Employment Specialist, Employment Pathways

Overview

At the Department of Justice and Community Safety, we’re looking for people who want to make a difference. People who take pride in their work. People who get things done. People who are committed to making Victoria a safer place. We embrace diversity and strive to have a workforce that reflects the community we serve. We’re all about recruiting the best people, regardless of gender, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or cultural background. If you think you can do the job and would be a good fit for our department, we’d love to hear from you. The department is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and recognises that children’s rights need to be respected, their views welcomed and valued, and their concerns taken seriously and acted upon. If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process, or require an alternative format to any of the application material, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the contact person listed on this ad. For more information on working with us and our recruitment process, please visit justice.vic.gov.au/careers. We’re proud of the important work we do across Victoria. Want to be part of it?

Position

Employment Specialist, Employment Pathways

- Have a meaningful, positive impact by helping clients become job ready or secure post release employment
- Lead the delivery of coordinated employment services across designated Employment Hub site
- This role will cover prison locations in the Loddon Mallee region (Loddon & Middleton), occasionally working from 50 Franklin Street, Melbourne

About us

The Offender Services and Reintegration (OSR) division of Corrections Victoria (CV) is responsible for providing best practice interventions which aim to reduce the risk of reoffending including case management, education, training and employment, prison industries and rehabilitation and reintegration supports. The division contributes to a safer community by supporting a safe and humane corrections system that provides opportunities for rehabilitation, supports reintegration and works toward Aboriginal self-determination.

The Employment Pathways Team integrate and consolidate existing employment initiatives as well as operationalise new employment service delivery models and services to assist people in prison to get job ready and connect them with employers and job opportunities for meaningful post release employment. As part of OSR's Inside to Outside Jobs strategy, this directly contributes to successful reintegration, reduced recidivism and community safety.

Employment Pathways aims to:

- integrate and consolidate existing employment initiatives
- explore and operationalise new employment service delivery models, including pre- and post-release services
- link and connect people in prison with education, industries, and employers to create job opportunities and meaningful post-release employment

What you will do

Employment Specialists contribute to the planning, development and implementation of a state-wide coordinated employment service across Victoria's prison system and you will:

- establish and maintain relationships with key stakeholders (such as employers, employment support service agencies, community and industry groups) to build sustainable post-release employment opportunities and facilitate transition into sustainable employment for people leaving prison
- engage directly with people in prison and immediately post release to assist and place them into jobs, employment pathways or further training as they transition back into the community
- oversee operational delivery of existing employment programs (VET Centre of Excellence and the Outside Jobs initiative) and services under EPT's operating model.

About you

As our ideal candidate, you will have:

- Demonstrated knowledge of the employment sector at both State and Commonwealth levels
- Highly developed understanding of barriers faced by long term unemployed and marginalised job seekers
- Experience working within a prison setting (desirable)
- An understanding of and/or experience of working with people with complex needs and applying a trauma informed approach in their work (highly regarded)

To learn more about this role before applying, please read the attached position description.

Qualifications

- Experience working in and/or with the employment sector is desirable
- A tertiary qualification in an appropriate discipline is desirable
- As this role requires various intrastate travel a current drivers' licence would be highly desirable

How to Apply

Please click the Apply button on this advertisement. Applications should include a resume and covering letter. Attachments can be uploaded in .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt or .rtf formats.

The successful candidate will be required to undergo pre-employment checks which may include a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC) and misconduct screening.

If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process, or require an alternative format to any of the application material, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the contact person listed on this ad.

Important information

CHILD SAFE STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT: The Department of Justice and Community Safety is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. We seek to prevent harm of any kind impacting children and young people and have zero tolerance for racism, child abuse and inequality. Children and young people’s rights, relationships, identity, and culture must be recognised and respected, their voices heard, and their concerns acted upon. We aim to foster a culturally safe, child safe and child friendly environment for all children and young people we have contact with, deliver services to, or are impacted by our work.

Applications close Monday 6 October 2025 at 11.59pm

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