Executive Director Tina Skliros on building hospitals for communities

Our executive directors lead teams delivering the Victorian Government’s multi-billion-dollar health infrastructure program.

This includes planning and building new hospitals and emergency care, mental health and aged care facilities. Working with health services and industry partners, we deliver new health precincts and models of care to ensure our public health system meets the current and future needs of Victorians.

Meet Tina Skliros, Executive Director of Public Private Partnerships at the Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA).

Here, Tina talks about her role overseeing our public private partnership (PPP) team on health infrastructure projects.

A PPP is a contract between the public and private sectors to deliver infrastructure and related services.

Tina’s team specialise in the set-up of PPPs with the private sector to ensure health infrastructure projects are delivered with the maximum efficiency, social and economic benefit for Victoria.

What does your role involve?

I am an executive director at the Victorian Health Building Authority.

I manage teams who oversee our program of major projects from project initiation, through procurement and into delivery.

My area reports directly to the CEO of VHBA, and we work alongside the executive directors leading individual streams of projects in delivery.

What projects are you working on?

One key project I'm overseeing and I’m very excited about is the New Melton Hospital Project. In January we invited expressions of interest, which kickstarted the formal procurement process.

It's an exciting time, with the request for proposal due for release mid-2023.

I'm also working with our delivery team on the New Footscray Hospital Project and the New Frankston Hospital Redevelopment Project. Both are significant public private partnerships that are well into the construction phase.

I also oversee our contract administration team. This unit manages our operational public private partnerships, including:

Casey Hospital expansion
Royal Women's Hospital
Royal Children's Hospital
Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre
Bendigo Hospital.

What is your proudest moment at VHBA?

My proudest moment at VHBA so far was seeing the New Footscray Hospital Project through from business case to the construction phase.

The project won the Government Partnerships Excellence prize in the 2022 National Infrastructure Awards.

Tina talks about delivering major public health infrastructure with tangible outcomes for communities.

Accessible video transcript

IMAGES: Image of Tina Skliros seated in red background, the Victorian Health Building Authority logo is on the bottom left.

ONSCREEN TEXT: Tina Skliros Executive Director, Public Private Partnerships, Victorian Health Building Authority.

IMAGES: Shot of Tina and two team members smiling and talking as they walk down an office corridor, followed by the same three talking seated on a couch.

VOICEOVER: It is fundamental for me that my teams enjoy the journey.

IMAGES: Tina seated in an office, followed by Tina and team members looking at renders and plans on a whiteboard.

VOICEOVER: I manage teams who oversee our program of major projects from project initiation through procurement and into delivery.

IMAGES: Tina seated, followed by images of the whiteboard with plans and renders.

VOICEOVER: There is a key focus on public private partnerships. As projects get funded and approved my teams ensure that they are well set up in order to move into delivery.

IMAGES: An artist impression of the new Melton Hospital.

VOICEOVER: One of the key projects I'm currently overseeing and am very excited about is the new Melton Hospital project.

ONSCREEN TEXT: What do you love about your role?

IMAGES: Tina seated, followed by Tina and team members descending a staircase and talking as they walk along a corridor.

VOICEOVER: I love a lot of things about my role. The key thing that I love and that has kept me here for over a decade now is my project teams and the way we work as a team. We all have each other's backs and we all work to lift each other.

IMAGES: A map of the new Footscray Hospital site, followed by an artist impression of an external café and garden area of the new Footscray Hospital development.

VOICEOVER: The infrastructure and the people that surround us help lift, motivate and support us. I'm part of teams that deliver real tangible outcomes for our communities.

IMAGES: Shots of people talking and smiling at community engagement and information sessions.

VOICEOVER: There is nothing better than being part of a community consultative committee and talking to the community about the new hospital that they are about to receive, seeing the excitement in their faces. Being able to be part of that is really rewarding.

ONSCREEN TEXT: Why health infrastructure?

IMAGES: Tina seated.

