Program Manager

The Organisation

Westjustice is a community organisation that provides free legal help to people in the Western suburbs of Melbourne.

Westjustice can help with a broad range of everyday legal problems including consumer disputes, credit and debt, family law and family violence, fines, motor vehicle accidents, tenancy, youth criminal law and more.

Westjustice's purpose is to deliver targeted services and drive meaningful change to achieve fairness, safety and justice for Melbourne's West.

Benefits & Culture

• Be a part of an organisation that 98% of our team are proud to work for

• We pay 3% above the SCHADs award

• Not for profit salary packaging up to $15,900 per annum

• Flexible working conditions

• 17.5% annual leave loading

• Passionate, professional and dedicated team

• Gifted additional paid leave over the Christmas holiday period

• Strong focus on collaboration, wellbeing, inclusion and diversity

The Role

Westjustice is looking to employ a part-time Legal Program Manager / Managing Lawyer with family violence and family law experience to work in a job-share arrangement (3 days per week) on a 12-month maximum term contract with opportunity of extension and ongoing employment subject to operational needs and funding.

The role is responsible for:

• Leading a team of high performing, kind, passionate and dedicated lawyers representing Women and Gender Diverse people experiencing family violence with ancillary legal issues, predominately in family violence and family law. Some knowledge in child protection would be desirable but is not mandatory.
• Representing our clients in court proceedings in the Sunshine and Wyndham Magistrates Court,and Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.
• Contributing to important social justice community legal work, varied client base and engagement with key community agencies including contribution to building pathways to access to justice
• Contributing to legal practice to secure better life outcomes for families recovering from the impacts of family violence
• Assist with addressing system barriers and initiating improvements through law reform, community and research projects, legal education and contribute to maintaining key community stakeholder relationships

Role requirement:

• Minimum 5 years post admission experience
• Supervision and management experience (desirable)
• Demonstrated ability to directly contribute to more complex case work and Court representation including leading strategic litigation and supervising lawyers
• An aptitude for achieving high quality, innovative and sustainable outcomes for families
• Demonstrated ability to oversee legal projects and programs that have a strategic impact for our clients
• Demonstrated ability to successfully manage competing priorities effectively across legal supervision, team management, project work, law reform initiatives, grant applications, funding proposals and budget oversight under the guidance of the Legal Director
• Stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills (or the ability to obtain these skills)
• Dedicated interest and commitment to social justice legal practice and improving outcomes for clients who face life barriers in accessing justice.

This role is primarily based at our head office in Sunshine and may also be required to undertake outreach at other key partner locations in the West. From time to time, you may also be required to work at our other offices in Werribee and/or partner organisation sites, depending on Program needs.

The successful applicant will require a current Working with Children's Check and a National Police Check or be prepared to apply for both. Applicants must possess the right to work in Australia.

Remuneration

Level 7 of SCHADS Award in the range of $122,662 - $127,788 commensurate with experience, with additional financial benefits of 17.5% leave loading, salary packaging of up to $15,900 for general living expenses, accommodation and meal packaging plus statutory employer funded superannuation paid on top of the base salary.

Please send your resume together with a concise cover letter demonstrating your skills and experience via this portal or by emailing it to by no later than midnight on Sunday 12 October 2025.

For enquires, contact Cleona Feuerring, Legal Director, on for a confidential discussion.

Westjustice is committed to building a diverse workforce. We strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people living with a disability, people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, mature age workers and LGBTIQA+-identifying people. People with lived experience of the justice system are encouraged to apply. A police check result does not automatically disqualify an application but will be individually assessed for the relevant role.

Please ensure that you let us know, in advance, of any reasonable adjustment you may require during any part of the recruitment process including application and interview by contacting Theresa Mai via Any information disclosed will be held in the strictest of confidence.