Primary Health Care Manager - Nursing & Community Health Services

Lead a proud & passionate nursing & community services team & deliver comprehensive PHC services to people in remote, rural & regional QLD.

Classifications

• Healthcare & Medicine
• Nurse / Midwife
• Permanent / Full Time

Key points

• Permanent, full-time position
• Monday to Friday- no shift work!!
• Join a growing team, with innovation on the horizon

Description

About RFDS (Queensland Section)
  
The Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section) (RFDS) has a dedicated team of more than 500 professionals including nurses, pilots, doctors, engineers, allied health practitioners, and support staff. Our services span aeromedical retrievals, primary health care clinics, mental health consultations, oral health programs, and telehealth, ensuring the finest care reaches the furthest corner. In the last financial year alone, Primary Health Care (PHC) accounted for two‑thirds of all services delivered. The team conducted more than 24,000 consultations across GP and nurse clinics statewide, administered over 2,000 immunisations, and across all service lines, delivered an average of 200 occasions of care every day across Queensland.
  
As the RFDS (Queensland Section) approaches its 100th anniversary, it is an exciting and impactful time to join the PHC leadership team. As we continue to deliver the finest care we are focusing on growth in service delivery and strengthening the health and wellbeing of communities anywhere, anytime.
  
Our Role

We are looking for a Primary Health Care Manager – Nursing & Community Health Services who is passionate about leading and providing PHC services to people in regional, rural, and remote areas of Queensland. As a PHC Manager, you will have the opportunity to inspire and empower a dedicated team to deliver best practices in promoting good health, providing proactive care, and maintaining overall well-being.
  
Your dedication will ensure that nursing and community health services meet the highest standards of care and performance. Your role will include;

• Leadership and direction to PHC Nurses, Aboriginal Health Practitioners, Allied Health Professionals and the Clinical Resources Support Officer
• Working closely with the General Manager- Primary Health Services and collaboratively with interdisciplinary leaders to deliver operational services, implement the PHC Strategy, develop operational plans, lead innovation and continuous quality improvement
• Leading workforce planning and recruitment to ensure our team is adequately resourced to deliver primary health services and growth initiatives
• Ensuring that clinical equipment, maintenance, and consumables are adequate to support primary health services at a base level
• Developing and managing local PHC nursing, community and allied health budgets and resources within an approved budget allocation.
• With a focus on growth, you will collaborate to expand and enhance primary health services
• Regular and ongoing clinical shifts

This permanent, full-time position will be based at the RFDS Cairns Base. You will be responsible for leading essential primary healthcare services to communities in the Far North and Northwest regions. This includes delivering clinical services as part of our group practice on a rotational basis from our RFDS Mt Isa base.  
  
Your leadership and scope of practice may include:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services
• Child and family health services
• Women’s health services
• Chronic disease care and support
• Health Promotion and Health Education Activities
• Early detection and brief intervention programs
• Antenatal care and education

  
Essential Skills

As a respected leader within the PHC Team, your well-established management skills, exceptional leadership, and sound decision making will make a highly valuable contribution. Your demonstrated ability to initiate and execute change, coupled with your commitment to continuous quality improvement, will support the team in delivering consistently exceptional, patient centred care. Alongside your innovative thinking, you will navigate challenges and explore new ways of doing things, bringing energy, enthusiasm, and adaptability needed in a high paced environment.
As an experienced Registered Nurse who works effectively both autonomously and within a multidisciplinary team, you model resilience, compassion, and a genuine people focused approach. You will demonstrate:

• AHPRA registration as a Registered Nurse
• AHPRA registration as a Registered Midwife (Desirable)
• AHPRA registration as a Nurse Practitioner (Desirable)
• Extensive experience in Rural and Remote Nursing, including the delivery of health services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, supported by a respectful understanding of cultural diversity and traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander views of health.
• Immunisation endorsement
• Rural and Isolated Practice (Scheduled Medicines) endorsement (RIPRN) (desirable)
• Capacity to stay overnight in communities (2-3 nights)
• Current Advanced Life Support (ALS)
• Paediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
• Neonatal advanced resuscitation certification

Why join us?
  
As a part of the broader RFDS team, you will work closely with a dedicated group of professionals who are committed to our mission and take pride in their work. In addition;

• We provide an extensive and supportive orientation program
• We offer an attractive base salary up to 160K remunerating you for your skills and qualifications + Super
• You will receive overnight & meal allowance & accommodation provided when you stay away from Cairns Base
• We offer additional Salary packaging of up to $18,500 increasing your take-home pay
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program including counselling, nutrition sessions, financial sessions, and legal advice
• Private health insurance discounts
• Novated leasing available
• Access to a discounted workplace health and fitness program (Fitness Passport).
• RemServ Rewards, where members receive cashback benefits on purchases from hundreds of leading Australian retailers, including groceries, fashion, technology and travel.

  
Interested?
  
If you would like any further information or a copy of the position description, please contact Talent Acquisition at recruitment@rfdsqld.com.au or call 07 3852 7553.

If you would like to have a conversation with our GM- Ruth Azzopardi, please let us know, and we can connect you. 
 
Before commencement, successful candidates must undergo a drug and alcohol test and may be required to undergo a medical assessment. You must possess a valid, unrestricted QLD drivers’ licence and be able to obtain an ASIC Card. Additionally, candidates must complete the RFDS and Queensland Health credentialing process successfully.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service acknowledges the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first inhabitants of the nation and the Traditional Custodians of the land. The RFDS is committed to eliminating all forms of discrimination in the provision of healthcare. We embrace diversity and welcome all people irrespective of faith, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity.

The RFDS is committed to the protection of human and legal rights, including the rights of children, young people and adults to be safe, heard and cared for. In upholding the Universal Principle, RFDS is committed to creating an organisational environment that ensures Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families feel welcome, safe, valued, included and respected. 
  
Applications for this role close on the 13th of March 2026, however, shortlisting and screening processes may begin before this date.