Donor Coordinator, Lions Eye Donation Service

• Full time, ongoing role
• Salary commensurate with experience $80,000 - $113,102.54 per annum plus superannuation
• Generous salary packaging options available

About the team

The Donor Coordinator role sits within the Lions Eye Donation Service (LEDS), part of the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA). LEDS is a joint venture between CERA and the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, with support from the Victorian Lions Foundation, and is licensed by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

Our team recovers eye donations from consenting donors across Victoria and Tasmania and allocates them for transplantation, training, and research across Australia and internationally. We also manage the CERA Biobank program, supporting vital research into eye health and disease.

Working in a small, multidisciplinary team, LEDS staff play a critical role in supporting patients, families, and health professionals while making a real and lasting impact.

The role

As a Donor Coordinator, you will be responsible for identifying, recovering, processing, and allocating eye donations for transplantation, training, and research. You will liaise with donor families, hospital staff, pathologists, and surgeons to facilitate the donation process with sensitivity and professionalism.

Key aspects of the role include:

• Recovering and preparing eye donations post-mortem in hospitals, mortuaries, and other facilities.
• Collecting and testing donor samples, and preparing donations for surgical allocation.
• Coordinating with transplant surgeons and clinics to ensure timely allocation to patients.
• Supporting donor families and recipients through follow-up communication.
• Contributing to service improvement, research, and education activities.

This role works on a rotating roster that includes evenings, weekends, and public holidays, with appropriate compensation.

Salary will be commensurate with the candidate’s skills and experience. Training and support will be provided for candidates who may require upskilling in certain areas.

Your skills and experience

We are seeking someone who brings both technical expertise and compassion to this unique and rewarding role. The ideal candidate will have:

• A relevant tertiary qualification in medicine, medical science, allied health, or nursing
• Experience in a hospital or healthcare setting
• Strong emotional resilience and the ability to communicate sensitively with families and stakeholders in end-of-life situations
• Excellent problem-solving skills, adaptability, and the ability to work both independently and in a small team
• Strong organisational, data entry, and communication skills
• A current and valid driver’s licence
• A commitment to working collaboratively with others and fostering a supportive team environment.

Desirable experience includes postgraduate study, experience in end-of-life care, tissue banking, or forensic medicine. All offers of employment are subject to a satisfactory Criminal History Check.

About CERA

The Centre for Eye Research Australia is a not-for-profit and an international leader in eye research with real world impact. We are an independent Medical Research Institute closely affiliated with the University of Melbourne within the discipline of ophthalmology in the Department of Surgery, Melbourne Medical School. Our staff and students are located at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital and 200 Victoria Parade, East Melbourne.

To learn more about our work, please visit our website.

Employee benefits

• Family-friendly workplace with flexible working
• Supportive culture which encourages career development and fosters innovation
• Generous salary packaging options including general expenses, meals and entertainment and novated car leasing (Salary packaging allows staff to reduce the amount of tax they pay, thereby increasing their take home salary)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Leave loading of 17.5%
• Annual flu vaccinations
• Weekly fruit boxes in the office.

How to apply

Submit a current resume and cover letter that details your interest and suitability for the role.

For more information about the role, please download the position description here or contact hr@cera.org.au.

We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, people with CALD backgrounds, people with a disability, people from the LGBTQIA+ community and women and gender diverse people.

If you require an adjustment to the recruitment and selection process or need an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our HR team.

Applications close 11:59pm on 24 September 2025