Operations Manager - Anaesthesia and Pain Management

The Hospital:

The Royal Children’s Hospital’s (RCH) Vision is “A world where all kids thrive”.

RCH is a cornerstone member of the Melbourne Children’s Campus, partnering with Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, The University of Melbourne Department of Paediatrics and The Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation.

RCH has cared for the children and young people of Victoria for more than 150 years since it was founded in 1870. A full range of paediatrics and adolescent health services are provided plus tertiary and quaternary care for the most critically ill and medically complex patients in Victoria, Tasmania, southern NSW and other states around Australia and overseas. The Hospital has more than 6,000 staff, a budget of $850M, 12 wards and 350 beds. Annually, the RCH has 300,000+ Specialist Clinic appointments, 90,000+ Emergency Department presentations and 20,000 elective surgeries.

The RCH is committed to the Child Safe Standards. 

RCH enjoys high employee engagement and is committed to staff safety and a positive culture through enactment of our Compact.

For further Information on RCH is available here.

Operations Manager – Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Management

Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH), Melbourne

About the role

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Operations Manager to lead the financial, operational, and support services of our Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Management. This key leadership role will work closely with the Director and senior staff to ensure smooth day-to-day operations, contribute to strategic planning, and foster a culture of continuous improvement in line with the RCH Operational Excellence Framework.

This position offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in a world-class paediatric hospital, leading a team dedicated to delivering excellence in patient care, research, and service delivery.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and manage the administrative team, promoting collaboration, accountability, and professional growth.
• Act as the primary operational contact for internal and external stakeholders.
• Oversee HR processes including recruitment, onboarding, leave management, and workforce planning.
• Ensure compliance with accreditation and audit requirements, leading continuous improvement initiatives.
• Manage departmental finances, budgets, and payroll processes, and support accurate billing and research revenue management.
• Develop and maintain policies, procedures, and communication systems to support effective service delivery.
• Contribute to strategic planning, performance reporting, and business case development.

About you

To succeed in this role, you will bring:

• Tertiary qualifications in a relevant field and/or significant experience in a complex organisation.
• Strong leadership skills with experience managing people and developing teams.
• Proven ability to manage finances, resources, and operations effectively.
• Highly developed organisational, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• A consultative and collaborative leadership style.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and confidence using digital systems.
• (Desirable) Experience within a hospital or healthcare setting.

What we offer

• A leadership role in one of Australia’s most respected paediatric hospitals.
• The chance to contribute to excellence in clinical service, education, and research.
• A supportive team culture with opportunities for growth and professional development.
• Salary packaging and staff benefits as part of RCH employment conditions.

Other requirements

• National Police Check and Working with Children Check.
• Compliance with staff immunisation requirements.
• A current driver’s licence (if required for the role).

To read more about the role and requirements, please see the position description here. 

Why work at the RCH?

RCH enjoys high employee engagement and is committed to staff safety and a positive culture through enactment of our Compact. We offer the opportunity to work in world-class facilities, surrounded by Royal Park and only a short tram trip from the heart of Melbourne city.

We also offer discounted staff parking, salary packaging, and an award-winning health and wellbeing program.

The RCH is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from culturally and/or linguistically diverse background, all members of the LGBTQI community and people with disability.

It is a requirement of your employment that you be vaccinated against Influenza annually for Category A and B roles, in compliance with any public health orders in place at the relevant time, unless you have a medical exception in line with those public health orders, which has been accepted by The Royal Children’s Hospital.  Applicants will be required to provide their Australian Government Immunisation History Statement, it is a requirement of the RCH to collect, record and hold vaccination information.

It is also a requirement of your employment that you comply with any direction given by The Royal Children’s Hospital that you be vaccinated against, or prove immunity to, any other disease, unless you have a relevant exemption, and offers of employment are conditional on successful completion of background checks including reference checks. 

Are you ready to join our team? 

 Apply online by clicking on the “Apply” button

Applications close 11 December 2025.