Children Service Program Manager

**About us**

JE Community Services Inc. are local people with an understanding of the needs of our community. We pride ourselves on our knowledge of the communities we support, and how to develop both services & opportunities to support people in their goal to live a positive life, both in their home and socially.

The supports provided by JE Community Services Inc. are focused on person centred practice, along with a genuine interest in how our community works and what is important for the people who live and work in our community. We achieve this by providing qualified and knowledgeable support workers, therapists and nurses in our facilities and both directly into the community, or into organisations who work within the community we serve.

With our innovative approach and other programs, we continue to work with people to drive positive changes in their lives and to offer as much assistance to the families of supported individuals as we possibly can.

We currently provide 24/7 residential care support for children under the guardianship of Department for Child Protection (DCP) in Adelaide, South Australia.

**About the role**
- Position title: Children Service Program Manager (Disability Residential Care)
- Reports to (position): Director
- Location: South Australia
- Primary Purpose of the Position:

- The Children Serice Manager is an operational role within the JE Community Services and is accountable to the Director, Residential Care for the effective management of 24-hour residential care facilities and/or programs through the implementation, development, monitoring and reporting on service plans, policies, strategies and procedures.
- The role is responsible for supporting and promoting a continuous service improvement framework and culture which enables innovative programs and services focused on the development and community integration of children and young people under the Guardianship of the Minister. This includes leading strategic planning, reform, changing management and decision-making as they pertain to operational services and strategy, to enable sustainable strategic relationships within the Department and with relevant wider public sector and non-government sector stakeholders.

**Responsibilities**
- Provide effective leadership in scoping, designing, implementing, managing risks and evaluating services to meet Residential Care operational and strategic needs.
- Build, manage and maintain positive and collaborative working relationships with relevant agencies and services.
- Facilitate links for children/young people in Residential Care accommodation into existing services and/or establish access to services to address their needs.
- Provide highly supported and planned transitions developed collaboratively with key people involved in the child/young person’s life.
- Identify innovative approaches to the provision of human services and review alternatives within priority areas.
- Develop, implement, monitor and report on service plans, policies, procedures, strategies and programs.
- Provide expert advice to senior management relating to trends, changing needs and priorities and make recommendations to enhance service delivery.
- Lead the team to deliver outcomes that are in accordance with the State Strategic Plan and Department’s Strategic Agenda.
- Provide effective leadership and management through supervision, performance management and effective deployment of staff within Residential Care
- Maintain a provision of effective, responsive, planned and creative service delivery that enhances outcomes for clients of the agency and focuses in particular on improved outcomes for Aboriginal people.
- Lead a work environment where staff are challenged and stretched to develop their competence and encouraged and provided with opportunities for professional development.
- Facilitate consultation and communication with clients and non-government agencies to obtain information regarding the ongoing effectiveness of State programs and policy initiatives.
- Maximize the effective and equitable use of resources within capital and recurrent budget allocations.
- Monitor, manage and report on budgets and assets including planning for future requirements and the staff resource requirements within the team.
- Maintain the effective management and leadership of all human and financial resources in the Unit to provide the highest quality services to clients.
- Ensure the program compliance requirements are met.
- Contribute to maintaining a safe and healthy work environment by taking personal accountability by identifying and reporting incidents, hazards and injuries in accordance with DCP policy and procedure and cooperating and complying with reasonable instructions of DCP line management and WHS Officers.

**Essential criteria**
- Master of Special education/disability/social work or equivalent
- Working knowledge of children services
- Valid and Current SA or International Driver’s Licence
- Wo