Organisation : Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA)
Location : Melbourne
Work type : Part-time
Sector : Health – General
Salary type : Volunteer
Application closing date : 21 Aug, 2020
About the organisation
AHPA is a company limited by guarantee originally established as the Health Professions Council Australia in 1997. In 2006 the name was changed to Allied Health Professions Australia. It consists of allied health profession peak bodies working collaboratively in areas of commonality. AHPA is managed by a small team in Melbourne led by a CEO. The organisation’s constant and prime source of funding has been membership income. Since 2016, recurrent funding has also been received from the Department of Health under its Peak Health Advisory Bodies funding. The latter has positioned AHPA firmly as the overarching peak body for allied health. Ad hoc funding from the government or its agencies for specific purposes provides additional financial resources to enhance our effectiveness and value.
Allied health professions provide crucial support for people experiencing disability, chronic illness and a wide range of other health issues. Allied health professionals represent a third of the country’s health care workforce and deliver over 200 million health services annually. However, access to allied health services still lags behind medical care. Only by ensuring that allied health services are fully integrated into our health system, and accessible across the country, will we ensure that we are delivering world class support for every Australian.
About the role
Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA) is the recognised national voice for allied health professions in Australia, representing and advocating for the role of allied health professionals in health, aged care, disability, education and all systems where allied health services have a role. As the peak national organisation for allied health professions, AHPA has an important strategic leadership role and is the body that the Federal Government and other national organisations turn to when they seek a collective view of allied health.
AHPA currently has seven ‘member nominated and elected’ Directors and one Independent Director. The Board is seeking to appoint a second Independent Director for an initial term of 2 years, who may be re-appointed for subsequent terms not to exceed 6 years in total. The Board meets quarterly in Melbourne (or via teleconference) during the day usually for 90 minutes, with sub-Committees meeting as required in addition to a planning half-day meeting.
The skills and attributes required of directors are included in a skills matrix and can be broadly categorised into 3 areas.
Professional Director Skills (Board Directors should have a balance of these skills and they should be held collectively by the Board as a whole.)
Industry Specific Skills (Allied Health and Membership organisations)
Interpersonal Skills (all board members should have these skills)
Whilst appointments to the Board are based upon merit, the Directors as a collective should encompass diversity in experience, skills and perspectives.
At this time, the specific skill set sought in the new Independent Director, and therefore highly valued are:
- Strong experience in stakeholder engagement in the health disability and /or aged care consumer space; and
- Experience in formulating health policy in relation to consumers.
The Governance and Risk Committee will review Applicants against AHPA’s skills matrix, giving high regard to the above skills, and the complement of the Applicant’s skill base against the current Board.
How to apply
Applications not allowed for this job listing.
Please quote in application: Independent Directors (voluntary) via Pro Bono Australia.
Sector: #Health_–_General
