Associate Nurse Unit Manager - Northern Community Mental Health Service

SA Health; Adelaide; On-site; AUD 110,000 - 117,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary packaging

Relocation assistance may be available

Flexible working arrangements

Diversity and inclusion

Job summary

SA Health's Northern Adelaide Local Health Network is seeking an experienced Associate Nurse Unit Manager to join the Salisbury Adult Community Mental Health Service on a full-time, fixed-term contract to 29 October 2027.

You will provide day-to-day operational and clinical leadership to a multidisciplinary team, supervise nursing staff, assist rostering, drive quality improvement, and support accreditation and compliance.

Qualifications

• Registered as a Nurse by the Nursing/Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) and holds a current practising certificate.
• Experience in mental health nursing with leadership capabilities.
• Knowledge of the Mental Health Act 2009 (SA) and community-based care frameworks.
• Current, unrestricted South Australian driver's licence.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day operational and clinical leadership to a multidisciplinary community mental health team.
• Lead supervision, mentorship, and performance support for nursing staff.
• Contribute to rostering, workforce coordination, and operational continuity.
• Lead quality improvement activities and support accreditation and compliance within NALHN Mental Health Services.

Skills

Mental health nursing

Clinical leadership

Communication skills

Driver's license

Education

NMBA registered nurse

Mental Health course

Job description

• Northern Adelaide Local Health Network –Community Mental Health- SALISBURY 5108


• Salary: $109,637 - $117,215 p.a. plus Superannuation and Salary Sacrifice benefits – RN2A


• Temporary Full-Time – up to 29 October 2027

About the Role:

An exciting opportunity is presented to work within the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network as an Associate Nurse Unit Manager within the Northern Community Mental Health Service.

Mental health nursing leadership in Adelaide's north is where clinical skill meets genuine community impact. The Northern Adelaide Local Health Network (NALHN) is seeking an experienced Associate Nurse Unit Manager to join the Salisbury Adult Community Mental Health Service on a full-time, fixed-term contract through to 29 October 2027.

Your Role in the Team

Working alongside the Nurse Unit Manager, you will provide day-to-day operational and clinical leadership to a multidisciplinary community mental health team serving adults across Adelaide's northern metropolitan area. Your core responsibilities will include:

• Supporting safe, recovery-oriented care delivery and maintaining clinical standards across the Salisbury Adult Service


• Providing direct supervision, mentorship, and performance support to nursing staff


• Contributing to rostering, workforce coordination, and operational continuity


• Leading quality improvement activity and supporting accreditation and compliance requirements within NALHN Mental Health Services

What You Bring

• Substantial experience in mental health nursing, with demonstrated clinical leadership capability


• Sound knowledge of the Mental Health Act 2009 (SA) and community-based care frameworks


• Proven ability to lead and support teams through complex or high-acuity presentations


• Strong communication skills and a commitment to person-centred, trauma-informed practice


• Current, unrestricted South Australian driver's licence

To be eligible for this position, you must be:

• Registered as a Nurse by the Nursing/Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) and who holds a current practising certificate.


• Must be enrolled in an approved Mental Health course or holds a qualification in mental health practice.

About You:

In this role you will have strong interpersonal and communication skills which will enable you to successfully problem solve, resolve conflicts and negotiate, including the ability to engage in difficult conversations, whilst building and maintaining relationships. An ability to effectively manage multiple, diverse and competing priorities and demonstrated resilience within a stressful and complex environment is essential to this role.

You will be joining a dynamic and expanding Local Health Network that is committed to delivering contemporary, innovative and high-quality health services within modern facilities.

This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to a passionate, highly driven, dedicated and progressive team.

About Adelaide:

Adelaide is consistently recognised as a city that artfully combines its compact charm and world-class cuisine with picturesque nature escapes. Ranked one of the worlds “Most Liveable Cities” and “Most Beautiful Cities”, Adelaide provides something for everyone combining a wonderful mix of nature with nearby beaches, rolling hills and wildlife and culinary delights with fine dining restaurants, award-winning cafes, bustling food markets and booming boutique bars. Events like the LIV Golf, SANTOS Tour Down Under, Adelaide Fringe and the Adelaide Cabaret Festival add extra appeal to living here.

