Nurse Unit Manager - Wards 2F/2FX 1 East /1 West

SA Health - Northern Adelaide Local Health Network; Adelaide; On-site; AUD 133,000 - 139,000; Full time

Job summary

SA Health - Northern Adelaide Local Health Network invites applications for Nurse Unit Manager roles at Lyell McEwin and Modbury Hospitals in Elizabeth Vale and Modbury, SA. You will lead nursing teams in surgical day and inpatient units, delivering high-quality, person-centred care.

You will shape workforce planning, rostering, and staff development, partner with multidisciplinary teams, and contribute to quality improvement and governance aligned with network priorities.

Qualifications

• Current registration as a Registered Nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (AHPRA).
• Minimum of 3 years post-registration experience.
• Experience in nursing leadership or management within an acute surgical inpatient and/or day procedure unit.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day operational and clinical leadership across Wards 2F (Day Procedure Unit 8 chairs) and 2FX (11 bed Surgical Ward) at Lyell McEwin Hospital and through Wards 1 West (Day Procedure Unit 20 chairs) and 1 East (11 bed Surgical Ward) at Modbury Hospital.
• Drive workforce planning, rostering, and staff development to maintain a capable nursing team.
• Partner with medical, allied health, and multidisciplinary colleagues to coordinate patient flow and care transitions.
• Contribute to quality improvement, accreditation activity, and clinical governance processes aligned with NALHN priorities.

Skills

Nursing leadership

AHPRA registered nurse

Acute surgical inpatient experience

Roster management

Stakeholder engagement

Strong communication

Education

Nursing registration with AHPRA

Job description

• Northern Adelaide Local Health Network – Lyell McEwin & Modbury Hospital – ELIZABETH VALE SA 5112 & MODBURY 5092
• Salary: $132,794 - $138,730 p.a. plus Superannuation and Salary Sacrifice benefits– RN3A
• Ongoing Full-Time - 2 positions.
• Wards 2F (Day Procedure Unit) and 2FX at Lyell McEwin Hospital
• Wards 1 East and 1 West (Day Procedure Unit) at Modbury Hospital

About the Role:

Lyell McEwin and Modbury Hospitals are some of South Australia's busiest tertiary referral centres, and Wards 2F and 2FX at Lyell McEwin and Wards 1 East and 1 West at Modbury are at the heart of Surgical day and inpatient care. As Nurse Unit Manager, you will lead a skilled nursing team delivering high-quality care in these surgical environments — and your leadership will have influence on every shift, every outcome, and every person coming into your units.

Key Responsibilities

Lyell McEwin Hospital

• Provide day-to-day operational and clinical leadership across Wards 2F (Day Procedure Unit 8 chairs) and 2FX (11 bed Surgical Ward), to ensure safe, person-centred care is delivered consistently
• Drive workforce planning, rostering, and staff development to maintain a capable and supported nursing team
• Partner with medical, allied health, and multidisciplinary colleagues to coordinate patient flow and care transitions
• Contribute to quality improvement, accreditation activity, and clinical governance processes aligned with NALHN priorities

Modbury Hospital

• Provide day-to-day operational and clinical leadership across Wards 1 West (Day Procedure Unit 20 chairs) and 1 East (11 bed Surgical Ward), to ensure safe, person-centred care is delivered consistently
• Drive workforce planning, rostering, and staff development to maintain a capable and supported nursing team
• Partner with medical, allied health, and multidisciplinary colleagues to coordinate patient flow and care transitions
• Contribute to quality improvement, accreditation activity, and clinical governance processes aligned with NALHN priorities

Key Attributes

• Current registration as a Registered Nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (AHPRA), with a minimum of 3 years post registration experience
• Demonstrated experience in a nursing leadership or management role within an acute surgical inpatient and/or day procedure unit setting
• Sound understanding of contemporary workforce management, including rostering and performance support
• Proven ability to lead teams through change while maintaining staff wellbeing and clinical standards
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills in multidisciplinary environments
• Commitment to fostering and promoting person centred practice

To be eligible for this position, you must beRegistered or eligible for registration as a Nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia and who holds, or who is eligible to hold, a current practicing certificate

About You:

In these roles 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 displaying resilience within a stressful and complex environment is essential to these roles.

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 teams.

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.

NALHNserves over400,000 peoplein 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.

Withover 7,500employees, NALHNemphasisesquality care and a supportive work environment guided by respect, integrity, and accountability. Our core values foster excellence, innovation, andequitablehealth 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.

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

Aboriginal and Torres