Chief Executive Officer

An exciting opportunity exists for an experienced transformational executive to lead as the Chief Executive of Metro North Hospital and Health Service (Metro North Health) to deliver on our vision for the community we serve in the North of Brisbane and across Queensland:

Creating healthier futures together — where innovation and research meet compassionate care and community voices shape our services.

Metro North Health is committed to delivering accessible, equitable and sustainable healthcare for everyone and fulfilling human rights in our decision making. We are committed to supporting and delivering on the Queensland Government’s objectives for the Community, particularly ensuring continued community access to ‘Health services when you need them’, and the priorities for the communities we serve. Metro North Hospital and Health Service (Metro North Health) is Queensland’s largest and most complex health service, employing over 25,000 staff with an annual operating budget of $4.8 billion. Serving a population of more than 1.1 million people, Metro North Health provides tertiary, quaternary and community-based care across six major hospitals, 3 Satellite Health Centres and multiple community-based health services, delivering more than 2.7 million occasions of care each year.

As the Health Service Chief Executive (HSCE), you will lead a world-class organisation through a period of cultural renewal, performance uplift and strategic transformation under the Metro North Strategic Plan 2024–2028. You will shape the systemwide agenda in alignment with Government priorities while championing high-quality, compassionate and equitable care, creating a workplace where our outstanding workforce can be their very best.

The Opportunity

We seek an experienced and visionary executive to lead Queensland’s flagship health service into its next decade. The role calls for a leader who unites strategy with humility, courage with collaboration and vision with integrity - someone who can translate strategy into measurable impact and culture into performance.

Reporting directly to the Metro North Hospital and Health Board, the HSCE holds full accountability for clinical, operational and financial performance across the health service. You will lead one of Australia’s most significant health organisations through a transformational era of growth, innovation and renewal, while overseeing digital transformation, major infrastructure projects and workforce renewal to ensure Metro North Health continues to deliver world-class care.

You will drive delivery of the Strategic Plan 2024–2028, ensuring measurable outcomes for our strategic objectives: A workplace to be your Best; Research and Innovation Shaping the Future of Health; A Connected Care System; Health Equity; and Delivering Exceptional Care. You will champion values-based leadership and embed Metro North’s Values in Action — Respect, Teamwork, Compassion, High Performance and Integrity — as the foundation of the organisation’s culture and decision-making. An important focus will be on advancing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Health Equity through genuine partnership with our Elders and communities.

This is an opportunity to build on Metro North Health’s reputation as a National and Global leader in research, innovation and system stewardship — a health service where excellence in care is matched by integrity in leadership.

The Person

The Board seeks a transformational, people-centred and values-driven leader who combines deep strategic capability with genuine human connection. The successful candidate will embody authenticity, integrity and a collaborative spirit that unites teams and inspires excellence.

You will bring proven executive leadership within a large and complex organisation — ideally in health, human services or a comparably regulated sector — with a record of delivering operational and cultural transformation. You will have the strategic acumen to drive systemwide reform, innovation and performance, aligning the organisation’s direction with Government and Ministerial priorities.

Your leadership will be characterised by the ability to develop high-performing teams and to foster an accountable, empowered and collaborative executive culture. You will have strong governance capability, exceptional financial and risk management skills and the confidence to lead across complex and politically sensitive environments. Demonstrated experience advancing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Equity, together with strong stakeholder influence and communication skills will be essential. The Board seeks a leader with composure, courage, and resilience — someone who can navigate the demands of public scrutiny.

Cultural and Behavioural Alignment

The ideal candidate will consistently model Metro North’s Values in Action, translating them into authentic leadership behaviours that build trust, inclusion and pride across the workforce. This person will embody respectful and compassionate leadership, fostering a culture that empowers people to perform at their best while feeling valued and supported. They will lead with integrity, ensuring their actions and decisions are principled and transparent and will demonstrate genuine engagement with all stakeholders — from government to clinicians, staff and consumers.

Collaboration will be central to their approach, bringing people together through shared accountability and collective success. They will communicate with openness and empathy, inspiring confidence through clarity and consistency, and they will understand that culture is not separate from performance but its foundation. Above all, the HSCE will set the tone for an organisation that lives its values every day and reflects them in the way it delivers care to the community.

Qualifications and Experience

Candidates will hold tertiary qualifications in administration, management or a related discipline, with prior experience in complex health service leadership. They will demonstrate substantial experience leading large and complex organisations and possess a strong track record in governance, financial stewardship and strategic leadership, and outstanding workforce culture.

The successful candidate will have deep experience managing major transformation agendas, whether in health, human services, or other large-scale public or private settings, and will bring insight into workforce strategy, digital health reform and service delivery innovation. A strong understanding of the social, political and policy context of healthcare, and the ability to work constructively with government and community stakeholders, will be vital to success in the role.

How to Apply

For a confidential discussion please contact Justine Eden, Director Eden Ritchie Recruitment 0412156930 or email mnh@edenritchie.com.au. To apply and access further information please visit https://edenritchie.com.au/health-service-chief-executive/

Applications close 5pm Wednesday 12th November 2025

Please note, this role is open to applicants with unrestricted working rights in Australia

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