Express an Interest

Targeting:

Independent Adviser: Small Business and Practice Strategy

Institute of Clinical Psychologists  |  Voluntary  |  National  |  Ongoing

About ICP

The Institute of Clinical Psychologists is the only national professional body in Australia built exclusively for clinical psychologists in private practice. We exist to support, advocate for, and advance the profession. Not in the abstract, but in the day-to-day reality of running an independent practice.

Clinical psychologists in private practice are small business owners. They carry full responsibility for their clinical work, their finances, their systems, and their teams, often without formal training in any of it. Helping members build sustainable, well-managed practices is central to what ICP does.

The role

We are looking for an experienced small business or health practice professional to join our management committee as an independent non-voting adviser.

This is a newly created position. The amendment to ICP’s constitution enabling independent advisers was passed at our most recent AGM. We are now building the advisory structure to support our next phase of growth.

Most psychologists enter private practice without ever having studied practice administration, pricing, cash flow, employment, or practice systems. ICP is uniquely placed to help close that gap, but we need people with genuine business expertise helping us do it well.

What you’ll contribute

This is a strategic advisory role. We are looking for someone who can help ICP think clearly about the business realities our members face and how to better equip them to navigate those realities.

• Advise the management committee on the practical business challenges facing owner-operated professional service practices, and where ICP can add the most value
• Help identify emerging issues in the operating environment (economic, regulatory, or structural) that affect how clinical psychologists run their practices
• Inform ICP’s strategic priorities where they intersect with business sustainability, practice growth, and member services
• Review member-facing resources and initiatives for practical accuracy and real-world relevance
• Bring an independent external perspective to management committee discussions on matters with a business or operational dimension

Who we’re looking for

You do not need a background in psychology or health. We are specifically seeking expertise that sits outside the profession.

The ideal candidate has direct experience running, building, or advising owner-operated professional service businesses. Someone who understands the economics of small practice, the pressures of client-based revenue, and what it actually takes to build something sustainable.

Essential

• Experience running, advising, or supporting small businesses or owner-operated professional service practices in Australia
• Practical understanding of the financial, operational, and strategic challenges that come with independent or small-team practice
• Ability to translate business thinking into plain, useful guidance for a professional audience
• Commercially grounded, pragmatic, and oriented toward practical outcomes

Valued but not required

• Experience in health practice management (allied health, medical, or otherwise)
• Background in accounting, financial planning, or business advisory for small and micro businesses
• Familiarity with the Medicare, DVA, NDIS, or private health insurance billing environment
• Experience working with or advising professional associations or NFPs

Governance arrangements

We want prospective advisers to understand exactly what this role involves before they apply.

• Appointed by the ICP Management Committee
• Initial term of 12 months, renewable by mutual agreement
• Non-director position. Advisers are non-voting members of the committee and hold no fiduciary responsibilities under ICP’s constitution
• Invited to attend relevant committee meetings; remote participation is standard
• Advisers will be asked to declare actual or perceived conflicts of interest on appointment and as relevant matters arise

Time commitment

This role is deliberately light-touch. We are asking for a few hours per month, primarily asynchronous. There is no expectation of significant ongoing operational involvement.

Why this role matters

Running a private psychology practice is harder than it looks from the outside. The clinical training is rigorous. The business preparation is not. ICP exists to change that. The right adviser will make our guidance sharper, our resources more useful, and our members better equipped to build practices that last.

For the right person, this is an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the future of independent clinical psychology practice in Australia, and to help shape what professional support for small practice owners can look like at a national level.

To apply

Send a brief expression of interest (no more than one page) and a current CV to the ICP President, Marjorie Collins, at president@icp.org.au

Tell us about your relevant background and what draws you to this role. Plain language is fine. We are not looking for a formal cover letter.

Applications are assessed on a rolling basis.