Senior Director, Office of the Chief Executive

• Join a high-performing, contemporary Executive Team playing a central role in a once in a generation new Women’s and Children’s Hospital development.
• Lead corporate governance, assurance and enterprise coordination across a complex statewide health service, advising on Ministerial, Cabinet and system priorities
• Live and work in one of the world’s most liveable cities with beautiful beaches, world class festivals and sporting events, premium food and wine regions, and an easy commute that supports better work-life balance.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Women’s and Children’s Health Network (WCHN) is South Australia’s principal provider of specialist paediatric, obstetric, neonatal and gynaecological services and the lead agency for Child and Adolescent Mental Health. It delivers acute, sub-acute and community-based services across the continuum of care and supports families not only from South Australia, but also from the Northern Territory, Far West New South Wales and Western Victoria. WCHN is entering a significant period of transformation, anchored by the development of a new Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the Senior Director, Office of the CEO (OCEO) is a key member of the Executive Team and plays a central role in ensuring WCHN operates with strong governance, political confidence and strategic alignment to Government priorities. The role sits at the nexus of senior leadership, Ministerial engagement, Board governance, media relations and enterprise coordination.

Based in Adelaide, this is a rare opportunity to occupy a highly influential senior leadership position within a large and complex health system, supporting delivery of government commitments, major reform initiatives and the Network’s long-term strategic agenda. The role is critical in enabling the CEO and Executive team to operate effectively in a dynamic, high-scrutiny environment.

THE ROLE

The Senior Director, OCEO provides strategic leadership of the Office of the CEO and acts as a principal advisor to the Chief Executive Officer on governance, political and system matters. The role ensures WCHN has robust assurance frameworks, disciplined governance processes and a coordinated, high-quality interface with Government.

Key elements of the role include:

• Leading and overseeing all Ministerial, Cabinet and Parliamentary business, including briefings, correspondence, Question Time, Estimates and delivery of election commitments.
• Acting as the central point of coordination for WCHN’s engagement with the Minister’s Office, Department for Health and Wellbeing and central agencies.
• Providing authoritative advice to the CEO and Executive on political context, system impacts, emerging risks and Government priorities.
• Leading contemporary corporate governance and Board secretariat functions, including driving high-quality decision-making, accountability and assurance.
• Providing strategic, operational and reputational advice to the CEO on complex, sensitive and high-risk matters.
• Overseeing media and communications strategy, including proactive engagement and crisis communications, to protect and enhance organisational reputation.
• Supporting executive alignment, enterprise coordination and effective delivery across strategic initiatives and organisational priorities.
• Leading and developing a high-performing Office of the CEO team, including Corporate Governance and Media and Communications functions.

The role requires exceptional judgement, discretion and the ability to operate confidently at the intersection of healthcare delivery, public administration and political accountability.

THE CANDIDATE

The successful candidate will be a highly experienced senior leader with a proven track record operating in complex public sector or healthcare environments and advising at the most senior levels.

In addition to meeting the essential criteria outlined in the role description, the ideal candidate will bring:

• Strong political and system acumen, with deep experience navigating Ministerial, Cabinet and Parliamentary processes.
• Demonstrated leadership in corporate governance, Board support and enterprise assurance frameworks.
• The credibility, confidence and interpersonal skills to partner closely with the CEO, Executive team, Board, Department for Health and Wellbeing, Minister’s Office, and other external stakeholders.
• Exceptional analytical capability and sound judgement when dealing with sensitive, high-risk and high-profile issues.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, including experience in media relations and communications.
• A collaborative, enterprise mindset with the ability to integrate strategy, policy, operations and political intelligence.
• A commitment to values-based leadership, integrity, transparency and the delivery of equitable health outcomes.

This is a role for a confident, highly trusted and strategically astute executive who thrives at the centre of decision-making and is motivated by public purpose. It offers the opportunity to significantly influence how one of South Australia’s most important health organisations is governed, positioned and enabled to deliver for the communities it serves.

For a confidential discussion, please get in touch with:

Janine Hammat
​HG Principal Consultant
​M. +61 (0)488 555 858 | E. jhammat@hardygroupintl.com

HOW TO APPLY

The closing date for applications is Friday, 26 June 2026.

The reference number to include in your application is H26_5507.