CLINICAL LEAD JOB DESCRIPTION

A Clinical Lead is a practicing clinician who also holds operational and supervisory accountability for a defined care unit or program. Getting this balance wrong shows quickly: care standards slip, accreditation reviews surface gaps, and junior staff lose the structured mentorship that keeps clinical competence growing across a team. The role spans direct patient or client care, governance reporting, and staff supervision within hospitals, residential aged care, ambulatory clinics, and community health programs. Registration with a relevant professional body - AHPRA for nursing and allied health roles - is a non-negotiable entry condition, distinguishing this seat from non-clinical program management.

As the Clinical Lead, you own the delivery of safe, standards-compliant care within your unit while supervising and developing the clinical staff responsible for day-to-day service. You operate within a broader operational structure, typically reporting to a department or area manager, and serve as the primary clinical governance reference for your team and key institutional stakeholders.

Career Impact: Holding AHPRA registration alongside supervisory accountability positions you within a recognized clinical leadership pathway, building the governance and mentorship credentials required for senior clinical or facility management roles.

Business Impact: The clinical team's ability to meet accreditation standards, manage waitlists efficiently, and deliver consistent patient outcomes depends directly on the oversight and coaching this role provides.

Growth Opportunity: Experience coordinating quality improvement projects, managing staff performance, and reporting against key clinical indicators builds the portfolio needed to move into Clinical Manager or Director of Nursing roles.

• Lead clinical supervision, coaching, and performance support for nursing, allied health, or program staff within the assigned care unit.
• Oversee care assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation in line with the applicable model of care and accreditation standards.
• Monitor operational performance through regular review of key clinical indicators, escalating issues to the area or facility manager as required.
• Coordinate staff scheduling, case load allocation, and waitlist management to maintain safe staffing levels and continuity of care.
• Conduct team meetings and facilitate professional development activities to maintain clinical competency across the team.
• Report on clinical outcomes, occupancy, and compliance metrics to governance forums or senior management on a scheduled basis.
• Support orientation of new staff to clinical care standards and ensure ongoing alignment with relevant policies and procedures.

• Bachelor's degree in Nursing, Allied Health, Psychology, Social Work, or a related clinical discipline, or equivalent work experience.
• 5 or more years of clinical practice experience, with demonstrated progression into supervisory or coordination responsibilities.
• Current registration or licensure with the relevant professional body for the clinical discipline.
• Demonstrated knowledge of clinical governance frameworks, accreditation standards, and quality improvement practices.
• Proven ability to supervise, mentor, and support the professional development of junior clinical staff.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to engage effectively across clinical and non-clinical audiences.
• Demonstrated organizational and prioritization skills with the ability to manage competing operational demands.

• Post-graduate qualification in a relevant health discipline, management, or education, or active progress toward one.
• Experience with a recognized clinical supervision model and formal training in its application.
• Demonstrated knowledge of funding or assessment instruments relevant to the care setting, such as ACFI in aged care or AOD program frameworks in community health.
• Prior involvement in curriculum development, trainee supervision, or structured staff education programs.

• Accreditation compliance rate, reflecting whether the unit meets all required standards at review.
• Staff case load and waitlist turnover rate, measuring how efficiently client allocations are managed.
• Incident escalation and resolution time, tracking how quickly clinical risks are identified and actioned.
• Monthly governance reporting completion rate, reflecting consistency of clinical oversight documentation.
• Staff retention and professional development participation rate within the supervised team.
• Typical tools: Clinical information systems (commonly EMR platforms); reporting and scheduling software (commonly spreadsheet and workforce management tools).

• Base Salary Range: $72,000 to $98,000 per year depending on setting and discipline.
• Bonus: Uncommon in direct care; performance recognition programs in some health systems.
• Equity: Not typical for clinical roles in this sector.
• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage standard across hospital and health system employers.
• PTO: 15 to 25 days annually; some settings include additional clinical professional development leave.
• Common Perks: Continuing education reimbursement, licensure renewal support, and access to employee assistance programs.

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Accommodation requests for applicants with disabilities are welcomed at any stage of the hiring process and will be addressed in accordance with applicable law. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under federal, state, or local law. Employment in this role is contingent on successful completion of a background check, which may include criminal history and professional registration verification. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.

