Principal Nursing and Midwifery Officer, Complaints and Risk

Principal Nursing and Midwifery Officer, Complaints and Risk

The Health Professional Councils Authority plays a vital role in protecting the public by managing complaints and concerns about nursing and midwifery practitioners. As healthcare continues to evolve, so must regulatory systems that support public confidence, professional accountability and safe practice.

We are seeking an experienced and forward-thinking nursing or midwifery leader to join us as Principal Nursing and Midwifery Officer, Complaints and Risk. Someone who can navigate complexity with confidence, balance competing priorities with sound judgement, and bring a human-centered perspective to challenging issues. Someone who sees change as an opportunity, thinks critically about emerging risks, and works collaboratively to improve systems and outcomes.

You will lead the Nursing & Midwifery Team’s risk assessment and complaints management functions, support high-quality regulatory decision making, and influence decisions that strengthen public safety while ensuring fair, transparent and effective regulatory processes.

Reporting to the Executive Officer, you will provide professional leadership and expert advice to the Nursing Midwifery Council, its committees and to Health Professional Councils Authority regulatory staff on complex and high-risk matters. You will lead a team responsible for the initial assessment and management of complaints, ensuring risks to public safety are identified, assessed and managed appropriately.

The role combines leadership, operational oversight, stakeholder engagement and continuous improvement.

You will:

• Lead and develop a high-performing team responsible for complaints triage, risk assessment and regulatory decision support.
• Provide expert advice on complex, sensitive and high-risk matters affecting professional standards and public safety.
• Support the Council and its committees to make timely, evidence-informed decisions.
• Build strong relationships with practitioners, employers, professional organisations, the Ministry of Health, education providers and regulatory partners.
• Analyse trends, identify emerging risks and develop proactive strategies to improve regulatory outcomes.
• Lead innovation and service improvements that enhance the effectiveness, efficiency and responsiveness of complaints management processes.
• Contribute to evaluation, policy development and broader conversations about contemporary regulatory practice and professional standards

Nurse Manager Grade 6, salary from $175,773.95 - $178,758.56 plus Super and annual leave loading For more information, read the full Role Description.

About you

• You are an accomplished nursing or midwifery professional who combines strong clinical credibility with leadership capability, systems thinking and emotional intelligence.
• You understand that effective regulation is ultimately about people. You can engage constructively with practitioners, complainants, employers and decision makers, even when issues are complex, contentious or emotionally charged.
• You thrive in environments where priorities shift, new challenges emerge and there is an opportunity to shape better ways of working.

You will bring:

• Extensive experience as a registered nurse and/or midwife, with contemporary clinical and professional knowledge.
• A demonstrated ability to lead teams through complexity, uncertainty and change.
• Strong judgement and the ability to assess risk, weigh evidence and make sound decisions in challenging circumstances.
• Experience managing complex programs or services in a regulatory, clinical, health or professional environment.
• Highly developed communication and stakeholder engagement skills, including the ability to influence and collaborate across diverse groups.
• Advanced problem-solving, analytical and critical thinking capability.
• A commitment to continuous improvement, innovation and evidence-based practice.
• The ability to remain adaptable, resilient and responsive in a fast-paced environment.
• Knowledge of the Australian health practitioner regulatory framework and complaint management processes, or the ability to rapidly acquire expertise.

Most importantly, you bring a collaborative and respectful leadership style and are motivated by improving outcomes for the public, practitioners and the broader health system.