Biography Service Coordinator

Job Description:

Position Title: Biography Service Manager, Palliative Care Service

Employment Type: Permanent Part-Time (Job share)
Hours: up to 40 hours per fortnight

Position Grade: Health Service Manager (Level 1)
Salary: $81,581 per annum (pro-rata)
Enterprise Agreement: The Named NSW (Non-Declared) Affiliated Health Organisations’ Health Employees Agreement
Department Name: Palliative Care Services
About us:
St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney is a leading not-for-profit organisation providing health services to our community. Guided by our values of compassion, excellence, integrity and justice, we promote a culture of diversity and inclusion and empower our people to learn, grow and innovate.

Come and work for one of the largest inner-city hospitals in Sydney.  Servicing a wide variety of patients from across the CBD and Eastern Suburbs; including providing care to trauma, medical, surgical, and mental health & drug and alcohol adult patients. 

Based in Darlinghurst surrounded not only by our community we have great public transport links, food from all around the world and a village like community spirit in the heart of the city.

Benefits of working at St Vincent’s include:
• Generous salary packaging and Fitness Passport for eligible staff
• Work/Life balance coupled with regular team social activities
• Education excellence, with opportunities to attend relevant conference and training opportunities
• Career development opportunities across the St Vincent’s Health Australia Network
• Employee Assistance Program
About the role:

The Biography Service Manager manages this unique and highly valued service within the Community Palliative Care team. Giving people the opportunity to review and reflect on their lives is a powerful process and capturing their stories for family and friends provides an invaluable legacy.

You will be responsible for the management of around 35 volunteers who have been trained to provide this life story service and will have the privilege of meeting patients referred to the service and matching them with an appropriate volunteer. The Sacred Heart Biography Service was the first in NSW and has continued to play a pivotal role in the development of other biography services in the state.

Diversity and Inclusion at St Vincent’s:
St Vincent’s is committed to employing a workforce that reflects the community we care for. We strongly encourage applications from people that are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, culturally diverse, sexuality or gender diverse and/or living with disability.
Employment with St Vincent’s is subject to you having current immunity status that complies with the Occupational Assessment, Screening & Vaccination against Specified Infectious Diseases – NSW Health Policy Directive (PD_015) or subsequent revisions in force. Appointment and ongoing employment will be subject to continued compliance with this policy directive.
About you:

If you are someone with experience in palliative care, especially in capturing life stories, we’d love to hear more about you.

You will have good organisational skills and managerial experience, particularly with volunteers. This experience includes a commitment to bringing creative ideas to the support of those volunteers.

You are looking to bring new ideas to a groundbreaking and award-winning service. You will be well supported within the community palliative care team of health professionals.

Application Instructions:
To have your application considered you are required to upload a current CV/Resume as well as a separate cover letter/document addressing the two targeted questions below. Internal applicants i.e. current employees of St Vincent’s Hospital or an entity of SVHA are required to apply via their Workday account.

1. What do you understand about the role of biography in end of life care?

2. How would you provide support for biography volunteers in end of life care?​

Selection Criteria:
1. Personal integrity and demonstrated commitment to the Philosophy, Mission and Values of Mary Aikenhead Ministries and St Vincent’s Health Australia
2. Understanding and awareness of the role of volunteers in health organisations.

3. Demonstrated ability to recruit, train, mentor, and support volunteers and link appropriately with clients.

4. Intermediate to high level Information & Technology skills.
5. Experience in palliative care and/or working with grief and loss.

6. Demonstrated ability to work within the interdisciplinary team, managing time constraints under pressure in a fast-paced environment

7. Excellent organisational, communication and interpersonal skills

8. Current valid NSW Driver’s Licence

Applications close on 16th October

Position Description and Critical Job Demands Checklist:

Contact Details:

Sacred Heart Health Service Manager, Mollie Boland Anderson, ,

Alternate Contact:

Closing Date:

15 October :59pm

Reconciliation Action Plan:

At St Vincent’s we acknowledge the importance of creating a work environment that is welcoming, safe, equitable and inclusive for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Employees. As part of our Commitment to Reconciliation and Closing the Gap in employment related outcomes, we encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

For further information, visit https://www.svha.org.au/about-us/reconciliation or get in contact at

View Reconciliation Action Plan

Code of Conduct:

View Code of Conduct