The Clinical Lead owns the end-to-end clinical delivery of research projects, from recruitment strategy and risk mitigation through financial management and stakeholder engagement. Reporting to senior project leadership and collaborating with internal clinical teams and external partners, this role shapes quality standards, drives milestone achievement, and ensures compliant trial conduct within a contract research environment.

Key Responsibilities

Accountable for meeting projects' recruitment targets and ensuring appropriate recruitment strategies are in place.

Contribute to the development of the project risk mitigation plan and manage clinical risks through the project's lifecycle.

Ensure clinical quality delivery by identifying quality standards and requirements, planning compliance measurement, and overseeing management of clinical quality issues.

Manage clinical aspects of project finances including Estimate at Completion (EAC) and monitor changes against baseline.

Identify additional service opportunities or out-of-scope work.

Identify the clinical stakeholder landscape and manage both internal and external stakeholders through effective communication and resolution management.

Collaborate with the clinical team to support milestone achievements and report to stakeholders as per project scope requirements.

Manage resourcing and talent planning of the clinical team through high-quality operational plans, guidance, and project-related training.

Conduct regular team meetings and communicate appropriately to achieve objectives.

Support professional development by providing feedback to clinical team line managers on performance.

Contribute to the development of the clinical delivery strategy for proposals and participate in bid defense preparations.

Mentor and coach new peers as they assimilate into the role.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in health care or other scientific discipline.

5 years of clinical research or monitoring experience, or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

Advanced knowledge of the job area and broad knowledge of related job areas.

Good knowledge of applicable clinical research regulatory requirements including GCP and ICH guidelines.

Broad protocol knowledge and therapeutic area knowledge.

Good understanding of the clinical research industry and the relevant environments in which it operates.

Understanding of project finances and clinical trial conduct.

Basic knowledge of project management practices and terminology.

Good software and computer skills including Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Problem-solving, planning, time management, and prioritization skills.

Good influencing, negotiation, judgment, and decision-making skills.

Strong written and verbal communication skills with good command of English.

Embedded within the Regional Perioperative Education Program (RPEP), the Clinical Lead is responsible for the overall success of program implementation and sustainability, overseeing RPEP educators and program assistants while developing curriculum and quality education environments. Working closely with OR site leadership, Managers, and schools of nursing, this role ensures learning needs of OR nurse trainees are met through evidence-informed education theory and substantive evaluation processes.

Core Functions

Be responsible for supporting the department's vision of Leading Learning, Partnering for Potential, and utilize evidence-informed education theory to inform programming and practice standards for the Regional Perioperative Education Program (RPEP).

Be responsible for the overall success of RPEP program implementation and sustainability, and review and monitor related policies, procedures, and guidelines.

Administer and provide supervision to RPEP educators and program assistants including communication, conflict resolution, performance recognition, coaching, and workload management.

Oversee the ongoing development of RPEP CNEs to promote quality education environments supporting the learning needs of OR nurse trainees.

Coach RPEP CNEs to achieve both teaching and trainee performance excellence.

Oversee all aspects of RPEP delivery and daily operational activities.

Liaise with key stakeholders on the achievement of quality indicators and program goals and objectives.

Lead the coordination and delivery of RPEP, develop program initiatives, and implement a substantive evaluation process to ensure learning needs are met.

Partner with Managers, OR site leadership, and schools of nursing to ensure the overall success and growth of RPEP.

Review, monitor, and implement policies, procedures, and standards relating to education activities.

Be a positive, professional, and informed role model across the organization and with peers in the industry.

Qualifications & Experience

Baccalaureate in Nursing, with a Master's degree in Nursing or Education completed or in progress.

Current practicing registration as a Registered Nurse with the relevant provincial nursing college.

5 years of recent, related progressive nursing education experience in an Operating Room or in the RPEP, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

Demonstrated knowledge of adult learning principles and practices.

Knowledge of program evaluation approaches and outcome measurement.

Demonstrated experience in curriculum development and delivery.

Comprehensive knowledge of current trends, best practices, and modalities of treatment in the relevant service area.

Advanced computer literacy including client care information systems, word processing, spreadsheet, database, internet, and email software.

Demonstrated ability to function as a strong leader, motivator, coach, and mentor while also contributing as a team member.

Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and strategically with colleagues, stakeholders, and health care staff both one-on-one and in groups.

Demonstrated ability to adjust to new or unexpected events, problem-solve, and guide others through conflict resolution.

Demonstrated ability to model and foster a positive, collaborative, and respectful team working environment.

Demonstrated organizational, planning, and priority-setting skills with the ability to meet deadlines.

