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

SA Health; Adelaide; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Salary packaging

Job summary

SA Health is seeking a Nurse Unit Manager (RN3) within the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, overseeing surgical day and inpatient care at Lyell McEwin and Modbury Hospitals. The role leads nursing teams, coordinates patient flow, and partners across multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-quality care.

You will drive workforce planning, rostering, staff development, and quality governance aligned with local priorities, contributing to a supportive, clinically safe environment for patients

Qualifications

• Current registration as a Registered Nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (AHPRA).
• 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.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day operational and clinical leadership across Wards 2F and 2FX at Lyell McEwin; Wards 1 West and 1 East at Modbury to ensure safe, person-centred care.
• 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.
• Lead a skilled nursing team with influence on every shift, every outcome, and every person in the units.

Skills

Nurse leadership

Workforce rostering

Clinical governance

Communication skills

Education

Nursing qualification (RN)

Job description

Job no: 933895
Work type: Full time
Location: Adelaide Metro Northern
Categories: Nursing/Midwifery

• Northern Adelaide Local Health Network – Lyell McEwin & Modbury Hospital – ELIZABETH VALE SA 5112 & MODBURY 5092
• Northern Adelaide Local Health Network – Lyell McEwin & Modbury Hospital – Regional Health and Technology, Services Centre (RHTS), ACPA (Lyell & Modbury hospitals) – 4 – National Health Priority (not applicable) – County of Sydney
• Northern Adelaide Local Health Network – Lyell McEwin & Modbury? –?? (Mesh)
• Medi + nurse
• Surgery ... t...

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

  Applicants are requested to clearly identify the position they are applying for or advise if they would like to be considered for both opportunities.

  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.

  NALHN serves 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, 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 screening – 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: 933895

  Enquiries

  NALHN DSSA Nurse Manager

  Phone: [phone]

  E-mail: [e-mail]

  Application Closing Date

  13 November 2026– 11.55PM

  Role Description and Further Information

  933895 - Nurse Unit Manager - RN3 - Surgical Specialties & Anaesthetics - Role Description.pdf

  Advertised

  Advertised: 30 Oct 2026 Cen. Australia Daylight Time
  Applications close: 13 Nov 2026 Cen. Australia Daylight Time