Lead compassionate, multidisciplinary community care through a period of growth, change and service evolution.
About Karuna
Karuna Hospice Services is a Brisbane-based not-for-profit organisation guided by Buddhist principles of compassion, humility and respect.
For over 30 years we have provided specialist community palliative care, grief and bereavement support, and carer services to individuals and families experiencing life-limiting illness.
Our service model is person-centred, holistic and multidisciplinary, supporting people to remain in their homes wherever possible.
About the Role
Reporting directly to the CEO, the Director of Community Services provides leadership across Karuna's multidisciplinary clinical and community service teams, including nursing, medical, counselling, social work, spiritual care, carers and community support services.
Key responsibilities include:
* Leading multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-quality, person-centred community palliative care
* Supporting workforce capability, culture, engagement and operational stability
* Driving service improvement, strategic initiatives and organisational change
* Strengthening collaboration across clinical and non-clinical functions
* Overseeing service delivery, program development and performance outcomes
* Supporting governance, accreditation and continuous improvement activities
* Building strong relationships with community stakeholders and external partners
* Contributing to strategic planning, sustainability and future service development
This role requires a leader who is visible, collaborative, emotionally intelligent and comfortable navigating complexity and organisational change.
About You
You are the kind of leader who brings calm to complexity.
You know how to lead through change without creating chaos. You communicate clearly, make decisions thoughtfully, and build trust through consistency, authenticity and follow-through.
Karuna has experienced significant growth and organisational change in recent years. We are now focused on stabilising systems, strengthening culture, supporting workforce wellbeing, and embedding sustainable ways of working for the future. We are seeking a leader who can guide teams through this next phase with confidence, empathy and strong relational leadership.
This is not a leadership role that sits behind closed doors. We are looking for someone who is visible, present and connected; a leader who builds genuine relationships with staff, understands the realities of frontline work, and actively contributes to a positive, psychologically safe workplace culture.
You will genuinely value people and understand that caring for our workforce is just as important as caring for patients and families. Staff wellbeing, engagement and sustainable service delivery are critical priorities of this role.
You are collaborative by nature and understand that strong leadership is not about having all the answers, it is about bringing people with you. You are also highly capable operationally and strategically, comfortable balancing compassion with accountability while supporting teams through change and growth.
Most importantly, you lead with humility, kindness, respect and courage.
Qualifications
* Significant leadership experience within healthcare, community services, palliative care, aged care, mental health or not-for-profit environments
* Tertiary qualifications in nursing, allied health, psychology, social work, health management or a related discipline
* Proven experience leading multidisciplinary teams within complex service environments
* Strong change management capability, including supporting teams through organisational growth, transition or service transformation
* A strong clinical or healthcare background, with experience leading within health or community provider settings (current clinical registration not essential)
* Demonstrated commitment to workforce wellbeing, psychologically safe leadership and positive team culture
* A visible, relational and emotionally intelligent leadership style
* Strong operational and strategic capability, including service improvement and sustainability
* Experience using data and operational insights to inform decision-making and service delivery improvements
* Excellent stakeholder engagement and relationship-building skills
* Strong understanding of governance, quality improvement, accreditation and risk management frameworks
* Experience within aged care or not-for-profit services
* Postgraduate qualifications in leadership, management or related field
What We Offer
* A senior leadership opportunity within a highly respected specialist palliative care service
* The opportunity to lead and support a passionate multidisciplinary community services team
* Meaningful work contributing to compassionate, person-centred care for patients and families
* The ability to influence service delivery, organisational improvement and strategic direction
* Flexible work arrangements, including an inner-Brisbane office location and some work-from-home flexibility
* A values‐driven organisation committed to kindness, respect, humility and courage
* Opportunities to contribute to service innovation, growth and continuous improvement
* Access to Employee Assistance Program (EAP) support services
* Not-for-profit salary packaging benefits
Diversity & Inclusion
Karuna is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive and culturally safe workplace. We strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from LGBTQIA+ communities, people with disability, and people from diverse cultural backgrounds.
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