Reporting to the project manager, the Clinical Lead II leads global clinical projects by developing study-specific monitoring plans, driving patient recruitment and retention, and applying risk-based quality management across the full study lifecycle. Partnering with cross-functional teams within the Clinical Management Group, this role ensures GCP-compliant delivery of milestones and provides coaching and mentorship to junior clinical staff.

Primary Duties

Create and maintain study-specific clinical monitoring plans utilizing approved templates and ensuring effective communication and escalation instructions are incorporated and actioned appropriately.

Ensure timely completion of all visit reports and review them for quality, GCP compliance, finalization within contractual timelines, and effective follow-up and resolution of site issues.

Plan and drive patient recruitment and retention together with the project manager, including preparing and executing a site and patient recruitment and retention plan.

Move the project forward and lead global projects via collaboration with the project manager to establish clinical project timelines and accomplish all milestones throughout the study.

Act as coach and mentor to junior staff while proactively driving team and departmental engagement within the Clinical Management Group.

Apply a risk-based quality management mindset to proactively mitigate issues and provide support for study audits and responses.

Skills & Qualifications

Bachelor's degree, or local equivalent, in a clinical, biological, scientific, or health-related field, or at minimum 7 or more years of clinical research experience as a CRA, CL, or PM with at least 5 years of monitoring experience.

1 to 2 years of previous clinical oversight experience or equivalent within a clinical research organization.

Working knowledge of clinical financials including budgets, pass-through, and resource management.

Advanced knowledge of ICH/GCP regulations, FDA Guidance Documents, EU Directives, ISO14155 regulations, drug and device development, and clinical monitoring procedures.

Strong knowledge of web-based communication tools and MS Office.

Collaborative, results-oriented team player with strong people management skills and experience providing performance feedback on annual appraisals.

Excellent organizational and time-management skills with the ability to prioritize work and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities.

Customer service-focused approach to work, both internally and externally.

Fluent verbal and written English as well as local language required.

Sitting at the intersection of clinical care and operational management, the Clinical Lead oversees day-to-day clinic operations and staff to ensure smooth execution of patient care processes under the supervision of the Area Manager. The Clinical Lead builds staff capability through individual and group coaching, monitors key performance metrics, and manages budgets, scheduling, and supply processes across all assigned clinic locations.

Duties

Oversee day-to-day operations of the clinical area and clinical staff to ensure smooth and efficient execution of clinic processes under the supervision and guidance of the Area Manager.

Communicate job expectations and conduct individual and group coaching and training interventions for new and tenured clinic employees.

Monitor staff and clinic performance and alert the Area Manager and appropriate departments of any challenges interfering with patient care.

Assist clinic staff and medical providers in patient care including triage, assessments, treatments, procedures, and discharging.

Manage clinic budgets to regulate spending, payroll processes, and other clinic expenses.

Create, maintain, and flex staff schedules based on clinic needs.

Monitor and evaluate effectiveness of clinic operations through regular reviews of key performance metrics.

Submit weekly orders via approved vendor for supplies, review scheduling for any errors or conflicts, and review scheduled visits in the EMR for any conflicts or needed updates.

Submit, review, and correct any required reporting, and review budgeted totals for office expenses.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited Associates in Nursing, Bachelor's in Nursing, Medical Assistant, EMT, Paramedic program, or equivalent army-based training program.

CPR certification required.

At least 1 to 2 years of medical office or healthcare experience.

Prior management and healthcare experience.

At least 2 years of experience with Microsoft Office including Word, Teams, PowerPoint, and Excel.

Demonstrated ability to utilize and execute administrative systems and processes consistently and proficiently.

Excellent communication skills across all levels and amongst team leaders.

Willingness to travel throughout all clinic locations within the assigned area.

A key member of the Allied Health Department, the Clinical Lead delivers evidence-based physiotherapy services across a broad range of acute presentations while providing clinical support, supervision, and mentoring to junior staff and students. Collaborating with the Allied Health Manager and multidisciplinary teams, this role influences hospital service through participation in quality improvement activities, professional development programs, and the management of weekend physiotherapy services.

Functions

Work closely with the Allied Health Manager to provide leadership support to the acute physiotherapy team and wider allied health team.

Provide excellent evidence-based physiotherapy services across a broad range of general acute presentations.

Provide clinical support for complex acute cases related to assessment, treatment, discharge planning, and evidence-based practice across disciplines.

