Director, University Department of Rural Health (NT)

About Flinders

Our bold vision, captured in our Strategic Plan: making a Difference: The 2025 Agenda, is to be internationally recognised as a world leader in research, an innovator in contemporary education, and the source of Australia’s most enterprising graduates.

To realise this ambition, we recently made a significant organisation change to a six College structure with a professional staff and services alignment.

We recognise the key to our success is exceptional people and we’re seeking an outstanding individual to join the team of our transformed university.

Employment Type:

Fixed Term (Fixed Term)

Position Summary

Availability:
Fixed-Term until December 2024 | Full-Time
Compensation Grade:
Academic Level C / Academic Level D
Salary Range:
Level C: $124,109 - $142,764 pa + 17% superannuation + an allowance (to be negotiated)
Level D: $148,986 - $163,910 pa + 17% superannuation + an allowance (to be negotiated)
Reporting to:
Deputy Dean, Rural and Remote Health (NT)
College of Medicine and Public Health
The Director, University Department of Rural Health (NT) is a senior academic and member of the leadership team in the Discipline of Rural and Remote Health in the College of Medicine and Public Health. The Director provides strategic leadership for the nursing and allied health workforce education pipeline in the Northern Territory. This includes but is not limited to the development and implementation of allied health and nursing education specific to recruiting and retaining a nursing and allied health workforce, across the continuum of learning including the implementation of entry-to-practice education, professional development, post graduate education and training and achieving the work integrated learning (placements) and course content deliverables of the Rural Health Multi-Disciplinary Training (RHMT) program.
The Director will be actively involved in community engagement, developing partnership opportunities and promoting activities that aim to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Health consistent with the Rural and Remote Health Strategy 2020.
This balanced academic position, has a primary focus on teaching and research that draws upon contemporary/professional practice, and has an important role to play in the University’s achievement of its strategic plan, Making a Difference: The 2025 Agenda.
The University is committed to a student-centred ethos and to developing creative, enterprising, career-ready graduates prepared to become lifelong contributors to society. In accordance with the strategic plan, the University seeks to:
• deliver a richly interactive and personalised approach to learning focussed on student success;
• be an international leader in educational innovation, advanced learning technologies and learning analytics; and
• develop enterprising graduates equipped with the skills required for success in the knowledge economy.
The position will be responsible for providing sustained leadership in teaching and scholarship of teaching through original and innovative contributions which deliver excellence in teaching and research relating to their area of expertise.
The incumbent will also make a significant contribution to leadership and managerial activities of the College and/or University and be recognised for their contribution to the profession at the local, national and international level. The Director facilitates a culture of academic excellence and fosters positive workplace values and culture.
The Director achieves these teaching, scholarship and community service outcomes by working collaboratively with the Dean and Deputy Deans Rural and Remote Health, the Deans of Education and Teaching Program Directors in the relevant Flinders Colleges, Director Poche SA+NT and fellow members of the Rural and Remote Health Leadership team across the Australian Central Corridor including Program, Regional Directors and senior researchers.
The Director will also collaborate with local and national stakeholders to ensure that existing and new work integrated learning initiatives support and deliver a multidisciplinary workforce well suited and prepared for rural and remote practice in the Northern Territory.

Key Position Responsibilities

Responsibilities of the Director have a focus on nursing, midwifery and allied health programs leadership and innovation, including:

• Providing academic leadership and management of the Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training (RHMT) funded University Department of Rural Health (UDRH) programs that considers the context of remote and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.

• Developing a respectful, trusting, and collaborative working environment that promotes an inclusive workplace culture and strives for and delivers academic excellence.

• Playing a leadership role leadership role in the College/University and contribute to leadership at the national and/or international level in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health. 

• Actively represent the UDRH programs as a member of the RRH Leadership team and on relevant committees, including recommendations and potential expansion opportunities.

• Work with the Dean RRH, Deputy Dean RRH, and key academic staff to ensure the effective delivery of contemporary, high-quality programs, focussing on student success, educational experience, and meeting the community needs in rural and remote. 

• Oversee standards pertaining to the programs, and with academic leaders, for quality assurance and accreditation processes.

• Work in collaboration with the Deans and academic leaders to develop and implement workplans support individual performance and achieve program deliverables.

• Develop staff attraction and retention plans, ensuring that the most appropriate staffing profile of skilled and motivated academic staff is available to deliver the program.

• Undertake ethical, high quality and innovative research through activities such as scholarship, quality publication, external grant acquisition, mentoring and developing early career researchers, supervision of students undertaking complex work integrated learning, Honours and/or Research Higher Degrees and deliver high quality presentations that aligns with the College areas of research strength and focus.

• Supervise, mentor, coach and support the development of early to mid-career academic staff and develop academic work plans to ensure effective delivery of UDRH programs.

• Develop strategic, internal and external partnerships through innovation, representation and engagement including clinicians, health services, community organisations and industry partners.  

