The Organisation
Westjustice is a rights-based Community Legal Centre servicing Melbourne’s West on the lands of the Bunurong and Wurundjeri peoples, including Wyndham, Maribyrnong, Hobsons Bay, Melton and Brimbank, a population of over a million people.
We work to uphold peoples’ rights by providing free legal, social work, financial counselling services, community engagement, and advocacy for systemic reform across Workers’ Rights, Children and Young People’s Rights, Women and Gender Diverse people’s Rights, and Economic and Housing Rights.
The Role
Westjustice is seeking to employ a full-time experienced Program Manager to join our Children & Young People’s Rights Program.
The role will provide in-reach and outreach criminal and civil legal services to children and young people aged 10-25 in diverse settings including at youth service hubs, residential care homes and schools.
The Program Manager is responsible for:
• Supervising staff related to the Children and Young People’s Rights Program
• Providing strategic and expert advice to Westjustice
• Working collaboratively with internal stakeholders to achieve the Program’s goals
• Managing existing partnerships to deepen and grow the Program
• Developing and implementing the Program’s work and action plans
• Providing quality legal advice via a client centred, trauma informed and multi-disciplinary approach
Skills Required
• Unrestricted Practising Certificate
• Senior legal and court representation skills
• Leadership and management skills to make reasoned strategic decisions in a collaborative manner
• Experience in supervision, mentoring and training of junior lawyers, students and volunteers
• Strong understanding of the social context of the law and familiarity with legal and social issues face be vulnerable and/or disadvantaged communities
• Demonstrated knowledge of Victoria’s youth justice system
• Strategic thinker with proven highly developed interpersonal and influencing skills that enables effective collaboration with both internal and external stakeholders;
• Excellent communication skills including written communication (work plans, reports, funding submissions/tenders and business cases)
This position will be primarily based at our Sunshine Visy Hub office but may be required to work from our other Westjustice offices and our partnered sites.
The successful applicant will require a current Working with Children’s Check and a Police Check or be prepared to apply for both. People with lived experience of the justice system are encouraged to apply. A police check result does not automatically disqualify an application which in each case will be individually assessed for the relevant role. Applicants must possess the right to work in Australia.
Remuneration
Salary range – $122,000pa – $126,000pa (commensurate with experience) with additional financial benefits of 17.5% leave loading, generous 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.
For enquires, call Ellen Flint, People & Culture Director, on 0419 617 754 for a confidential discussion.
To apply, please send your resume together with a concise cover letter demonstrating your skills and experience via this portal. We will be interviewing candidates as applications are received, so don’t wait to apply! Submit your application as soon as possible to be considered for one of these exciting opportunities.
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 Ellen Flint via ellen@westjustice.org.au Any information disclosed will be held in the strictest of confidence.