Participate in program development and quality improvement activities within the Allied Health Department.

Participate in multidisciplinary team meetings and professional development programs, working parties, and committees to influence hospital service.

Provide clinical supervision, structure, and mentoring to junior staff and students.

Share expertise through professional development opportunities.

Manage weekend physiotherapy services.

Experience & Qualifications

Qualification in Physiotherapy with AHPRA registration.

Relevant post-graduate certification or working towards.

Evidence of advanced training relevant to acute physiotherapy.

Excellent clinical practice skills and track record in acute services.

Proven track record of completing quality improvement and service expansion projects.

Experience in supervising staff and students.

Knowledge in a specialty acute area desirable but not mandatory.

Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Highly developed communication and interpersonal skills.

Excellent organisation and time management skills.

Delivering high-quality residential care depends on the Clinical Lead, who assesses, plans, implements, and evaluates resident care in accordance with the model of care while ensuring all accreditation standards are met. Based within a residential aged care service, this role provides expert clinical advice across key indicators, supports orientation and professional development of new staff, and delivers clinical monitoring reports to the cluster governance forum.

Accountabilities

Ensure resident care is assessed, planned, implemented, and evaluated in accordance with the model of care, taking into consideration each client's physical, social, emotional, and clinical needs.

Assist and inform the Residential Service Manager to ensure that the service meets all accreditation standards.

Provide clinical service monitoring reports to the cluster governance forum.

Provide expert advice and support against all key clinical indicators and their application in practice.

Ensure that all new staff are appropriately oriented to clinical care services and supported in their ongoing professional development.

Technical Qualifications

Current AHPRA registration as a Division 1 Registered Nurse.

Post-graduate qualifications in a health discipline or management, or working towards, highly desirable.

Extensive general nursing experience and demonstrated skills reflective of experience.

Demonstrated experience and knowledge in Aged Care Funding Instrument (ACFI).

Extensive clinical care management experience.

Demonstrated understanding of resident-based, person-centred care service delivery.

Knowledge of continuous quality improvement practices.

As the Clinical Lead, this role oversees the development and implementation of evidence-informed mental health services for children, adolescents, and families within an intensive outpatient eating disorder program, providing direct psychiatric care including diagnostic evaluations and evidence-based individual, family, and group treatments. The behavioral health team relies on this work to drive continuous performance improvement, quality improvement, and education and research efforts, including supervision of psychology and psychiatry trainees within the Eating Disorder IOP.

Activities

Oversee the development and implementation of evidence-informed mental health services for the spectrum of eating disorders within an intensive outpatient program for children, adolescents, and families.

Collaborate with other levels of care and related disciplines to ensure continuity across the spectrum of care.

Drive continuous performance improvement, quality improvement, and education and research efforts delivered by the behavioral health team.

Design and oversee the training program for psychology and psychiatry trainees within the Eating Disorder IOP, providing oversight of the trainee experience.

Provide direct care to children, adolescents, and families served at the behavioral health clinics.

Provide psychiatric diagnostic evaluations and evidence-based individual, family, group, and crisis treatments for children with eating disorders.

Provide program supervision for involved providers, including leading relevant consultation teams.

Provide supervision for psychology and psychiatry trainees within the Eating Disorder IOP.

Position Requirements

PhD, PsyD, or Ed.D. in psychology with specialization in child clinical psychology from an APA-accredited training program.

Completion of an APA-approved internship.

Formal post-doctoral training in an appropriate area of specialization.

Licensed as a Psychologist in the relevant state.

Must obtain and maintain medical or allied health professional staff privileges prior to start of employment.

Minimum of 1 year of clinical experience post-licensure.

Post-doctoral level experience in child clinical psychology.

Experience in a pediatric medical setting.

Clinical supervision experience.

Experience providing comprehensive psychiatric diagnostic evaluations.

Experience with evidence-based intervention for eating disorders.

Clinical Lead delivers highly specialised clinical informatics expertise across assignments and organisations, translating clinical experience into technical and data solutions that improve quality and reduce burden on frontline staff. The work directly supports safer, more equitable health and care delivery by guiding clinical governance frameworks, leading investigations into significant incidents, and developing clinical informaticians to advance the specialism across wider organisational boundaries.

Operational Focus

Support the delivery of products and services that are safe, effective, and of value to patients, citizens, and frontline staff, and that lead to better outcomes including improved health and wellbeing.

