department of Community Services
* Victorian Quality Council
Education
Master of Business
Skills
Essential Requirements
* Three or more years' experience in the development and implementation of Quality, Safety and Risk programs for a large multifaceted health care organization.
* High level of interpersonal and communication skills
* Significant experience in preparing a health service to undertake accreditation: knowledge of the NSQHS framework and standards to be achieved.
* Demonstrated knowledge of quality management
* Experience in leading cross functional working groups and project management
* Ability to exercise judgment and apply analytical skills
* Understanding of clinical risk issues
* Excellent interpersonal and written skills, with the capacity to work closely with members of the Board, executives and senior clinical personnel.
* Knowledge of current trends in health service provision (policies, health care delivery systems, relevant standards and health care funding arrangements).
Desirable Requirements
* Post Graduate qualifications in Management; Masters Business (Organisation Change & Consulting)
Certifications, Licenses & Registrations
Key Accountabilities
Key Accountabilities
Demonstrated by / Key Performance Indicators
1. Work with staff individually or in teams to collect information that impacts on quality and safety
* Leadership of KPI monitoring and reporting framework
2. Analyse data within an organizational context; to make sense of the information with individuals and teams to allow collective thinking and open public discussion.
* Assist in the preparation of the Board Quality Committee agenda and reporting
3. Bring to open issues that are not formally discussed to enable better decision making
* Evidence that the Clinical Governance Framework has been implemented and is functional across the organisation.
4. Provide mentoring and coaching for staff to strengthen staff ability to take up authority and responsibility in their roles
* Provision of regular reports to Peter Mac Quality committees, staff meetings and forums.
5. Actively promote a culture and an environment conducive to continuous improvement of patient care and service delivery through:
* Participation in committees
* Provision of education on quality, safety and risk
* Facilitation of multidisciplinary process improvement teams
* DHS and external reporting requirements are met.
* Lead the development of the Peter Mac's DHS Annual Quality of Care Report.
* Centralized document control processes, which oversee the development, approval and distribution procedures for Peter Mac policies and procedures is in place.
6. Implement and oversee an effective clinical risk program
Evidence that there are -
* Incident management and reporting systems.
* Complaints management process and reporting.
* Clinical risk management structures and accountability frameworks are in place and operational.
* Maintenance of Clinical Risk Register.
7. Coverage of portfolios including volunteer programs, transfusion support, infection prevention and radiation safety
Key Accountabilities (Contd..)
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For further information about this opportunity, click Apply to be redirected to the Peter Mac Careers page where you can review the position profile. Alternatively, please contact us for a confidential discussion.
Peter Mac is a child safe organisation and has a commitment to child safety and wellbeing.
WHY WORK FOR PETER MAC
* Peter Mac offer a range of benefits which support our people both personally and professionally.
* Our staff benefits include award winning facilities, professional development and events, a health and wellbeing program, flexible work practices and policies and financial benefits such as salary packaging.
* We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, all members of the LGBTQI community and people with a disability.