Lead exceptional clinical services. Build capability. Shape what comes next.

For more than 50 years, The Shepherd Centre has helped children with hearing loss develop the skills and confidence to listen, speak and thrive.

Today, we support more than 900 families across Australia through our specialist early intervention, school-age and family services, our preschools and Hear for You programs. Our reach also extends globally through HearHub, supporting health professionals around the world.

We are now looking for an exceptional Director of Clinical Services to join our Executive Leadership Team and help shape the next chapter of our clinical services.

This is an opportunity for a senior clinical or health service leader who wants to combine purpose with impact — leading quality and practice while building the systems, services and leaders required to deliver exceptional outcomes at scale.

The opportunity

Reporting directly to our CEO, you will provide executive leadership across The Shepherd Centre's clinical services, bringing together clinical excellence, service strategy, workforce capability, operational performance and sustainable growth. As a relatively small, purpose-driven organisation, this is a hands-on executive leadership role. You will set direction and lead through others, but you will also be expected to roll up your sleeves and contribute directly when needed — whether that means working through a service delivery issue, developing a framework, analysing performance, progressing a project or helping turn an idea into something that works in practice.

We are looking for someone who is comfortable moving between the strategic and the practical. You won't simply oversee the work; at times, you will need to get into the detail, solve problems and help deliver it.

You will set the direction for clinical quality, safety, outcomes and practice while ensuring our services are consistent, scalable, accessible and sustainable.

A significant part of the role is also about leading through others — creating clarity, building capable and empowered leaders, using data intelligently and ensuring accountability sits at the right level of the organisation.

Your remit will include

- setting organisation-wide direction for clinical quality, governance, safety and outcomes;
- strengthening evidence-based practice, clinical frameworks and consistency across services;
- developing the capability of clinical and operational leaders;
- translating strategy into practical service models and ways of working;
- leading major clinical transformation and service improvement initiatives from concept through to implementation;
- overseeing clinical workforce capability, credentialling, supervision and development;




- using data, utilisation, workforce and financial insights to strengthen service performance;
- identifying and resolving operational barriers that impact quality, access or performance;
- stepping into complex issues when required and helping move them through to resolution;
- supporting innovation, service development and future growth; and
- working alongside the CEO and Executive Leadership Team to influence the broader direction of The Shepherd Centre.

The person we're looking for

We're looking for more than an accomplished clinician. You are likely to have built your career in a complex clinical, health service, hospital, allied health, disability or human services environment, and progressed into significant leadership responsibility.

You understand that great clinical services require more than clinical expertise. You are comfortable bringing together quality, people, access, capacity, utilisation, funding and financial sustainability — and making thoughtful decisions when those priorities intersect.

Most importantly, you are a doer as well as a leader.

You are pragmatic, adaptable and comfortable taking ownership. You don't need layers of infrastructure around you to make progress, and you are willing to move between strategy and execution depending on what the organisation needs.

You know when to delegate and empower others, but you are equally comfortable stepping in, getting into the detail and doing the work when that is what is required to move something forward.

You will bring

- substantial senior leadership experience within a complex service environment;
- a strong understanding of clinical governance, quality, safety and risk;
- experience leading multidisciplinary teams and senior clinical or operational leaders;
- robust operational judgement and the ability to work through service delivery issues in real time;
- the ability to turn strategy into practical, sustainable service delivery;
- experience leading meaningful service transformation and organisational change;
- confidence using performance data, utilisation information and financial insights to make decisions;
- strong commercial and health-service management acumen;
- a practical, solutions-focused approach and willingness to personally drive important pieces of work;
- an empowering leadership style that builds capable,



accountable teams;
- excellent judgement, communication and stakeholder influence; and
- genuine alignment with our values of integrity, courage, compassion, empowerment, creativity and innovation.

A relevant tertiary qualification in a clinical or related discipline is required.

Why The Shepherd Centre?

There is something special about working here. Our people are united by a clear purpose, but we also want The Shepherd Centre to be a place where people have agency, trust and the opportunity to do their best work.

We are a connected organisation where leaders are close to our people, our services and the families we support. That means you can see the impact of your decisions, influence change quickly and genuinely help shape how we work.

You'll join an organisation that is ambitious about its impact and continuing to evolve how we deliver services, develop our people and work together.

We offer

- a 9-day fortnight, supporting genuine work-life balance;
- hybrid working, with 60% of your time onsite and 40% working from home;
- salary packaging benefits available through our not-for-profit status;
- flexible and family-friendly ways of working;
- an organisation that values empowered people and decision-making;
- the opportunity to work alongside passionate, highly skilled multidisciplinary professionals;
- meaningful professional development and leadership opportunities;
- the opportunity to genuinely influence how our services, systems and ways of working evolve;
- a workplace where leaders can make decisions and turn good ideas into action;
- an environment where new ideas and thoughtful challenge are welcomed; and
- above all, work that has a tangible impact on children, young people and their families.

We believe people do their best work when they understand what matters, have the capability and authority to act, and are trusted to deliver.

Make your impact

This is a significant leadership opportunity for someone who wants to help shape not only what excellent clinical care looks like, but how an organisation builds the people, systems and services required to deliver it consistently. If you are an experienced clinical or health service leader who combines high standards, strong judgement, practical delivery and a genuine belief in empowering others, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply with your CV and a brief cover letter outlining what has attracted you to this opportunity and the experience you would bring to The Shepherd Centre.

The Shepherd Centre is a child-safe organisation and an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible workplace where diversity is valued.

📌 Director of Clinical Services (Newtown)
🏢 The Shepherd Centre
📍 Newtown