Associate Nurse Unit Manager

Austin Health; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 105,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary packaging

Wellness program

Onsite childcare

Career mentoring

Job summary

Austin Health is seeking an Associate Nurse Unit Manager to provide clinical leadership and drive recovery-oriented care within the Secure Extended Care Unit (SECU) in Melbourne. You will lead nursing staff, coordinate operations and work with a multidisciplinary team to deliver safe, evidence-based care.

The role focuses on mentoring staff, supporting consumer recovery, and contributing to governance, quality improvement and service development in a collaborative, inclusive environment.

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse qualification required.
• Strong clinical and leadership capabilities.
• Experience in mental health nursing preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical leadership and support to nursing staff to ensure safe, high-quality care.
• Coordinate day-to-day clinical operations and workforce resources.
• Promote recovery-oriented, person-centred care for consumers.
• Lead, coach, and mentor staff through supervision and development.
• Collaborate with consumers, families, carers and MDT members for positive outcomes.
• Support quality improvement, governance and service development initiatives.
• Foster a positive workplace culture emphasizing teamwork and wellbeing.

Skills

Clinical leadership

Team leadership

Communication skills

Recovery-oriented care

Mentoring

Collaboration

Education

Registered Nurse qualification

Job description

• 38 hours per week (+ ADO)

Austin Health is the major provider of tertiary health services, health professional education and research across three campuses in the north-east of Melbourne and statewide. We have a highly engaged, diverse and collaborative workforce that is unified by our goal to help people live healthy and fulfilled lives.

About the Secure Extended Care Unit

The Secure Extended Care Unit (SECU) is part of the Mental Health Division at Austin Health. SECU is a 25-bed regional service which provides a rehabilitation and recovery service to individuals aged from 25 years years with severe, unremitting mental health symptoms and complex needs and who need the support of a secure environment. The SECU provides therapeutic care in a contained and structured environment.

About the role

As an Associate Nurse Unit Manager, you will play a key role in delivering evidence-based, recovery-oriented care that promotes positive health outcomes and supports consumers on their mental health recovery journey.

A regular day will see you:

• Providing clinical leadership and support to nursing staff to ensure the delivery of safe, high-quality, evidence-based care.
• Coordinating day-to-day clinical operations and workforce resources to support effective consumer care and service delivery.
• Promoting recovery-oriented, person-centred care that upholds the dignity, rights, wellbeing, and recovery goals of consumers.
• Leading, coaching, and supporting staff through clinical supervision, mentoring, and professional development opportunities.
• Collaborating with consumers, families, carers, and multidisciplinary team members to achieve positive recovery outcomes.
• Supporting quality improvement, clinical governance, and service development initiatives that enhance consumer care and staff experience.
• Contributing to a positive workplace culture that values teamwork, inclusion, wellbeing, continuous learning, and professional growth.
• Acting as a role model for excellence in mental health nursing practice while supporting a safe, therapeutic, and recovery-focused environment.

About you

This is an exciting opportunity for a motivated and compassionate Registered Nurse passionate about mental health and recovery-focused care. Whether you are experienced in mental health nursing or looking to further develop your career in a specialist rehabilitation setting, you will be supported to grow your skills and confidence within a highly experienced team.

We're seeking someone who:

• Demonstrates strong clinical, leadership, and team-building capabilities.
• Communicates effectively and confidently with consumers, families, carers, and colleagues.
• Is passionate about delivering high-quality, recovery-oriented, person-centred care.
• Thrives in a therapeutic inpatient environment supporting consumers with complex needs.
• Embraces learning, reflective practice and innovation.
• Is committed to making a meaningful impact on the lives of consumers and their families.

To be successful in this role, you'll bring with you:

• Relevant qualification as a Registered Nurse (as detailed in the position description)
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills
• Proven ability to engage with a wide range of stakeholders, both internally and externally
• A commitment to recovery-oriented and consumer-focused practice.

Working at Austin Health means enjoying a strong sense of purpose, engaging in meaningful work every day. Our people also receive a variety of rewarding benefits, including:

• Greater take-home pay through generous salary packaging, for living expenses, meals, and holiday accommodation.
• A suite of wellness initiatives designed to support you, including discounted fitness memberships and special offers on health insurance, and a comprehensive wellbeing program.
• Onsite childcare at Austin Hospital, easy access via public transport and car parking options.
• Mentoring and career development opportunities.

Work with us!

We are committed to cultural safety and health equity for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander People. We celebrate, value, and include people of all backgrounds, genders, identities, cultures, bodies, and abilities. We welcome and support applications from talented people identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, people with disability, neurodiverse people, LGBTQIA+ and people of all ages and cultures.

All appointments are made subject to a satisfactory National Police Check and if required, a Working With Children Check. Austin Health is a child safe organisation, committed to upholding the rights, safety, and wellbeing of children and young people in line with Child Safe Standards. If you require any reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process, you are welcome to reach out to the hiring manager: Jiji Jacob, Nurse Unit Manager at **********@austin.org.au