Urgent Search Specialist Family Violence Practitioner

We are seeking THREE Specialist Family Violence Practitioners to join our growing team of skilled professionals at The Orange Door, Werribee. These roles are SCHADS Level 5.1 – 5.3 ($103,799 – $108,502) pro rata, pay point dependent on experience, plus 12% superannuation and up to $15,990 salary packaging.These roles are available as full-time or part-time (1.0-0.9 FTE). Two roles are ongoing, and the other one is a max-term contract until July 2026.

About the role

The Orange Door (TOD) practitioners work collaboratively as part of an integrated team to deliver effective responses to victim survivors of family violence (including children and young people), as well as to adults who use family violence. The TOD Practitioner conducts risk, wellbeing and needs assessments and requires a high level of professional judgement. A solid understanding of the principles and practices relevant to family violence and child/family wellbeing is required. This role requires an understanding of the underpinning societal structures that perpetuate gender inequity and contribute to the ongoing disempowerment of victim survivors and children.

Key responsibilities:

- Assessing and prioritising risk/needs of adult victim survivors, children, families, and adults who use violence by phone and face to face contact, drawing on the expertise of practitioners in an integrated team.
- Supporting and advocating for adult victim survivors, children and families, using a client centred, strengths-based approach that is culturally appropriate, inclusive and responsive.
- Undertaking triage of referrals, MARAM risk assessments, child wellbeing assessments, safety planning, referrals, targeted interventions, and brokerage support.
- Providing brief interventions, assessments and referral pathways and the ability to manage often complex and competing demands within an integrated practice framework.
- Identifying, assessing, and prioritising risk and needs of clients, seeking information from multiple sources to inform assessments.
- Applying advanced communication skills using a Single Session approach to client work.
- Meeting required KPIs along with high level case-note writing, referrals, and assessments.
- Proactively collaborating and consulting with colleagues and external services, exemplifying strong relationship-building behaviours.
- Applying and adhering to MARAM and Best Interest Practice Frameworks.

About you

- A tertiary qualification in Social Work or related discipline, as per the Minimum Mandatory Qualifications.
- A demonstrated understanding of family violence legislation, related theory and practice.
- Experience and/or demonstrated understanding of working with and advocating for victim survivors, undertaking risk assessments and safety planning.
- Proven experience in collaborating effectively within a team, cross-functional and with external agencies.
- Strong ability to exercise initiative and judgement in complex situations.
- Experience with meeting KPI’s and targets.
- Ability to manage a workload effectively within a complex and fast-paced environment.
- High level verbal and written communication skills.
- Current Victorian driver’s license and ability to travel.
- Working with Children’s check.
- Police check (and international police check if lived overseas for a year or more in the last 10 years).
- 2 years of family violence, TOD or community service work experience highly regarded.
- Experience and knowledge of MARAM and Best Interest Practice Frameworks.

We are actively hiring for these roles; applications will close on 27th Oct 2025.

To apply, please e-mail your current resume and cover letter to recruitment@genwest.org.au.

Should you have any questions or queries please email recruitment@genwest.org.au.

We are seeking a Team Leader for our Children’s Counselling Program This role is a SCHADS Level 7.1 – 7.3 ($122,670 – $127,788) pro rata, pay point dependent on experience, plus 12% superannuation and up to $15,990 salary packaging. This role is max term until 31 Oct 2026 and available full-time or part-time (1.0-0.8 EFT).

The Team Leader – Counselling provides leadership and operational oversight to ensure the delivery of high-quality therapeutic services for children and young people impacted by family violence. This role works closely with the Manager - Refuge, After Hours and Counselling Programs yet involves a high level of autonomy to lead and support a team of specialist Children’s Counsellors in order to deliver developmentally responsive, evidence-informed interventions that foster safety, healing, and resilience.

Key Responsibilities

- Managing, leading, and developing a team of specialist children’s counsellors, fostering professional growth and a positive and resilient team culture.
- Leading case allocation, KPI tracking and quality assurance processes and monitor service data to inform continuous improvement.
- Overseeing the delivery of trauma-informed, client centred counselling and group interventions grounded in child-focussed therapeutic frameworks.
- Offering secondary consultation, risk assessment oversight and guidance on complex cases where necessary.
- Driving continuous quality improvement, via audits, service reviews and embedding of best practice across the team.
- Contributing to the development and maintenance of policies and procedures that reflect and guide the team in line with current best practice guidance, relevant legislation and professional responsibilities.
- Establishing and maintaining collaborative and productive relationships with other programs, service providers, current and potential stakeholders and agency partners to ensure effective support pathways for clients.
- Monitoring risk to clients, staff and GenWest related to service delivery.
- Being an active representative in forums, Family Violence Sector network meetings as well as interagency meetings as required.

ABOUT YOU

- Tertiary qualifications in social work or a related field as per the Minimum Mandatory Qualifications (MMQ)
- 5-7 years' experience in the community services sector, with experience in the family violence sector, that includes experience in child development, trauma-informed therapeutic practice
- Possess a minimum of 3 years' experience in a leadership role
- Knowledge of key legislative and policy frameworks and practice relevant to family violence.
- Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal
- Working with Children’s Check
- Police check (and international police check if lived overseas for a year or more in the last 10 years)

Preferred

- Clinical training in creative modalities for children including art therapy, play therapy music therapy, drama therapy.
- Displays ethical and authentic leadership style
- Demonstrated experience working within a crisis or refuge environment including effective collaboration across programs.