About Us:

The Northern Adelaide Local Health Network (NALHN) is a leading provider of public healthcare services in South Australia, and one of the largest employers in northern Adelaide.

NALHN serves over 400,000 people in northern Adelaide with a comprehensive range of high-quality healthcare services, including emergency, surgical, obstetric, neonatal, paediatric, oncology, geriatric, palliative care and rehabilitation, and mental health care, as well as primary health care services with a focus on community health promotion and chronic disease management.

With a commitment for ongoing upgrades to our facilities and the introduction of new services, our priority is delivering exceptional health and wellbeing services that enhance the quality of life for our community.

With over 7,000 employees, NALHN emphasises quality care and a supportive work environment guided by respect, integrity, and accountability. Our core values foster excellence, innovation, and equitable health outcomes.

At NALHN Everyone Has a Story, Everyone Matters, Everyone Contributes and Everyone Grows.

Our Local Health Network Sites and Services:

NALHN provides a range of hospital (inpatient), outpatient, community and home-based services across multiple sites in Adelaide’s north and north‑eastern suburbs, including Aboriginal health, mental health, and GP services.

Lyell McEwin Hospital – the major hospital in northern Adelaide for emergency care, complex and multi-day surgery, medicine, obstetric, paediatrics and outpatient services.

Modbury Hospital – a general hospital with emergency care, elective surgery, medicine, outpatient and sub‑acute services, rehabilitation, geriatric and palliative care.

Mental Health Services – adult and older persons mental health services and statewide forensic mental health services, across hospital and community settings.

Watto Purrunna Aboriginal Primary Health Care Services – provides culturally responsive primary healthcare services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in‑hospital and across four community sites.

Primary Health Care Services – including GP Plus sites at Elizabeth, Modbury and Gilles Plains.

Benefits of working at NALHN:

• From salary packaging to flexible working arrangements, a large range of opportunities for movement and career progression, you’ll find there are lots of benefits of working with Northern Adelaide Local Health Network.


• Salary packaging is an option for saving money by paying for some of your everyday expenses from your salary before it is taxed.


• Relocation assistance may be available for successful applicants from interstate or overseas.


• NALHN supports and fosters a culture in which employees feel they belong and feel safe at work. The culture aims to encourage all people to use their talents and to be valued and rewarded for their contributions.


• SA Health is committed to providing an inclusive workplace that embraces diversity and inclusion for all employees. We strongly encourage applications from people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent, culturally diverse backgrounds, members of the LGBTIQA+SB community and people who live with disability and/or neurodivergence.


• We are committed to making workplace adjustments to provide a positive and supportive work environment. You are encouraged to let us know if you have any support or access requirements during the recruitment process and beyond to ensure you can perform at your best.


• The South Australian public sector promotes diversity and flexible ways of working including part‑time. Applicants are encouraged to discuss the flexible working arrangements for this role.


• Appointment will be subject to a satisfactory Criminal History Check.

Check(s):

• DHS Working With Children Check (WWCC)


• National Police Check (National Police Certificate) for vulnerable person-related employment – apply to any of the accredited bodies approved to offer a service direct to the public. Accreditation is provided by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission. See our National Police Certificate accredited bodies page for links to lodge screening requests.

Immunisation Risk for this position is – Category A (direct contact with blood or body substances)

SA Health Services are required to implement the Addressing vaccine preventable disease: Occupational assessment, screening and vaccination policy in the workplace.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants are encouraged to apply. Job Ref: 954409

Enquiries:

Katrina Robinson

Nurse Manager

Phone: [phone]

E-mail: [e-mail]

Application Closing Date:

20 November 2026 – 11.55PM

Role Description and Further Information:

954409 - Associate Nurse Unit Manager, Community Mental Health - NMH - RN2A - Role Description.pdf

For more information about Mental Health vacancies at NALHN visit our Careers in Mental Health page.