Employment Type: Full-time, 12-month fixed-term contract (with strong potential for ongoing)
Location: Preston, VIC (Regional travel is required)
Salary: $125,000 plus superannuation and salary packaging benefits
Flexible Work: Hybrid working available (two days per week working from home)
About Community Justice Programs
The Community Justice Programs (CJP) team delivers community-centred justice supports at critical points of contact with the justice system. Programs include the Custody Notification Service, Client Service Officer support, Aboriginal Community Justice Reports, transitional housing for women, police referral pathways, and family- and youth-centred initiatives.
Our work focuses on reducing over-incarceration, strengthening wellbeing, and supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to navigate legal and non-legal systems safely and with dignity.
About the role
The Therapeutic Programs Manager is a senior leadership role responsible for embedding culturally safe, trauma-informed and healing-centred practice across Community Justice Programs.
You will provide expert social work leadership, mentoring and training to staff across metro and regional Victoria, while strengthening systems, supervision frameworks and staff wellbeing initiatives.
The role also provides line management and program oversight for:
- Aboriginal Community Justice Reports (ACJR) – culturally grounded life-story reports prepared for sentencing matters in the County Court
- Aboriginal Family, Youth Centred Program – an early-intervention pilot supporting children aged 10-14 and their families to strengthen education and community connection in North Metro Melbourne
This is an opportunity to influence practice at both a systems and frontline level, supporting staff working in complex, high-impact justice environments.
What you’ll be responsible for:
- Lead culturally safe, trauma-informed and healing-centred practice across Community Justice Programs
- Provide senior practice leadership, supervision and line management to staff
- Build workforce capability through training, coaching and reflective practice
- Strengthen policies, systems and culturally appropriate assessment frameworks
- Promote staff wellbeing and vicarious trauma prevention in high-demand environments
What success in this role looks like
- Building staff capability and confidence in trauma-informed and culturally safe practice across Community Justice Programs
- Strengthening culturally appropriate templates, procedures and assessment approaches
- Deepening community partnerships and improving reintegration support for people engaging with the justice system
- Supporting staff wellbeing and reducing the impacts of vicarious trauma
What you’ll bring
- Demonstrated leadership experience in social work, therapeutic or community justice settings
- Experience working in the not-for-profit sector, ideally within Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations
- Strong cultural capability, relationship-building skills and stakeholder engagement experience
- High self-awareness and the ability to lead, coach and support high-performing teams
- Strong organisation, prioritisation and decision-making skills
Essential requirements
- Degree in Social Work or a related discipline
- Employee Working with Children Check
- Victorian Driver’s Licence
- National Criminal History Check
- Australian working rights
Why Join Us?
- 17.5% Leave Loading
- 5 additional days of annual leave on top of the standard 20 days
- Generous salary packaging up to $15,900 via Maxxia
- Opportunity to work alongside a passionate, culturally committed team
- Ongoing professional development and training opportunities
- A supportive, inclusive, and culturally safe workplace environment
Does this sound like the place for you?
We’d love to hear from you. Submit your cover letter and resume today!
https://www.seek.com.au/job/89943093