Job Description

Head of Workplace Relations, Health & Safety

Location
Thomas Embling Hospital (Fairfield) + travel to other Forensicare sites as required

Executive Contract – Full Time Fixed-Term up to 5 years.

Lead Change at the Intersection of People, Safety and Risk
This is a newly created, enterprise-wide role for a leader who loves turning complexity into clarity – and ideas into action.

As Head of Workplace Relations, Health & Safety, you’ll bring together workplace relations, industrial relations, health & safety and injury management into one coherent, high impact portfolio.

You’ll shape how Forensicare manages people risk, safety risk and workforce change across our specialist forensic mental health services, advising the Executive and Board and helping to build a safe, fair and high performing culture.

About the Role
In this role you will:
• Design and lead a contemporary Workplace Relations, Health & Safety function that is future focused and improvement driven.
• Own our workplace and industrial relations strategy, including enterprise agreement interpretation, implementation and negotiation across multiple EBAs.
• Lead modern, risk based case management – with early interventions, structured frameworks and consistent processes.
• Drive a strong safety governance framework covering physical and psychosocial risk, incident management and prevention.
• Oversee WorkCover and Return to Work programs, lifting both compliance and recovery outcomes.
• Build robust governance, policies and SOPs across workplace relations, safety and injury management.
• Lift data, reporting and workforce analytics capability so leaders have clear insight into workforce and safety risk.
• Lead and develop a multidisciplinary team across Workplace Relations, P&C Advisory, Health & Safety and Return to Work.
• Role model values based, inclusive leadership that builds trust, psychological safety and shared accountability.

About You
You’re a strategic operator who is just as comfortable in the detail of complex IR matters as you are shaping organisation wide change.
You will bring:
• Tertiary qualifications in OHS, industrial relations, employment law or a related discipline, plus extensive senior leadership experience.
• Proven success leading ER/IR, workplace relations, People & Culture and Health & Safety in large, complex or highly regulated environments.
• A strong track record in enterprise bargaining, safety governance and workforce change in unionised settings.
• Advanced knowledge of relevant Victorian and Commonwealth legislation in the public health or similar sectors.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams (People Services, Workplace/Employee Relations, Health, Safety, RTW/WorkCover, Occupational Violence & Aggression).
• Demonstrated experience in enterprise risk governance, assurance and Board level reporting.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the credibility to advise senior leaders and external partners.

You’re someone who:
• Is energised by building something new – systems, frameworks, ways of working.
• Thinks in systems, spots risk early and turns insight into practical action.
• Champions collaboration over silos and understands the realities of frontline work.

About Forensicare
Forensicare (Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health) is Victoria’s provider of forensic mental health services.
We support people with serious mental illness who are connected to, or at risk of contact with, the justice system – across inpatient units, community services and prison services.
This role is central to how we:
• Keep our people and consumers safe
• Honour our legislative and industrial obligations
• Build a workplace where people can perform at their best

What’s in It for You
• Genuine scope to shape strategy, systems and culture.
• Direct line of sight to the Executive and Board, with influence across the whole organisation.
• The chance to do complex, interesting work in a purpose driven public health setting.
• Access to professional development and a supportive, values aligned senior leadership cohort.
• Salary packaging.

available on request - matt.brown@forensicare.vic.gov.au

*Please Note - Applications will be reviewed and interviewed as they are received. Advertising may close earlier than indicated.

Eligibility
• Influenza and Immunisation Evidence
• This position is subject to a Police Check

Forensicare is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to attracting and developing a diverse workforce which reflects the community we serve. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people who identify as LGBTQI, people with a lived experience of disability, as well as people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Forensicare promotes our guiding principles of RESPONSIVENESS, INTEGRITY, IMPARTIALITY, ACCOUNTABILITY, RESPECT, LEADERSHIP, HUMAN RIGHTS; and promotes behaviours that are consistent with these values at all times. x