Chief Operating Officer

Doutta Galla; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 250,000 - 350,000; Full time

Job summary

Doutta Galla Aged Services is seeking an accomplished executive to lead the care operations portfolio, driving transformation across residential care, home care and retirement living.

Reporting to the CEO and joining the Executive Leadership Team, you will shape operational strategy, ensure quality and sustainability, and foster a purpose-led culture.

You will combine clinical credibility with commercial acumen to deliver better outcomes for residents and communities in a regulated environment.

Qualifications

• Current AHPRA registration as a Registered Nurse (RN).
• Proven track record leading large-scale operations and transformation.
• Experience in aged care or a regulated service environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic transformation across aged care services.
• Drive operational excellence and quality improvements.
• Report to the CEO and lead the Executive Leadership Team.

Skills

Executive leadership

AHPRA RN registration

Change management

Aged care experience

Strategic planning

Commercial acumen

Education

RN Registration (AHPRA)

Job description

• Lead strategic transformation across aged care services
• Drive innovation and operational excellence in a purpose-led organisation
• Shape the future of care for older Australians and make a lasting impact

At Doutta Galla. Imagine More.

About Doutta Galla

Imagine a career with purpose, where your leadership can reshape services and make a lasting difference in the lives of older Australians.

Doutta Galla Aged Services is a respected not-for-profit provider with more than 30 years' experience delivering residential aged care, home care and retirement living services. With care, dignity, inclusion and choice at its heart, Doutta Galla is committed to achieving outstanding outcomes for residents, clients, families and communities.

Lead transformation. Shape the future of care.

Doutta Galla is seeking an accomplished executive to lead a significant care services portfolio and help shape the organisation's next phase. Combining strategic insight with operational discipline and sound clinical judgement, you will challenge established thinking and translate ambition into better outcomes for residents, clients and communities.

Reporting directly to the CEO and serving as a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, the Chief Operating Officer will provide visible, values-led leadership across Doutta Galla's core operations. You will build alignment, strengthen accountability and bring people with you through a period of meaningful change.

With executive responsibility for Residential Care, Home Care and Retirement Living, you will set a clear operational direction and drive measurable improvements in quality, workforce capability, service consistency and financial sustainability. The breadth of the portfolio offers genuine scope to influence how care is delivered across the organisation.

Success will require a leader who combines commercial acumen with practical clinical credibility, someone who can make considered decisions in a complex and regulated environment; inspire high performance; and create the conditions for innovation and continuous improvement to thrive.

About you

You are an accomplished enterprise leader with a strong record of leading large-scale operations and transformation in complex, highly regulated environments. Comfortable working directly with a CEO, Board and Executive Team, you bring the strategic perspective to lead across the organisation, not simply within a portfolio.

You will bring:

• A current AHPRA registration as a Registered Nurse, bringing the clinical credibility and practical judgement required to lead quality care services.
• A proven track record leading large-scale operations and inspiring high performance through others.
• Senior leadership experience in aged care or a comparable complex, highly regulated service environment.
• Demonstrated success leading significant organisational change, innovation and continuous improvement.
• Strong commercial, strategic and operational acumen, supported by sound judgement, resilience and political acuity.
• The ability to build trusted relationships, influence at executive, Board and stakeholder level, and foster a strong, purpose-led culture.
• A genuine passion for improving outcomes for older Australians.

Why join Doutta Galla?

This is a rare opportunity to step into a highly influential executive role at a defining point in Doutta Galla's evolution. With the support of an engaged CEO, Board and Executive Team, you will have the mandate to shape operational strategy, lead meaningful transformation and strengthen the organisation for the future.

The breadth of the portfolio provides genuine scope to make an enterprise-wide impact, building leadership capability, improving performance and service consistency, and embedding innovation across residential care, home care and retirement living. Your decisions will directly influence both organisational sustainability and the quality of care and experience provided to older Australians.

For an accomplished executive motivated by purpose, challenge and the opportunity to create lasting change, Doutta Galla offers the scale, autonomy and influence to build a meaningful legacy.

Location

The role is currently based in Footscray. From January 2027, the Corporate Team will relocate to Doutta Galla's newly renovated corporate office in West Melbourne.

Applications close: Thursday 19th November 2026

Doutta Galla prides itself on cultural diversity and inclusion. We are an equal opportunity employer; all applicants will be considered for employment. Applicants must have the right to work in Australia and be eligible to work in Aged Care under the Aged Care Act 2024 (Cth).