VOICEOVER: If you want to be part of a really inspiring, supportive team environment, then this is really the place to be.

IMAGES: An artist impression of the Ballarat Road external façade of the new Footscray Hospital, followed by Tina pointing out a detail on the whiteboard to a team member.

VOICEOVER: Wonderful, interesting work that will challenge you but also reward you at the same time.

IMAGES: Tina seated, followed by Tina nodding as a team member talks, followed by an artist impression of the new Footscray Hospital as seen from the air at dusk.

VOICEOVER: Being part of this Authority and the work that we do really gives you that opportunity to make a difference, be part of real meaningful change for communities.

IMAGES: The closing slide is onscreen text ‘Learn more at vhba.vic.gov.au’ plus the Victorian Health Building Authority and the Victorian State Government logos.

End of transcript.

What’s the best thing about working at VHBA?

Given the nature of my work in delivering major projects, the key thing that I love - and that has kept me here for over a decade now, is my project teams. The people that I lead and that I work with, and the way we work as a team.

Everything is about what is best for the project. We all chip in where we need to and importantly, we all have each other's backs, and we all work to lift each other.

And I love that I'm part of teams that deliver real tangible outcomes for our communities.

To be part of real meaningful change for communities and people who use our hospitals - not only from a patient perspective, but also from a staff perspective. That is a really rewarding opportunity when you can see that you make a real difference in people's lives.

What professional characteristics make a good project manager or director?

We are looking for people who come from across sectors to help us grow and to bring different perspectives in how we do things.

Essentially, we're looking for people who work independently, who have foresight, who are problem solvers and who can work through issues from first principles, engage with stakeholders and build teams.

I started my career as a lawyer in infrastructure finance, before moving into managing major projects.

Delivering major health infrastructure projects is exciting and dynamic, where you are required to be forward thinking, innovative and resilient. Our jobs can be quite demanding, so it is fundamental for me that my teams enjoy the journey along the way.

What would you say to other women considering a career in infrastructure?

I firmly believe there is real opportunity within the VHBA to build a career and develop a career as a woman. I believe that because I've proven it. I look back to most of the project teams that I have led and continue to lead – take for instance the New Footscray Hospital Project where I was project director building a team and leading it - out of the five key executive roles, four of them were women.

They have gone on to continue to lead. Many of them have now moved on into more senior roles within the VHBA, so not only do they continue to grow in their own career paths, but our future projects get the benefit of their experience and knowledge and development.

With the pipeline of projects here at VHBA, there are going to be ample opportunities to not only start a career within VHBA but continue to grow and develop your career here.

Learn more about the new Melton Hospital.

Working in health infrastructure at the VHBA

A great workplace is defined by its people.

That’s why we’ve built a valued-based, respectful and inclusive workplace – one that encourages innovation and curiosity for improving health outcomes for all Victorians.

Every person in our organisation plays a role in successfully delivering best-practice, sustainable, adaptable and inclusive health infrastructure.

We are proud of our gender equality and inclusivity. We encourage applications from people living with a disability, LGBTIQ+, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and people from culturally diverse backgrounds.

Learn more about working at the VHBA.

Employee benefits

As Australia’s second largest employer, the Victorian Public Service (VPS) provides rewarding opportunities to help shape Victoria’s future and create better outcomes for Victorian communities.

You can expect to receive a competitive salary and superannuation, plus a range of benefits including salary packing and extensive leave entitlements to help you achieve a work-life balance.

Learn more about VHBA employee benefits.

Career development

We support our people to grow, develop and learn. Our learning and professional development pathways will give you the opportunities to develop your skills and capabilities to perform your role effectively and grow your career.

The Victorian Public Sector whole of government capability framework and our department's capability framework provides guidance on aligning the professional development of all our employees to ensure we are building a future ready workforce.

We provide many development pathways to help you plan and meet your learning and professional development needs – in your current role and in any new directions you see your career progressing.

Learn more about developing your career at VHBA.