Separation Program Director

• Progress with purpose at one of Australia’s largest health care providers
• Get ahead with salary packaging, benefits and professional development in a supportive team environment
• 12 months fixed term opportunity
• Hybrid/ Flexible Working arrangements Available 

We are seeking a Senior Manager / Associate Director to join the Separation & Integration Management Office (SMO), supporting the separation of a standalone business comprising 11 hospitals. Working closely with the SMO Lead as a trusted senior partner, you will help drive the separation forward, provide oversight across the programme and shape how the SMO operates as priorities and requirements evolve. The role combines strategic thinking, governance, analysis, stakeholder management and hands-on delivery, from preparing Board and Executive materials to resolving complex issues and unblocking workstreams.

This is a broad leadership role for someone who thrives in ambiguity, exercises sound judgement and takes ownership of what matters most. You will bring structure to complex situations, identify risks and dependencies, influence senior stakeholders and create alignment and momentum across competing priorities. Acting as an extension of the SMO Lead, you will provide an independent perspective, anticipate issues and step in where needed to keep the separation moving. You will have the opportunity to help shape a high-profile, complex separation from an early stage while playing a practical role in delivering it.

Your main duties will include:

• Partner with the SMO Lead: Act as a trusted senior partner and sounding board, anticipating issues, providing an independent perspective, challenging constructively and taking ownership of agreed actions. Represent the SMO when required and provide additional capacity across key priorities.
• Maintain oversight of the separation: Develop and maintain a strong understanding of the overall separation, including key milestones, dependencies, risks and pressure points. Connect activity across workstreams to identify issues that may not be visible within individual functions.
• Drive priorities and delivery: Translate ambiguity into clear, practical plans. Establish priorities, clarify ownership, resolve blockers and maintain momentum when demands compete or the path forward is uncertain.
• Lead governance and executive reporting: Develop high-quality Board, Executive and governance materials that distil complex information into clear messages, risks, decisions and actions. Test the quality and accuracy of reported progress, ensuring governance reflects the underlying reality and supports effective decision-making.
• Build alignment and influence stakeholders: Establish trusted relationships across workstreams, hospital teams, corporate functions and senior stakeholders. Navigate competing perspectives, influence decisions and bring people together around shared priorities.
• Resolve complex issues and escalations: Act as a trusted point of contact when issues are difficult, unclear or stalled. Diagnose the underlying problem, connect the right people, identify practical solutions and drive matters through to resolution.
• Provide hands-on support where needed: Move between strategic oversight and detailed problem-solving, testing assumptions, working through delivery challenges and supporting workstream teams to make progress.
• Identify and manage emerging risks: Proactively identify risks, gaps, inconsistencies and dependencies. Distinguish material issues from background noise and ensure matters are addressed or escalated through the appropriate channels at the right time.
• Shape the evolving SMO operating model: Contribute to the development of the SMO’s governance, reporting, ways of working, information flows and interfaces with workstreams and senior stakeholders as the separation progresses.

You are an experienced, commercially minded leader with strong analytical skills, sound judgement and a bias towards action. You thrive in complex, fast-moving environments, bringing clarity to ambiguity, influencing stakeholders and turning priorities into tangible outcomes.

You bring the following capabilities:

• Judgement and prioritisation: Quickly identify what matters most, make sound decisions and navigate competing priorities.
• Comfort with ambiguity: Create structure and direction in evolving environments without needing a clearly defined remit.
• Constructive challenge: Question assumptions, test progress and raise difficult issues while maintaining strong relationships.
• Stakeholder influence: Build credibility, influence senior stakeholders and align diverse teams without relying on formal authority.
• Leadership and delivery: Create momentum, take ownership and drive outcomes through to completion.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills: Navigate complex information, identify root causes, connect dependencies and resolve issues.
• Executive communication: Translate complex issues into clear, concise insights, recommendations and decisions for senior audiences.
• Pragmatism, initiative and discretion: Take a hands-on approach when needed, act proactively and exercise sound judgement when handling sensitive matters.

Above all, you are someone the SMO Lead can rely on for an independent perspective, constructive challenge and the ability to turn priorities into meaningful progress.

For further information please contact Caitlin ODea, Head of Hospital Integration on Caitlin.ODea@calvarycare.org.au