Director of Mental Health - Virtual Care

Role Brief::
The Director of Mental Health is accountable for the operational delivery, clinical governance, and quality assurance of all mental health services delivered across counsellor, psychotherapist, and psychologist pathways. This includes 24/7 access, stepped-care models, and evidence-based interventions.

The role ensures services are delivered safely, consistently, efficiently, and at scale, meeting regulatory requirements, client expectations, and measurable outcomes. By owning operational clinical delivery, this role enables the Clinical Director to focus on executive-level strategy, innovation, and growth.

Responsibilities::
1. Service Implementation & Oversight

• Lead the operational implementation of approved mental health pathways across counsellors, psychotherapists, and psychologists.

• Partner with the Director of Operations to ensure appropriate policies, procedures, SOPs, training frameworks, and workforce capability are in place to support 24/7, high-volume service delivery.

• Define, monitor, and report on KPIs, SLAs, and quality metrics aligned with clinical best practice and client requirements.

• Work with finance and operations to ensure cost-effective resource allocation, budget discipline, and sustainable service delivery, balancing quality, access, efficiency, and scalability.

2. Clinical Governance & Compliance

• Act as the primary clinical representative in client clinical governance forums.

• Lead or contribute to internal and external governance structures, including audits, committees, and boards.

• Ensure all pathways comply with regulatory, licensing, accreditation, and audit requirements, as well as evidence-based and international best-practice standards.

• Oversee clinical escalations, complaints, and incidents, ensuring timely investigation, root-cause analysis, risk mitigation, and dissemination of learning.

• Analyse safeguarding incidents, clinical risk events, and population-level presentations to inform pathway refinement, risk controls, and service improvement.

3. Outcomes & Quality Assurance

• Set measurable outcomes and performance targets across all pathways.

• Establish systems to collect, analyse, and report on clinical outcomes, patient experience, and service quality and safety indicators.

• Conduct routine service evaluation, including clinical audits, stakeholder feedback, and outcome and utilisation reviews.

• Lead continuous quality improvement initiatives and oversee clinical risk management and quality assurance frameworks.

4. Stakeholder & Client Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with clinical and operational stakeholders in insurance, education, and corporate environments.

• Provide timely, accurate, and transparent reporting to clients, internal leadership, and governance bodies.

• Represent the organisation in external governance, oversight, and review meetings.

• Support the Clinical Director and Chief Clinical Officer with client presentations, reports, and clinical insights for regulators, funders, and partners.

5. Team Leadership & Collaboration

• Provide leadership to mental health clinical staff across all services, including 24/7 counsellor, psychotherapist, and psychologist teams.

• Lead, mentor, and develop clinicians and clinical leaders to foster clinical excellence, accountability, and learning.

• Work closely with operations to ensure workforce planning, training, and supervision frameworks support service demand, quality, and staff wellbeing.

6. Strategic Implementation

• Translate Clinical Director priorities into actionable implementation plans with clear timelines and defined KPIs and SLAs.

• Identify emerging risks, gaps, and trends in mental health service delivery and advise on strategic and resourcing responses.

• Drive operational excellence by improving processes to enhance quality, cost-effectiveness, and client and patient experience.

Requirements::
Essential 

• Registered and qualified mental health professional with current Australian registration (AHPRA or relevant regulatory body). 

• Significant senior clinical leadership experience within mental health service delivery. 

• Demonstrated expertise in: Stepped care models, Evidence-based psychological interventions, Clinical governance and risk management frameworks 

• Proven experience leading large-scale, mixed-discipline mental health services, including 24/7 models. 

• Strong track record managing: Clinical escalations and complaints, Multidisciplinary teams, Budgets, resources, KPIs, and SLAs 

• Experience engaging with clients in insurance, education, corporate, or enterprise environments. 

Preferred  

• Practising, registered Psychologist, preferably: Clinical Psychologist, or Psychologist with doctoral-level qualification (PhD or Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or equivalent). 

• Demonstrated track record of senior leadership in:  24/7 mental health service delivery, Crisis, escalation, and safeguarding oversight 

• Experience working across: EAP, Medicare Better Access , PHN-commissioned or stepped care services 

• Strong familiarity with:  NICE-aligned models adapted to the Australian context, recovery-oriented and trauma-informed practice

Desirable::
• Strategic thinker with strong operational execution capability

• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills

• Strong people leadership and team development skills

• High standards of integrity, confidentiality, and professionalism

• Collaborative, pragmatic, and outcomes-focused

• Data-driven with a commitment to continuous improvement