• Some rural SA, Northern Territory and, interstate and overseas travel, may be required.

• Any other responsibilities in line with the level and workload allocation of the role as assigned by the Supervisor and/or the University.

Key Position Capabilities

Academic Level C:

• Completion of a PhD, or equivalent related experience (e.g. sustained health/education senior management) , and relevant leadership experience in medicine, nursing and/or allied health.

• Demonstrated commitment to fostering a positive workplace culture, and role modelling behaviours that support the University’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and experience in enhancing educational opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

• Excellent record of academic achievement with a track record of success consistent with the University’s vision and expectations and the Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training (RHMT) framework.

• Demonstrated strategic, organisational and management skills and experience managing a medical, allied health or nursing work integrated learning program in a rural and remote environment.

• Ability to translate strategic and program objectives into operational plans resulting in high performance outcomes in a highly demanding and complex environment. 

• Evidence of educational leadership relevant to teaching and learning and demonstrated experience leading innovation in remote and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health settings and inspiring excellence amongst colleagues.

• Demonstrated understanding and experience of curriculum reviews and internal and external accreditation activities, including those relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education.

• Demonstrated evidence of sustained capability of contributing to research and/or scholarship in an area aligned with the College’s research strengths evidenced by an emerging publication and grant track-record.

• Experience supervising, coaching, and mentoring staff, including the management of academic performance and workload.

• Demonstrated excellent oral and written communication skills and interpersonal skills, including demonstrated evidence of the ability to consult, network and develop relationships with staff, students and external bodies including government, health services, not-for-profit, professional bodies, community organisations, and Indigenous communities.

• Experience in remote and Indigenous health practice, including the co-ordination of student placements and supervision (Desirable).

• Public Health qualifications and experience (Desirable).

• An understanding of NT health and education policy contexts (Desirable).

Academic Level D:

• Completion of a PhD, or equivalent qualification (e.g. Doctor of Education) and relevant leadership experience in nursing and allied health.

• Current health professional qualifications, with eligibility for membership of the appropriate registration board and/or professional association. 

• Demonstrated commitment to fostering a positive workplace culture, and role modelling behaviours that support the University’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and experience in enhancing educational opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

• Outstanding record of academic achievement with a track record of success consistent with the University’s vision and expectations and the Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training (RHMT) framework.

• Demonstrated strategic, organisational and management skills and experience managing an allied health or nursing work integrated learning program in a rural and remote environment.

• Ability to translate strategic and program objectives into operational plans resulting in high performance outcomes in a highly demanding and complex environment. 

• Evidence of educational leadership relevant to teaching and learning and demonstrated experience leading innovation in remote and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health settings and inspiring excellence amongst colleagues.

• Significant demonstrated understanding and experience of curriculum reviews and internal and external accreditation activities.

• Demonstrated evidence of sustained capability of providing a distinguished contribution to research and/or scholarship in an area aligned with the College’s research strengths evidenced by sustained high quality publications and attraction of several competitive external grants.

• Experience supervising, coaching, and mentoring staff, including the management of academic performance and workload.

• Demonstrated excellent oral and written communication skills and interpersonal skills, including demonstrated evidence of the ability to consult, network and develop relationships with staff, students and external bodies including government, health services, not-for-profit, professional bodies, community organisations, and Indigenous communities.

• Experience in remote and Indigenous health practice, including the co-ordination of student placements and supervision (Desirable).

• Public Health qualifications and experience (Desirable).

• An understanding of NT health and education policy contexts (Desirable).

For more information regarding the position, or to have a confidential discussion, please contact: Professor James Smith

Applicants are encouraged to view the Director, University Department of Rural Health (NT) Candidate Brochure prior to submitting an application.

Please note: this position is available as either an Academic Level C or Academic Level D. Please ensure you include in your application which academic profile you are applying for.

Prescribed Conditions for Employment

Northern Territory Government legislation (the Care and Protection of Children Act 2007) now requires all individuals in child related employment or whose duties involve, or are likely to involve, contact with a child, to hold a valid ‘Working with Children Clearance’ (Ochre Card). This position involves child related work and is assessed as requiring a Working with Children Clearance/Ochre Card.

A valid National Police Certificate which is satisfactory to the University will also be required before the successful applicant can commence in this position.

Flinders University has introduced a COVID-19 Vaccination Policy that requires all new staff members to be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations, subject to medical exemptions.

Information for Applicants:

You are required to provide a suitability statement of no more than three pages, addressing the key capabilities of the position as outlined above. In addition, you are required to upload your CV.

A valid National Police Certificate which is satisfactory to the University will also be required before the successful applicant can commence in this position.

We are seeking to increase the diversity to improve equal opportunity outcomes for employees, and therefore we encourage female applicants, people with a disability and/or from Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders descent to apply.

Please note, late applications and applications sent via agencies will not be accepted.

Applications Close 11:59pm:

26 Jun 2022