Job Description

DIRECTOR OF NURSING

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Lead Clinical Excellence. Shape Culture. Transform Aged Care.

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Villaggio Sant'Antonio | Canberra, ACT

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Full-time Executive Leadership Position

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Competitive Executive Remuneration Package

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Villaggio Sant'Antonio is seeking an exceptional and highly influential Director of Nursing to lead our clinical operations, strengthen our clinical governance framework and inspire a culture of excellence, accountability and genuinely person-centred care.

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This is not simply a nursing management position.

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It is an chance for an accomplished clinical executive to shape the future of care within a respected, community-focused aged-care organisation undergoing significant growth and transformation.

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Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer and Deputy Chief Executive Officer, the Director of Nursing will be a key member of the Executive Leadership Team and will work closely with the Board, clinical leaders, employees, residents, families, medical practitioners and external regulators.

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About Villaggio Sant'Antonio

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Villaggio Sant'Antonio has a proud history of providing high-quality residential aged care and retirement living services to Canberra's Italian and broader multicultural community.

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Our organisation is built upon dignity, respect, compassion, cultural connection and a deep commitment to the wellbeing of every resident.

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As the aged-care sector enters a new era of rights-based, transparent and accountable service delivery, Villaggio is investing in stronger leadership, contemporary systems, workforce capability and clinical excellence.

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We are looking for a Director of Nursing who is ready to lead that journey.

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The Opportunity

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As Director of Nursing, you will have overall executive responsibility for the quality, safety and effectiveness of clinical care across the organisation.

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You will provide visible, decisive and values-based leadership while ensuring that clinical governance is fully integrated with organisational governance, strategic planning, risk management and continuous improvement.

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You will lead a multidisciplinary clinical workforce and establish clear expectations regarding professional practice, accountability, performance, resident outcomes and regulatory compliance.

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Your key priorities will include:

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- Leading the organisation's clinical governance, nursing and care-delivery frameworks.
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- Ensuring full compliance with the Aged Care Act, Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards, professional standards and all relevant legislative requirements.
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- Building a high-performing, accountable and resident-focused clinical culture.
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- Providing strategic and operational leadership to registered nurses, enrolled nurses, care employees, clinical managers and multidisciplinary teams.
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- Strengthening clinical documentation, assessment, care planning, medication management and escalation processes.
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- Leading the organisation's approach to Australian National Aged Care Classification—AN-ACC funding,



ensuring that resident assessments, clinical documentation and care planning accurately reflect each resident's needs and complexity.
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- Working with Finance and operational leaders to analyse clinical revenue, expenditure, workforce costs, agency usage and budget variances.
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- Monitoring clinical indicators, incidents, complaints, restrictive practices, infection prevention, wounds, falls, medication events, deteriorating residents and other areas of clinical risk.
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- Translating clinical data into meaningful improvement strategies and measurable resident outcomes.
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- Establishing strong systems for audits, corrective actions, continuous improvement and regulatory readiness.
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- Supporting the governing body and Executive Leadership Team with accurate, timely and evidence-based clinical reporting.
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- Leading workforce capability development, clinical education, supervision, competency assessment and succession planning.
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- Promoting open disclosure, resident choice, supported decision-making and respectful engagement with families and representatives.
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- Building productive relationships with general practitioners, pharmacists, allied-health professionals, hospitals, regulators and community partners.
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- Leading calmly and decisively through complex clinical matters, complaints, investigations and critical incidents.
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- Championing innovation, technology and contemporary models of aged-care delivery.
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About You

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You will be a credible and highly accomplished nursing leader who combines strong clinical knowledge with executive presence, commercial awareness and the ability to influence people at every level.

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You will not accept minimum standards as the definition of success.

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You will be motivated by the opportunity to build strong teams, improve systems and create an environment where residents receive consistently safe, respectful and exceptional care.

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The successful candidate will demonstrate:

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- Current registration as a Registered Nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia through AHPRA.
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- Significant senior nursing leadership experience within residential aged care, health care or a similarly complex clinical setting.
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- Demonstrated success as a Director of Nursing, Clinical Director, Executive Director of Nursing, Regional Clinical Leader or senior clinical operations leader.
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- Extensive knowledge of contemporary aged-care legislation, clinical governance, quality standards and regulatory requirements.
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- A strong understanding of the responsibilities and accountabilities of approved providers and governing bodies.
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- Proven experience leading organisational change, clinical improvement and workforce transformation.
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- The ability to establish explicit standards, address underperformance and build leadership capability.
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- Strong analytical skills and the ability to interpret clinical data, identify emerging risks and implement sustainable improvements.
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- Demonstrated experience managing serious incidents, complaints, regulatory matters and complex resident or family concerns.
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- Exceptional communication, negotiation and stakeholder-management capabilities.
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- A leadership style that is visible, courageous, respectful and accountable.
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- A genuine commitment to cultural diversity, inclusion and person-centred care.
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- Postgraduate qualifications in nursing leadership, clinical governance, health administration, management or a related discipline will be highly regarded.
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What Will Set You Apart

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We are particularly interested in candidates who can demonstrate that they have:

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- Improved clinical outcomes across a complex aged-care or health service.
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- Successfully led a service through significant regulatory scrutiny, accreditation or organisational transformation.
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- Built a stable and capable nursing workforce in a challenging employment market.
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- Strengthened accountability without compromising compassion or employee engagement.
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- Used data, technology and evidence-based practice to improve care delivery.
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- Developed emerging clinical leaders and created effective succession pathways.
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- Established trusted relationships with residents, families, employees, executives and governing bodies.
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Why Join Villaggio?

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At Villaggio Sant'Antonio, you will have the opportunity to:

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- Hold a genuinely influential executive leadership position.
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- Work directly with the CEO, Deputy CEO and governing body.
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- Shape the organisation's clinical strategy and future model of care.
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- Lead meaningful clinical and cultural transformation.
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- Build and develop a high-performing multidisciplinary workforce.
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- Work within an organisation grounded in community, dignity and cultural connection.
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- You will be supported by an organisation that is committed to investing in its people, strengthening its systems and pursuing excellence rather than settling for compliance alone.
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This Role Is for a Leader Who Is Ready to Make an Impact

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We are seeking more than an experienced clinician.

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We are seeking a courageous, intelligent and compassionate executive who can inspire confidence, establish accountability and lead Villaggio into its next chapter of clinical excellence.

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If you are ready to bring your leadership, judgement and clinical expertise to an organisation where your contribution will be seen, valued and felt, we invite you to apply.

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Villaggio Sant'Antonio is an equal-opportunity employer committed to safeguarding older people and creating a respectful, inclusive and culturally safe environment.

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📌 Director of Nursing (Canberra)
🏢 Villaggio Sant Antonio
📍 Canberra