Apply clinical knowledge and experience and engage with internal teams, external partners, and clinical networks to reduce risk, prevent harm, build trust, and enhance safety.

Ensure organizational activity aligns with and supports wider health and care strategy and helps to address health and social inequalities.

Act as a bridge, translating clinical experience and challenges into technical and data solutions that improve quality and reduce the burden on staff.

Help grow and develop leaders who combine managerial, clinical, and technological perspectives and expertise.

Guide and influence the clinical governance framework, working across services, programmes, and projects.

Provide highly specialised clinical informatics advice and expertise to both clinical and non-clinical staff across assignments and organisations.

Ensure effective engagement with key stakeholders, professional communities, and system users to support high-quality clinical input.

Lead investigations into significant incidents and deliver clinical insights to reviews and lessons learnt.

Lead a team of clinical informaticians, ensuring their effective development and promoting the clinical informatics specialism both internally and across wider organisational boundaries.

Knowledge Skills & Abilities

Master's degree or equivalent level of knowledge gained through experience, with demonstrated expertise across a number of health care settings.

Registered and regulated health or care professional holding current professional clinical registration with an appropriate professional body.

Significant post-registration health or care experience.

Experience of effective clinical engagement with projects and initiatives that have delivered substantial service improvements.

Experience of clinical safety and risk assessment in digital health care.

Understanding of NHS quality improvement frameworks, NHS regulatory and compliance frameworks, and their requirements.

Knowledge of clinical informatics initiatives and a passion for digitization of the health and care system.

Experienced clinician with the ability to establish effective working relations with clinical and non-clinical professionals.

Demonstrable people and professional leadership skills that empower, support, and develop teams to achieve high performance.

Evidence of relevant clinical leadership experience.

The Clinical Lead builds field capability and customer confidence across cardiac navigation and electrophysiology accounts by providing technical and clinical support, executing product strategy, and leading training activities for clinical specialists and field teams. Reporting into a multi-cultural matrix organization and working alongside internal marketing and sales teams, this role accelerates new product penetration and drives beta and pilot programs for early-stage technologies.

Key Deliverables

Supervise, motivate, manage, and give support to clinical specialists and participate regularly in their selection and training.

Collaborate in the development of the sales plan.

Define objectives for clinical specialists.

Provide clinical support to customers and other team members.

Execute the product strategy and roadmap.

Run beta and pilot programs with early-stage products or novel approaches.

Coordinate and execute training activities.

Analyze customer feedback and market conditions.

Recommend specific sales plans and coordinate new product launches.

Collaborate in marketing activities and assure implementation.

Identify business opportunities.

Professional Experience

Master's degree or minimum equivalence through experience.

10 years of relevant experience with cardiac navigation systems.

Training experience in electrophysiology.

Proven customer-facing sales experience.

Project management experience preferably with relevant technology, solutions, or systems development.

Experience working in a multi-cultural environment and across a matrix organization.

Proficient in Carto3 and associated mapping tools and catheters.

Demonstrates creative and practical problem-solving skills.

Strong interpersonal relationship skills with excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Fluent in English, both verbal and written.

Embedded within a clinical mental health and alcohol and other drug services team, the Clinical Lead is responsible for staff supervision and coaching, program risk management, and collaborative service delivery within a clinical governance framework. Working closely with the state management team and external network partners, this role oversees client wait lists and case load allocation while actively supporting the Bridge Treatment Recovery Services framework and disseminating best practice across the organisation.

Areas of Ownership

Provide staff with clinical supervision, support, and coaching.

Participate in the state management team and conduct regular monthly team meetings.

Establish and maintain key network relationships and identify new business opportunities.

Provide monthly reporting on outcomes, deliverables, and occupancy and participation rates.

Manage client wait lists, allocations, and staff case loads in a timely manner.

Identify, report, and manage program risks within a clinical governance framework.

Take a collaborative approach to service delivery and quality improvement.

Actively support and provide facilitation for the Bridge Treatment Recovery Services framework, including research and disseminating best practice information.

Education & Experience

Minimum of an undergraduate qualification in social work, psychology, or a related field.

Experience in a clinical management or coordination role, preferably with AOD and/or mental health services.

High-level clinical governance skills and experience.

Experience in clinical supervision, with qualification or training in a demonstrated model preferable.

Demonstrated ability to guide, support, and lead staff.

Current and valid Working with Children Check or equivalent.