Associate Nurse Unit Manager- Acute Surgical Ward

Be part of something greater

At St Vincent's Private Hospital Melbourne (SVPHM), we Serve Something Greater; See Something Greater; and Strive for Something Greater.

Why you'll love this role

• Lead a high-performing 45-bed acute surgical ward specialising in Orthopaedics, Plastics, Vascular and Thoracic Surgery, with strong NUM support.

• Thrive in a balanced, values-driven culture with real scope to shape practice improvement and mentor a skilled, compassionate team.

• Enjoy not-for-profit benefits including generous salary packaging to maximise your take-home pay.

The Opportunity – Part-time | Fixed Term | Fitzroy Campus

Join our inclusive, collaborative team as an Associate Nurse Unit Manager (ANUM) on the 6th Floor at our Fitzroy Campus.
You'll support day-to-day leadership and clinical excellence, ensuring safe, high-quality care and outstanding patient outcomes.
This is a part-time, fixed-term opportunity.

What you'll do

• Work closely with the NUM to provide direction, coaching and support to nursing and support staff each shift.

• Step up to lead the unit in the NUM's absence and role-model SVPHM values.

• Partner with the Clinical Coordinator/NUM to manage patient flow, acuity and staffing allocations.

• Build strong relationships with patients, families, VMOs/VMPs and the multidisciplinary team.

• Champion continuous improvement and contribute to unit and organisational KPIs, Mission, Vision and Values.

What you'll bring

• Current AHPRA registration as a Registered Nurse.

• Proven leadership experience on an acute surgical ward – Orthopaedics, Plastics, Vascular or Thoracic highly regarded.

• Demonstrated commitment to patient safety, quality care and a positive team culture.

• Strong communication, decision-making and stakeholder engagement skills.

• A genuine willingness to live our values of Compassion, Justice, Integrity and Excellence.

Why work for St Vincent's Private Hospital Melbourne

Join the St Vincent's Health Australia Group (VIC | NSW | QLD) – a truly values-based organisation offering:

• Salary packaging to reduce your taxable income.

• Fitness Passport discounted gym membership.

• Give4Good workplace giving program.

• Work–life balance with the option to purchase additional leave.

• Staff discount on admissions to SVHA Private Hospitals.

• Supportive leadership, professional development and a respectful, learning environment.

About St Vincent's Private Hospital Melbourne

SVPHM is a not-for-profit Catholic private hospital group comprising four Melbourne sites: Fitzroy, East Melbourne, Kew and Werribee.
Our experienced clinical and support teams work together to deliver safe, evidence-based care and an exceptional patient experience.

Apply Now

Click Apply and include your:

• Cover letter

• Resume

Enquiries:

Chloe Mirams, Nurse Unit Manager –
Denise Men, Talent Partner –

POSITION DETAILS

OUR ST VINCENTS St Vincent's Health Australia (SVHA) is a non-profit health organisation founded bythe Sisters of Charity in 1857. We are renowned for industry leading research, education and the provision of exceptional and compassionate care. St Vincent's is shaping a future health and aged care system that supports people with life-changing care, wherever and whoever they are. We care for people in our public and private hospitals, at home and in our aged care residences across NSW, QLD and Victoria.

Our vision at St Vincent's is that every person, whoever and wherever they are, is served with excellent and compassionate care, by a better and fairer health and aged care system. Our 30,000 exceptional and dedicated staff together lead St Vincent's to deliver three key priorities:

• Enhance Impact: Continuously improve our care, enhancing our positive impacts for patients, people, and our planet.
• Connect Care: Work together, building "One St Vincent's" capabilities and services to create the future of connected health and aged care.
• Transform the System: Work with partners to shape a better and fairer health and aged care system.
• St Vincent's welcomes people from all backgrounds and beliefs and provides them with opportunities to pursue their professional goals within a highly supportive and collaborative team environment.

ROLE IMPACT

The Associate Nurse Unit Manager (ANUM)'s role is to support the Nurse Unit Manager to build and maintain a high performing team in ensuring excellence in clinical practice, patient care and experience. The ANUM is to be a role model for a high standard of nursing care and must ensure the continuity of the Unit/Department Management, providing professional leadership and the maintenance of clinical standards and quality care of the twenty-four hour continuum. The ANUM is to accept the responsibility for and maintain the personal and professional development of all team members in accordance with the responsibilities outlined below.

ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES

Patient/Resident Centred

• Actively participate in key initiatives that contribute to improvements in person centred care.
• Take a partnership approach to care provision by embedding person centred care principles in all aspects of work.
• Ensure consumers receive information in an appropriate and accessible format.
• Actively support consumers to make informed decisions about their treatment and ongoing care.
• Ensure consumers are aware of their rights responsibilities and how to provide feedback.
• Uphold the expected standards of service excellence.

