Network Manager

NextSense; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary packaging

Leave entitlements

Parental leave

Education opportunities

Job summary

NextSense seeks a senior leader to oversee Victorian client services across multiple sites, reporting to the COO. You will unite teams across Early Intervention, Cochlear Implant, and Education streams, driving quality, client experience, and performance against budgets.

You will guide budget planning, workforce development, and cross-organisation collaboration, ensuring governance and compliance while advancing strategic priorities.

Qualifications

• A tertiary qualification in applied sciences and/or business, or substantial equivalent operational management experience.
• 5–10+ years in client services management within a diverse, complex organisation.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams delivering Early Intervention & Therapy and/or Cochlear Implant services.
• Ability to convert strategic plans into actionable operations.
• Strong relationship-building and communication skills; able to unite stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop Team Leads and Client Services Network Leads across the Victorian network.
• Collaborate with National Managers and Service Quality Leads to improve delivery.
• Translate strategy into practical operational plans and track outcomes.
• Develop and manage network operating budgets and targets with Finance and COOs.
• Partner with service and education leaders for integrated services and smoother client journeys.
• Support workforce planning, leadership development and learning opportunities.
• Build partnerships with Fundraising, Marketing and Communications to promote services.
• Ensure governance, quality, safety, and privacy obligations are met.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Communication

Education

Applied sciences or business degree

Job description

NextSense is a not-for-profit organisation supporting people who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind or have low vision across Australia. We work with children, adults, and their families to educate and create an individual program of care that meets their unique needs and helps them achieve their goals and reach their potential. We’re a registered NDIS provider and have a large community of generous donors and supporters.

NextSense has been breaking boundaries since 1860 (we were formerly known as the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children), and we’ve been expanding our services ever since. Today, we deliver Australia’s largest cochlear implant program, world-class preschool and primary school education, mainstream school support, allied health, therapy, and clinical services to children, adults and their families.

We provide a holistic approach to hearing services for newborns through to people over 90 years old, and we help children who are blind or have low vision to develop the right skills, mobility and independence to confidently explore their world.

We’re committed to research and innovation; and run leading professional education programs that are preparing the next generation of leaders in hearing and vision services.

About the role

Lead services that make a meaningful difference to people with hearing and vision loss. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, you will join the Senior Services Leadership Group and lead teams across our Victorian Network inclusive of existing and new planned sites across different LGAs.

This role brings teams together to deliver responsive, high-quality services that reflect organisational priorities, support consistent client experience, and achieve strong clinical outcomes. Our Network model operates across multiple service streams, including Early Intervention & Therapy, Cochlear Implant, Diagnostic Audiology, and Education services. Working across a matrix structure, you will foster collegial partnerships and collaboration within the organisation and across our industries and broader ecosystem, connecting people, services, and partners around shared priorities.

Under the direction of the Chief Operating Officer and the Heads of Service (with respect to their respective streams of accountabilities), you will provide leadership to strengthen service quality, improve the client journey and ensure key performance indicators and measures for each site, service and location are met or exceeded, while delivering against network budgets and service targets.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Lead and develop Team Leads and the Client Services Network Leads, building collaboration and accountability across the Victorian network.

Work in collaboration with National Managers and Service Quality Leads to refine and enhance quality of service delivery.

Translate strategy and annual improvement priorities into practical operational plans, leading change, and tracking outcomes to improve service quality and sustainability.

Develop and manage network operating budgets and targets in partnership with Finance, the Chief Operating Officer, and the Heads of Service.

Partner with service and education leaders to deliver integrated services, seamless transitions, and better client journeys, while supporting the cochlear implant growth strategy.

Work with People & Culture on workforce planning, leadership development and learning opportunities that support team capability and professional practice.

Build internal and external partnerships, working with Fundraising and Marketing and Communications to promote services and strengthen philanthropic support.

Partner with Governance, Risk and Compliance to meet clinical governance, quality, and audit requirements, and uphold work health and safety, child protection, and privacy obligations.

Contribute to organisational strategy and lead or support cross-organisational projects, coordinating resources and dependencies to achieve shared outcomes.

About you

A relevant tertiary qualification in applied sciences and/or business, or substantial equivalent operational management experience.

5–10+ years of relevant experience in client services management, including senior management experience in a diverse and complex organisation.

Expertise in leading multidisciplinary teams delivering Early Intervention & Therapy services and/or Cochlear Implant services.

The ability to turn operational plans into action, lead change, and improve services in response to client needs.

Strong relationship-building, influencing and communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex information clearly and unite stakeholders around a shared vision.

A proactive, methodical, and service-oriented approach, with sound judgement, high ethical standards, tact, and diplomacy.

A valid Working with Children Check clearance and NDIS Worker Check, together with a commitment to complying with child protection policies and legislation.

What we offer

100% salary packaging to maximise your take-home pay.

Generous leave entitlements, including two weeks of paid Christmas leave in addition to four weeks of annual leave, plus extensive personal/carer’s leave.

Paid parental leave of 14 weeks for the primary carer and six weeks for the secondary carer.

Access to industry-leading education, professional development opportunities, and career pathways.

NextSense is a child-safe organisation. Compliance with child protection legislation is an essential requirement for this role.