Director, Cairns Hospital Redevelopment Stage 1b

Alumni Global; Cairns Regional; On-site; AUD 260,000 - 320,000; Full time

Job summary

Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service is seeking a Director to lead the Cairns Hospital Redevelopment Stage 1b, overseeing more than $1 billion in transformative infrastructure for Far North Queensland. You will partner with Health Infrastructure Queensland to ensure design, procurement, construction and commissioning align with clinical needs and strategic objectives.

This non-traditional project leadership role requires strong governance, risk management, and executive

Qualifications

• Proven leadership across design, procurement, construction and commissioning of major capital projects.
• Experience with health infrastructure or regulated environments preferred.
• Strong strategic thinking, executive-level reporting and advisory abilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Cairns Hospital Redevelopment Stage 1b with HIQ, ensuring delivery of design, procurement, construction and commissioning according to clinical needs.
• Establish governance, risk, and assurance frameworks across the program and manage financial performance.
• Oversee clinical service transition, workforce readiness, models of care translation, and go-live planning.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Governance & risk

Communications

Education

Degree in health infrastructure

Job description

Cairns, Queensland | Fixed Term – 5 Years
Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service

Lead the delivery of more than $1 billion in transformational healthcare infrastructure for Far North Queensland.

About Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service

Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service (CHHHS) delivers a comprehensive range of healthcare services to communities across Far North Queensland through a network of more than 30 regional, rural and remote facilities spanning over 142,900 square kilometres.

CHHHS is the primary provider of health services to more than 250,000 residents across the Cairns, Tablelands and Cassowary Coast regions and provides specialist services to the Torres Strait and Cape York region. Cairns Hospital is the primary referral hospital for Far North Queensland.

As CHHHS looks to the future, a significant investment in new hospital infrastructure will transform the way healthcare is delivered across the region, supporting contemporary models of care and the evolving needs of patients, clinicians and communities.

The Opportunity

As Director, Cairns Hospital Redevelopment Stage 1b, you will lead CHHHS's involvement in more than $1 billion of new Cairns Hospital infrastructure, representing the Health Service and partnering with Health Infrastructure Queensland (HIQ) to ensure the successful design, procurement, construction and commissioning of this transformational investment.

This is not a traditional project management appointment. HIQ will lead the day-to-day project delivery function, while you will act as CHHHS’s senior representative across the program, operating at the intersection of major capital delivery, clinical operations, governance and stakeholder management.

The redevelopment includes the new Health Innovation & Surgical Centre, Health Management Hub and staff multi-storey car park, representing an unprecedented scale of capital investment for CHHHS and the Far North Queensland community.

In this key leadership role, you will ensure the redevelopment aligns with CHHHS's clinical service requirements, strategic objectives and community needs. You will establish robust governance, risk and assurance frameworks and provide oversight of financial performance, cost pressures and value optimisation throughout the program.

Importantly, you will lead end-to-end operational commissioning and service integration, including clinical service transition, workforce readiness, models of care translation, workflow redesign, digital integration, change management and go-live planning to enable the safe and efficient commencement of services.

Working as part of an integrated leadership team with CHHHS and HIQ, you will navigate complex stakeholder environments, provide strategic advice to the CHHHS Executive and Board and help shape future stages of the Cairns Hospital Master Plan.

About You

You are an accomplished and influential major infrastructure leader with experience delivering complex capital projects at significant scale. Experience within health infrastructure would be highly regarded; however, candidates with highly transferable experience from major government, engineering or other complex infrastructure environments are encouraged to apply.

You will bring:

Demonstrated leadership experience across the design, procurement, construction and commissioning of major, complex capital projects, ideally within healthcare or another highly regulated infrastructure environment.

Strong knowledge of contemporary hospital design, standards and guidelines.

Proven experience working with health service and community stakeholders through complex issues and competing priorities to achieve successful project outcomes.

Exceptional strategic thinking, communication and stakeholder engagement capabilities, including experience providing high-quality reports, briefings and advice at executive and Board level.

Highly developed executive presence, political acumen and judgement, with the ability to navigate competing priorities, strong personalities and highly scrutinised stakeholder environments.

Demonstrated ability to establish effective governance, risk and assurance arrangements across complex programs.

The ability to work effectively under pressure while managing multiple workstreams, inputs and competing priorities.

A related degree and/or demonstrated experience in health infrastructure development.

A commitment to being based in Cairns for the five-year term of the appointment.

Why Join Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service?

This is a rare opportunity to play a defining leadership role in one of the most significant healthcare infrastructure investments in Far North Queensland.

At CHHHS, you'll have the opportunity to:

Lead CHHHS's involvement in more than $1 billion of transformational hospital infrastructure.

Shape facilities and services that will support patients, clinicians and communities for generations to come.

Influence executive and Board-level decision-making across a complex and high-profile redevelopment program.

Lead the transition from major capital investment to safe, efficient and contemporary healthcare delivery.

Help shape future stages of the Cairns Hospital Master Plan and the long-term development of healthcare infrastructure across the region.

Build substantial major-project credentials through a highly visible leadership role on a $1 billion+ hospital redevelopment, with exposure to Board, Executive, government, major contractors and clinical stakeholders.

Support CHHHS's commitment to First Peoples Health Equity and clinically and culturally safe healthcare.

Live and work in tropical Cairns, with access to the Great Barrier Reef and some of Australia's most spectacular natural landscapes.