Position Accountabilities

• Works closely with NUM to provide direction, support and advice to nursing & support personnel on a shift-by-shift basis to ensure timely, safe, evidence-based patient centred care that demonstrates optimal patient care and experience
• Demonstrates ability and commitment to support organisational development as directed by the NUM
• Facilitates effective working relationships with staff, customers, patients and Visiting Medical Practitioners (VMPs)
• Liaise with the clinical coordinator and NUM to manage patient workload and staffing requirements on a shift-by-shift basis
• Participates & actively supports the achievement of the Unit and Organisational KPIs, Mission, Vision & Values.
• Ensures team representation at meetings, committees, education sessions, working parties and other hospital activities
• Participates in and demonstrates a commitment to portfolios, committees, meetings, working parties and other hospital activities
• Ensures continuity of care for all patients, empowering team members to attain patient goals
• Coordinates and implements the interventions identified in the plan of care/clinical path
• Acts as a positive role model maintaining the unit and hospital policies and procedures
• Constructively supports the leadership of the NUM and assumes the responsibilities of the NUM in the absence of the NUM including administrative operations
• Demonstrates understanding of financial implications of Industrial agreements, Organisational Policies & Procedures, and business strategies on unit costs.
• Participates in preparation and management of the annual Unit/Department budget and Business Plan
• Demonstrates a working knowledge of unit budget, activity and work hour targets
• Demonstrates awareness of cost implication of medical supplies, resources, equipment and linen and assists NUM in managing such costs.
• Assists the NUM is the achievement of Key Performance Targets within the unit for: Rostering, Work hours and Length of Stay Targets
• Supports the NUM in maintaining unit within budgetary parameters
• Ensures staffing is managed according to patient acuity on a shift-by-shift basis
• Assists NUM in collecting relevant activity and KPI data.
• Support the NUM in the design and implementation strategies to ensure quality achievement is an integral part of service provision
• Ensure quality plans and projects are developed and implemented as part of the integrated risk management strategy
• Participates and leads other staff in continuous improvement of nursing practice and patient care and quality activities

Health and Safety

• Protect the health and safety of self and others, complying with all health and safety related policies, procedures and directions
• Complete required Fire and Emergency Training annually
• Complete required Workplace Bullying and Harassment as required
• Maintain clinical registration and any required indemnity cover (if
• applicable).

Quality and Safety

• Always work within approved scope of practice under supervision by more senior staff as appropriate.
• Take personal responsibility for the quality and safety of work undertaken.
• Take all necessary care and precautions when undertaking clinical procedures.
• Complete annual competencies and required training.
• Maintain skills and knowledge necessary to safely and skilfully undertake work.
• Consult with peers and other experts and refer to other healthcare workers when appropriate and in a timely manner.
• Participate in clinical risk management, patient safety and continuous quality improvement activities as part of day-to-day work.
• All practices are consistent with the National Safety and Quality Health
• Service (NSQHS) Standards, EQUiP National and relevant professional practice and ethical standards and guidelines.
• Protect the health and safety of self and others, complying with all health and safety related policies, procedures and directions.
• Complete required Fire and Emergency Training annually.
• Complete required Workplace Bullying and Harassment as required.
• Collaborate and clearly communicate with patients / clients and the healthcare team.

Human Resources

• Assists NUM in recruitment, selection & retention of staff to clinical unit in accordance with hospital policies and procedures and organisational requirements
• Coordinate unit staffing in absence of NUM
• Develops and distributes rosters in conjunction with the NUM to meet patient and budget requirements, and in accordance with hospital and unit rostering principals and Industrial Agreement requirements
• Ensures compliance with Industrial Relations policies and identified IR best practice.
• Monitors staff performance, providing regular constructive feedback, coaching, guidance and support to team members on shift
• Supports NUM in providing formal staff feedback and the performance management process
• Promotes an environment that facilitates open communication.
• Identifies motivated & skilled individuals and actively assists career development
• Facilitates unit orientation for all new employees, ensuring a 'buddy' or preceptor is provided to every new employee on their first day.
• Acts as a preceptor for new staff when required
• Assists NUM in managing and reducing as far as possible unscheduled staff absences.
• Assists NUM in managing annual leave liability

Professional Development

• Accountable for personal achievement of 100% competencies as per unit and organisational needs.
• Liaise closely with the allocated Education Consultant or Clinical Coach to implement and progress own training and development.
• Maintain all personal competencies and participate in those activities that contribute to the ongoing development of self, the profession, and team members.
• Promote and assist the achievement of all team members' compulsory annual competencies.
• Liaise closely with the allocated Education Consultant or Clinical Coach to implement and progress training and development of all team members
• Participate in relevant Professional Development including participation at relevant nursing forums, training and development.
• Support team members in attending training, education and competency programs
• Disseminates knowledge and provides learning opportunities to team members
• Perform duties of the position to best of their ability and to a standard acceptable to SVHA.
• Comply with all SVHA policies, procedures, by laws and directions.
• Treat others with respect and always behave professionally and in accordance with the SVHA Code of Conduct.
• Only access confidential information held by SVHA when this is necessary for business purposes, maintaining the confidentiality of that information once accessed.
• Participate in the annual SVHA performance review process.
• Display adaptability and flexibility to meet the changing operational needs of the business.
• Display a willingness to develop self and seek to improve performance.
• Complete other duties as requested.
• Current immunity status that complies with SVHA immunisation policy.
• Comply with applicable Enterprise Bargaining Agreement provisions (if applicable).

