Workers Compensation & Injury Management Lead

David Jones; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

David Jones is seeking a senior Workers Compensation & Injury Management Lead to steer claims across Australia. The role focuses on early intervention, complex-claims oversight, and collaboration with insurers, rehabilitation providers and internal partners to deliver safe returns to work.

You will shape national injury management frameworks, drive strategic initiatives, and lead cross-functional teams within our Safety & Wellbeing function.

Qualifications

• Significant workers compensation and injury management experience across multiple Australian jurisdictions.
• Experience managing complex claims end-to-end, including psychological, disputed, litigated and long-duration matters.
• Strong capability in early intervention, case management and return-to-work planning.

Responsibilities

• Lead management of workers compensation claims nationally, including complex and long-duration matters.
• Drive early intervention to support safe and sustainable recovery at work.
• Develop return-to-work and suitable duties plans with leaders, practitioners, insurers and rehabilitation providers.
• Provide expert advice on Australian workers compensation and injury management requirements.
• Set claim strategy and challenge insurers to improve outcomes.
• Build capability across the business in early intervention and injury management.
• Utilise data to identify opportunities to reduce costs and improve outcomes.

Skills

Workers' comp expertise

Injury management

Stakeholder management

Analytical capability

Autonomous work style

Education

Allied health qualification (preferred)

Job description

As one of Australia’s most iconic retailers we have a rich history of being a curator of world-class brands. Our people are driven by the passion and desire to inspire our customers with seamless service and experiences Like No Other. We empower our people to take risks, grow as a community and ensure we leave a future legacy. With many different career pathways in our business, David Jones is the destination for you to thrive.

At David Jones, the wellbeing and safety of our people matters. We’re looking for an experienced Workers Compensation & Injury Management Lead to take the lead on workers compensation and injury management across our Australian business.

This is a senior technical role for someone who knows workers compensation inside out, enjoys solving complex cases and can build trusted relationships across a diverse organisation.

You’ll have the opportunity to shape how we approach early intervention and recovery at work nationally, while directly managing some of our more complex and sensitive claims.

What YOUR DAY LOOKS LIKE

Reporting into our Safety & Wellbeing function, you’ll provide specialist leadership across workers compensation, injury management and recovery at work.

You’ll:

• Lead the management of workers compensation claims nationally, with direct oversight of complex, psychological, disputed, litigated and long-duration claims.
• Drive early intervention strategies, identifying recovery barriers early and helping our people achieve safe, sustainable recovery at work.
• Partner with leaders, People & Culture, treating practitioners, insurers and rehabilitation providers to develop effective return-to-work and suitable duties plans.
• Provide expert advice across Australian workers compensation and injury management requirements.
• Lead claim strategy and constructively challenge insurers, claims agents, brokers, legal partners and rehabilitation providers to achieve better outcomes.
• Build capability across the business in early intervention, injury management and recovery at work.
• Use claims data, trends, costs and insights to identify opportunities to improve outcomes and reduce risk.
• Help evolve our national injury management framework, processes, systems and reporting.

What YOU’LL NEED TO THRIVE

You’ll bring strong technical expertise in workers compensation and injury management, together with the confidence to influence stakeholders at all levels.

Ideally, you’ll have:

• Significant workers compensation and injury management experience across multiple Australian jurisdictions.
• Experience managing complex claims end-to-end, including psychological, disputed, litigated and long-duration matters.
• Strong capability in early intervention, case management and return-to-work planning.
• The ability to interpret medical and capacity information and translate this into practical recovery strategies.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• The confidence to challenge insurers and external providers when required.
• Strong commercial and analytical capability, including an understanding of claim costs, premium drivers, recoveries and performance.
• Experience improving injury management processes, frameworks and ways of working.
• The ability to work autonomously and prioritise across a national retail, corporate and supply chain environment.

A tertiary qualification in allied health, rehabilitation, occupational rehabilitation or a related discipline is preferred, although significant relevant experience will also be considered.

Relevant return-to-work or injury management accreditation is desirable, along with a current Australian driver licence.

About US

Since 1838, David Jones’ limitless quest for innovation and progress established the brand as Australia’s original influencer in fashion and lifestyle. Having revolutionised the way Australians shop, David Jones’ creation of a social centre inspired and created lasting memories for past, present and future generations. Today, our vision to inspire Like No Other drives us to continue this legacy in our ambitious purpose to be the destination that inspires, with experiences and services Like No Other.

Our Thriving cultural pillars inspire our people to deliver on our vision and purpose. We are Customer Obsessed; curious to understand and dedicated to delighting them with seamless solutions as one team. We care for our people, customers, partners and community by creating Inclusive environments through belonging and respect. We Empower with implied trust to act with integrity, value our unique skills and be accountable for our decisions. We constantly seek Innovative ways of improving, changing and exploring ways that we can inspire.

David Jones is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing a working environment that embraces and values diversity and inclusion. If you have any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at time of application to assist you through the recruitment process.