We are actively hiring for this role, so apply ASAP; applications will close on 1st Oct 2025.

Should you have any questions or queries please email recruitment@genwest.org.au.

We are seeking TWO Specialist Family Violence Practitioners within our The Orange Door (TOD) Brimbank Meltonteam This role is a SCHADS Level 5.1 - 5.3 ($103,799 – $108,502) pro rata, pay point dependent of experience, plus 12% superannuation and up to $15,990 salary packaging.This is a part-time (0.9 FTE) ongoing role. One role is primarily based in Sunshine and the other in Cobblebank.

About the role

The Orange Door (TOD) practitioners work collaboratively as part of an integrated team to deliver effective responses to victim survivors of family violence (including children and young people), as well as to adults who use family violence. The Specialist Family Violence Practitioner conducts risk, wellbeing and needs assessments and requires a high level of professional judgement. A solid understanding of the principles and practices relevant to family violence and child/family wellbeing is required. This role requires an understanding of the underpinning societal structures that perpetuate gender inequity and contribute to the ongoing disempowerment of victim survivors and children.

Key responsibilities:

- Assessing and prioritising risk/needs of adult victim survivors, children, families, and adults who use violence by phone and face to face contact, drawing on the expertise of practitioners in an integrated team.
- Supporting and advocating for adult victim survivors, children and families, using a client centred, strengths-based approach that is culturally appropriate, inclusive and responsive.
- Undertaking triage of referrals, MARAM risk assessments, child wellbeing assessments, safety planning, referrals, targeted interventions, and brokerage support.
- Providing brief interventions, assessments and referral pathways and the ability to manage often complex and competing demands within an integrated practice framework.
- Identifying, assessing, and prioritising risk and needs of clients, seeking information from multiple sources to inform assessments.
- Applying advanced communication skills using a Single Session approach to client work.
- High level case-note writing, referrals, and assessments.
- Meeting required KPIs.
- Proactively collaborating and consulting with colleagues and external services, exemplifying strong relationship-building behaviours.
- Applying and adhering to MARAM and Best Interest Practice Frameworks.
- Adhering to all work, health, and safety protocols.
- Adhering to the Code of Conduct at GenWest and displaying workplace respect.

About you

- A tertiary qualification in Social Work or related discipline, as per the Minimum Mandatory Qualifications as a result of the 2017 Royal Commission.
- A demonstrated understanding of family violence legislation, related theory and practice.
- Experience and/or demonstrated understanding of working with and advocating for victim survivors, undertaking risk assessments and safety planning.
- Proven experience in collaborating effectively within a team, cross-functional and with external agencies.
- Strong ability to exercise initiative and judgement in complex situations.
- Experience with meeting KPI’s and targets.
- Ability to manage a workload effectively within a complex and fast-paced environment.
- High level verbal and written communication skills.
- Current Victorian driver’s license and ability to travel.
- Working with Children’s check.
- Police check (and international police check if lived overseas for a year or more in the last 10 years).
- 2 years of family violence, TOD or community service work experience highly regarded.
- Experience and knowledge of MARAM and Best Interest Practice Frameworks.

We are actively hiring for these roles; so please apply asap. Applications will close on 12th Oct 2025.

To apply, please click the Apply button.

Should you have any questions or queries please email recruitment@genwest.org.au.

GenWest provides many benefits for staff above the legal minimum, including:

- 5 days of paid leave if you need to support someone in your life who is experiencing family violence
- 16 weeks of paid parental leave, or the option to have half pay for 32 weeks
- 5 weeks of annual leave
- 5 days of health and wellbeing leave
- 15 days of personal/carers leave
- 5 days of chronic/reproductive health leave
- 10 days of gender affirmation leave
- Option to work on January 26th and take a day off in lieu of the public holiday
- Collaborative working culture with likeminded colleagues who share your values
- For family violence staff experience one-on-one supervision fortnightly and group supervision monthly
- Professional development opportunities within the organisation, including secondments and project work
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – free, confidential counselling for staff and their immediate family through Relationship Matters .

We are a child safe organisation. Employment is subject to the satisfactory completion of a national Police Record Check and a valid Working with Children Check.

Please be advised, GenWest has a VCAT exemption (VCAT Exemption No. H119/2017 - subject to Equal Opportunity Act 2010). This means we can employ only women, gender diverse people, or people from a particular cultural background when required.

Tips for Applicants

Resume tips

It is better to give less information than more on your resume. Try to keep it to one or two pages. Ensure your resume includes the following information:

- Where you are currently working
- Where you have worked in the past (with the dates for all roles)
- Your qualifications or tertiary education (if applicable)
- Any additional transferrable skills you have that may be relevant (for example, additional spoken/written languages)
- What suburb you are based in

Submitting a cover letter is a great way for us to get to know you, and help us to understand why you want to work with us. Some things to include in your cover letter:

- Any transferrable experience you have had in the family violence and/or community services sector
- Why you are interested in working with GenWest
- What you are seeking with regards to your employment

We welcome you to apply directly via the relevant job advert on recruitment sites or email your application to recruitment@genwest.org.au .

Please be advised, we receive a large volume of applications and may not get back to you immediately. Please contact us if you would like any further updates.

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