Safety Leadership

• Take full responsibility for all safety matters and safety performance within their work area.
• Ensure that safety is considered a core value of the work team and that safety is prioritised at a level that is equal to all other business imperatives.
• Ensure risk is managed in your work area through the use of policy, procedure, risk assessment and training.
• Sets and drives the expectation that all incidents are reported.
• Ensure that all incidents are investigated to root cause and that corrective and preventative actions are put in place to prevent recurrence by taking a lead role in the investigation.
• Maintain an up-to-date training register for your team members and ensures that all critical training is completed ahead of schedule.
• Ensure that each employee attends an area safety meeting at a frequency of no less than once a month. This safety meeting will:
• Communicate the area's performance (leading and lagging indicators),
• Communicate organisational safety matters,
• Discuss current / potential safety issues,
• Discuss learnings from safety alerts, incident investigations, safety audits etc and,
• Explore area initiatives into improving safety performance and culture.
• Ensure that good safety performance (individual and team) is recognised.
• They will also ensure that rule noncompliance and poor safety attitude are addressed (this may include encouragement, retraining, counselling or disciplinary action).
• Work collaboratively with the safety team to drive continuous performance in work area and across the organisation.

QUALIFICATIONS

MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE &REQUIREMENTS

• Registered with AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency) as a Registered Nurse.
• Completed, or is working towards, the achievement of Post graduate qualifications Degree/Diploma) in the relevant clinical specialty
• National Criminal History Check.
• A valid working with children check.

MINIMUM EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to maintain collaborative and effective relationships with all multidisciplinary team members.
• Ability to work flexibly within the Facility service.
• Ability to provide clinical practice and care consistent with the mission and philosophy of the facility.
• Ability to plan and coordinate patient/resident/client care effectively, maintain patient/resident/client advocacy and utilise patient/resident/client management systems.
• Ability to participate in and support education activities and to contribute to the development of self and other team members.
• Have a working knowledge and understanding of relevant regulations and legislation.
• Ability to contribute towards effective risk management within the facility particularly in compliance with Work Health & Safety legislation.
• Demonstrated application of contemporary infection control standards and practices.
• Ability to participate in quality improvement activities.
• Computer literacy and proficiency with MS Office products.

IMMUNISATIONS Category A

SVHA has a duty of care under work health and safety legislation to eliminate and/or control the risk of transmission of vaccine preventable diseases (VPD) in healthcare settings. You therefore must comply with the SVHA Immunisation Policy, which, depending on the role you perform in the organisation will require you to undergo certain immunisations/vaccinations (e.g., Covid-19 and flu vaccinations).

Category B (non-clinical facing)

SVHA has a duty of care under work health and safety legislation to eliminate and/or control the risk of transmission of vaccine preventable diseases (VPD) in healthcare settings. You therefore must comply with the SVHA Immunisation Policy, which, depending on the role you perform in the organisation will require you to undergo certain immunisations/vaccinations (e.g., Covid-19 and flu vaccinations).

PHYSICALREQUIREMENTS

• Frequent sitting (when completing computer-based / administrative tasks and attending meetings).
• Frequent bilateral upper limb use for keying tasks handling equipment and patients.
• Frequent unilateral upper limb use for mouse operation / phone use / hand written notes.
• Occasional lifting between ground and head height – up to 5kg (eg. linen, Imed machine, medical supplies, mobility aids).
• Occasional trunk rotation (eg. transferring patients, bed making).
• Occasional forward reaching (eg. transferring patients, bed making, accessing linen, accessing medication and dressings).
• Occasional gripping of objects (manual dexterity, pincer grip) when completing medications, dressing, personal care, patient notes and manoeuvring equipment.
• Occasional carrying of items (eg. passive knee mobilisers, crutches and walking frames) from storage area to the ward.
• Occasional trunk flexion greater than 15 degrees (eg. when changing dressings, administering medication at the bed side, making beds and completing personal care).
• Occasional pushing / pulling (eg. hoist, beds, observation machines, linen skip, dressing trolley and mobile shower chair).
• Rare crouching / squatting (eg. when assisting with lower limb cleaning or accessing items stored at ground level).
• PPE: Gloves, Waterproof Gown, Eye Protection.

LEADERSHIP COMMITMENT

• We see and care deeply for the whole person- patient, resident, client, family, carer, and teammate. We are radically inclusive.
• We are kind in our thoughts, words, and actions.
• We act with courage, vulnerability, and authenticity.
• We champion equity for those most in need. We battle against inequity and harm to the community.
• We pursue "firsts"- we learn from outside and challenge what's inside to deliver our best.
• We lead together as One St Vincent's.
• We are extensively useful, by rolling up our sleeves.

At St Vincent's we acknowledge the importance of creating a work environment that is welcoming, safe, equitable and inclusive for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Employees. As part of our Commitment to Reconciliation and Closing the Gap in employment related outcomes, we encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

For further information, visit or get in contact at

View Reconciliation Action Plan

View Code of Conduct