Operations Manager, Children's Cancer Centre

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The Royal Children's Hospital's (RCH) Vision is "A world where all kids thrive".

RCH is a cornerstone member of the Melbourne Children's Campus, partnering with Murdoch Children's Research Institute, The University of Melbourne Department of Paediatrics and The Royal Children's Hospital Foundation.

RCH has cared for the children and young people of Victoria for more than 150 years since it was founded in 1870. A full range of paediatrics and adolescent health services are provided plus tertiary and quaternary care for the most critically ill and medically complex patients in Victoria, Tasmania, southern NSW and other states around Australia and overseas. The Hospital has more than 6,000 staff, a budget of $850M, 12 wards and 350 beds. Annually, the RCH has 300,000+ Specialist Clinic appointments, 90,000+ Emergency Department presentations and 20,000 elective surgeries.

RCH enjoys high employee engagement and is committed to staff safety and a positive culture through enactment of our Compact.

For further Information on RCH is availablehere .

Operations Manager- Children's Cancer Centre

Hub of medical precinct in Parkville, Melbourne

Senior leadership opportunity

Parental Leave cover for 12 months

About the Role

This is a Fixed Term Full Time position to cover Parental Leave for 12 months, at 80 hours per fortnight within the Children's Cancer Centre at RCH.

You will be responsible for providing strategic and operational leadership for the Children's Cancer Centre (CCC), ensuring the delivery of safe, efficient, and high-quality care. You will support long-term service planning, workforce optimisation, and continuous improvement, aligned with the CCC's vision for excellence in paediatric cancer care and research.

With responsibility for financial oversight, including budget management, resource allocation, and strategic business planning, you will ensure sustainable service delivery. A key aspect of the role is facilitating collaboration between the CCC Director, the General Manager, Specialty Medicine, and senior clinical and operational leaders across inpatient, outpatient, research, pharmacy, and laboratory services to drive integrated and coordinated care.

Classification for this position will be at AO99.

What you'll achieve:

Operational Leadership and Strategic Alignment

Lead the development and continuous improvement of CCC operations in partnership with the CCC Director, ensuring alignment with the RCH Strategic Plan and long-term sustainability.

Oversee access and flow across inpatient and outpatient services to optimise patient care, service efficiency, and resource utilisation.

Evaluate operational and financial data to inform strategic planning and resolve organisational challenges.

Identify and address systemic limitations, proposing solutions to enhance CCC performance.

Drive strategic alignment between clinical and research operations, supporting integrated service delivery and innovation.

Provide leadership and support in the management of complex clinical and operational scenarios, ensuring appropriate resolution and coordination of care across multidisciplinary teams.

Identify and address clinical and occupational health and safety risks in collaboration with senior leaders.

Leadership and Workforce Development

Provide mentoring and leadership to senior CCC staff, including stream leads, the clinical trials manager, and psycho-oncology team leader.

Oversee recruitment, onboarding, and training of new staff, including Fellows, consultant paediatric oncologists, and advanced practice nurses.

Promote a resilient, skilled, and multidisciplinary workforce through effective staff management and professional development.

Lead and oversee core workforce management activities, including staffing administration, role development, and operational approvals.

Foster a positive workplace culture aligned with RCH Values and the Compact.

Financial and Resource Management

Manage the CCC's budget in collaboration with the Finance Business Partner, including oversight of establishment EFT balances, expenditure, and revenue to meet performance targets and ensure financial sustainability.

Lead the development of business cases, financial reports, and forecasting to support strategic initiatives and operational planning.

Oversee payroll, invoicing, and financial compliance processes, providing analysis and solutions for budget variances and operational efficiency.

Continuously evaluate and enhance financial systems, staffing models, and resource utilisation to support long-term service sustainability and strategic alignment.

Governance, Reporting and Accreditation

Ensure compliance with legislative, policy, and accreditation requirements through robust reporting, audit processes, and quality assurance activities.

Maintain data integrity and oversee service-wide reporting, including workforce metrics, leave liability, and performance indicators.

Partner with the CCC Quality Manager to support continuous quality improvement, coordinate accreditation activities, and ensure timely completion of audits, reviews, and reporting obligations.

Service Improvement and Stakeholder Engagement

Lead priority service improvement projects and change management initiatives to enhance departmental capability and responsiveness.

Enhance collaborative practices across internal and external stakeholders, including corporate support services and professional disciplines.

Support the development and maintenance of clear clinical pathways, quality measures, and operational systems.

Collaborate with the RCH Foundation, supporting engagement with philanthropic partners and donors.

Your skills and experience

Tertiary qualification in a relevant discipline.

Demonstrated leadership and management experience within a complex healthcare environment.

Proven ability to lead teams and manage complex operational and workforce functions in a multidisciplinary setting.

Extensive experience in operational and financial planning, monitoring, and reporting.

Minimum of five years' senior-level experience in administrative leadership and service delivery.

Strong interpersonal and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across clinical, corporate, and executive teams.

If this sounds like you, click here to view the position description.

About the Department

The Children's Cancer Centre (CCC) is Victoria's leading provider of complex paediatric cancer care and haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Internationally recognised for its excellence in clinical care and research, the CCC manages approximately 300 new childhood cancer diagnoses each year and is committed to delivering world-class, compassionate, and family-centred care.

Located within a globally renowned paediatric health and research precinct, the CCC includes:

Specialist inpatient wards, including dedicated bone marrow transplant beds

Integrated outpatient clinics supported by a multidisciplinary allied health team

A dedicated oncology pharmacy

A comprehensive clinical research program, incorporating advanced laboratory facilities, a clinical trials unit, and a centralised administrative hub

The Operations Manager plays a key leadership role in overseeing the daily operations of the Centre, ensuring the delivery of safe, efficient, and high-quality care. In close partnership with the Director, the role supports service planning, workforce management, and continuous improvement across all CCC programs.

Working collaboratively across the Melbourne Children's Campus and broader Parkville Precinct, the Operations Manager helps align clinical and operational priorities to support the CCC's strategic goals.

What we offer:

Salary Packaging – Increase your take home pay

Other requirements:

Current National Criminal Record Check, or willing to obtain

Valid Working with Children Check

Compliance with RCHs "Staff Immunisation - Prevention of Vaccine Preventable Diseases" procedure

Application process

To apply, you will need a resume and a tailored cover letter outlining your skills, experience, and suitability for the position in line with the requirements of the position description.

Shortlisting for this position will commence immediately, we encourage you to apply promptly

For more information about this position please contact Tamara Rumble, General Manager- Specialty Medical Units Ph: 0466314719 Email: tamara.rumble@rch.org.au >

Why work at the RCH?

RCH enjoys high employee engagement and is committed to staff safety and a positive culture through enactment of our Compact. We offerthe opportunity towork in world-class facilities, surrounded by Royal Park and only a short tram trip from the heart of Melbourne city.

We also offer discounted staff parking, salary packaging, and an award-winning health and wellbeing program.

The RCH is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from culturally and/or linguistically diverse background, all members of the LGBTQI community and people with disability.

It is a requirement of your employment that you be vaccinated against Influenza annually for Category A and B roles, in compliance with any public health orders in place at the relevant time, unless you have a medical exception in line with those public health orders, which has been accepted by The Royal Children's Hospital. Applicants will be required to provide their Australian Government Immunisation History Statement, it is a requirement of the RCH to collect, record and hold vaccination information.

It is also a requirement of your employment that you comply with any direction given by The Royal Children's Hospital that you be vaccinated against, or prove immunity to, any other disease, unless you have a relevant exemption

Are you ready to join our team?

Apply online by clicking on the "Apply" button