Chief Medical Officer - Defence & National Security

Senior Clinical Leadership Opportunity | Expected Commencement October–December 2026

At Aspen Medical, we deliver world-class healthcare in some of the world’s most complex and demanding environments. As a certified B Corp and trusted healthcare partner to governments and organisations globally, our people are united by a commitment to clinical excellence, quality, integrity and improving health outcomes.

To support continued growth across our Defence & National Security health services portfolio we are seeking an accomplished senior medical leader to join our leadership team and directly contribute to clinical governance as well as impacting contract and commercial success.

The Chief Medical Officer - Defence & National Security will provide visible clinical leadership across large and complex Australian Government healthcare programs, working closely with clinical and operational leaders to embed strong clinical governance, patient safety, quality, professional standards and workforce capability into service delivery. We are seeking a senior medical leader with experience delivering complex Government healthcare contracts who can translate governance requirements into practical systems, standards and behaviours that support safe, consistent and high-quality care across a national service network. Defence or other mission-critical healthcare experience will be highly regarded.

• Drive clinical excellence across the program, providing visible leadership to clinicians and clinical leaders and establishing clear expectations for quality, safety, professional practice and accountability.
• Lead clinical governance and assurance with oversight of patient safety, quality systems, clinical risk, professional standards, accreditation, credentialing and scope of practice, incident and complaints management, and continuous improvement.
• Strengthen clinical workforce governance, ensuring clinicians are appropriately registered, credentialed, supported and practising within approved scopes of practice, with effective supervision and professional development arrangements.
• Embed robust clinical risk and incident management, ensuring emerging risks, incidents, complaints and assurance findings are identified early, appropriately escalated and translated into corrective action and measurable improvement.
• Build a data-driven approach to clinical assurance, using clinical performance dashboards, trend analysis and early risk indicators to understand performance and identify areas requiring intervention.
• Translate clinical insights into action, ensuring data and assurance findings inform operational and contractual decision-making and drive measurable improvements in outcomes, access, quality and service performance.
• Maintain readiness for accreditation and external assurance, ensuring clinical standards, governance systems, documentation and evidence support regulatory, contractual and accreditation requirements.
• Build clinical capability and consistency across the network, coaching and supporting clinical leaders and working closely with operational teams to embed effective governance and continuously improve service delivery.
• Manage senior clinical relationships with internal and external stakeholders to ensure strong contractual and operational alignment.
• Directly contribute to contract and commercial success as a member of the Defence & National Security executive leadership team.

You will be an experienced senior medical leader who is comfortable operating close to service delivery. You understand that effective clinical governance isn't simply about frameworks and policies, it's about creating the systems, standards, behaviours and accountability that enable clinicians to consistently deliver excellent care.

You'll bring:

• Significant senior medical leadership experience within a complex, regulated, multi-site or nationally distributed healthcare environment.
• Demonstrated experience delivering large-scale Government health contracts or contracted healthcare services, with a strong understanding of customer, operational and contractual requirements.
• Deep clinical governance expertise, encompassing patient safety, clinical risk, quality systems, professional standards, credentialing and scope of practice, incidents and complaints, assurance and continuous improvement.
• Experience leading accreditation and standards-based healthcare delivery, with a strong understanding of Australian healthcare regulation, the National Model Clinical Governance Framework and National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards.
• Strong capability in clinical performance and assurance, including dashboards, performance indicators, trend analysis, early identification of clinical risk and translating insights into operational improvements.
• A proven ability to lead through influence, building credibility with clinicians, operational leaders, executives, Government customers and delivery partners across geographically dispersed environments.
• Current unconditional AHPRA registration as a medical practitioner, together with Fellowship of a recognised Australian specialist medical college relevant to the role.
• Sound judgement and a pragmatic, delivery-focused leadership style, with the ability to balance clinical integrity, patient outcomes, workforce requirements, customer expectations and contractual performance.

Experience within Defence health, military medicine, occupational medicine or another mission-critical healthcare environment will be advantageous, but is not essential. Experience mobilising, transitioning or transforming large-scale healthcare services will also be highly regarded.

Why Join Aspen Medical?

At Aspen Medical, you'll be part of an organisation recognised globally for delivering innovative healthcare solutions where they matter most. We invest in our people, foster an inclusive and values-driven culture, and empower our leaders to make a meaningful impact through clinical excellence, collaboration and innovation.

This is an outstanding opportunity to contribute to nationally significant healthcare programs while helping shape the future of healthcare delivery in Australia.

If you're ready to take the next step in your executive career, we'd love to hear from you.

Please apply via the application link. We will review applications as part of our recruitment process and will be in contact with shortlisted candidates. To ensure a fair and efficient recruitment process, we are unable to respond to individual enquiries regarding this opportunity.

Aspen Medical values diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, LGBTQIA+ communities, and those from diverse cultural backgrounds. We also welcome applications from ADF veterans with relevant experience.

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