Team Leader – Client Pathways & Partnerships
Guide Dogs Victoria | Kew | Full-Time | Permanent | On-Site
Lead client access. Strengthen partnerships. Drive
impact.
For more than 70 years, Guide Dogs Victoria has been
breaking down barriers so people can live life without limits. We place our
clients at the centre of everything we do, ensuring their goals, preferences
and lived experience shape every stage of the service journey.
Our highly trained dogs and specialist services support
people living with low vision, blindness, disability, PTSD and other complex
needs to build independence, capability, and confidence.
We are now seeking a capable and relationship-focused leader
to take ownership of our Client Pathways & Partnerships function, a pivotal
role that connects clients, funding bodies, and operational teams to deliver
seamless, high-quality service experiences.
This is an opportunity to influence both individual client
journeys and broader organisational performance within one of Australia’s most
trusted community organisations.
About the Role
Reporting to the Manager, Dog Training & Client
Services, the Team Leader – Client Pathways & Partnerships provides
strategic and operational leadership across client access, referral pathways,
and external partnerships.
Importantly, this role is the primary client liaison for Dog
Services. You will work directly with Guide Dog applicants and prospective
PTSD/Assistance Dog clients, shepherding individuals through what is often a
significant and life-changing process.
From first enquiry through assessment, funding approval, and
allocation, you will ensure clients feel informed, supported and confident in
their journey with Guide Dogs Victoria.
Your responsibilities include:
- Leading client intake
and referral pathways
- Acting as the key client
liaison across Guide Dog and PTSD programs
- Supporting individuals
who are ready to take the step toward an assistance dog to navigate
disability, vision loss or trauma
- Government and funding
body engagement (NDIA, DVA, Courts and others)
- Partnership development
and management
- Revenue oversight and
funding compliance
- Demand forecasting and
capacity alignment
You will ensure:
-
Seamless, client-centred
journeys from enquiry through to service
- Sustainable demand
aligned to organisational capacity
- Timely funding approvals
and responsible revenue performance
- Strong, professional
partnerships that support service quality and growth
You will work closely with operational and technical leaders
in the dog services team to align confirmed demand with delivery capacity,
contributing to financial sustainability and service expansion.
This role participates in the Senior Leadership Group and
contributes to broader organisational strategy.
What We’re Looking For
You are an exceptional communicator and relationship-builder
who places clients at the centre of decision-making and service design.
You are comfortable speaking directly with and supporting
individuals who are ready to take the step toward an assistance dog that will
support them to navigate disability, vision loss or trauma. You understand that
this is often a significant and life-changing decision, and you bring clarity,
confidence, and professionalism to every interaction.
You will bring:
-
Strong client-facing
experience and highly developed interpersonal skills
- The ability to build
trust and confidence with clients, families, government representatives,
and community partners
- Excellent verbal
communication skills and confidence managing sensitive and high-stakes
conversations
- Strong planning,
administration, and coordination capability
- An understanding of
government funding models (NDIS, DVA or similar), or the capability and
willingness to quickly develop this knowledge
- Sound organisational and
analytical skills
- Financial awareness to
support revenue monitoring and funding compliance
Desirable but not essential:
-
Experience within
disability, health, veteran or community service sectors
- Trauma-informed practice
training (or willingness to undertake)
- Counselling, social
work, psychology, or related background
You are calm, structured, and solutions-focused, able to
balance empathy with accountability, and relationship depth with operational
rigour.
Why Join Guide Dogs Victoria?
-
Be part of a 70-year
legacy organisation trusted by generations of Australians
- Opportunity to work in
organisation that has high ethical welfare standards for breeding,
training, and placement of working assistance dogs
- Contribute to a
high-performing, purpose-driven not-for-profit
- Salary packaging
benefits up to $18,550 tax-free
- 6 weeks paid parental
leave
- Wellbeing program
including EAP, flu vaccinations and skin checks
- Reward and Recognition
program
- On site nursery,
training kennels, and administration building with dogs abound
At Guide Dogs Victoria, you’ll join a team committed to
quality, collaboration and continuous improvement, ensuring every client
experiences a respectful, timely and empowering pathway into service.
Inclusion & Accessibility
Guide Dogs Victoria is an equal opportunity employer
committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. We encourage
applications from:
-
Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander peoples
- People with
disabilities, including low vision or blindness
- People from culturally
and linguistically diverse communities
- LGBTQIA+ communities
- People of all ages
Lived experience of disability, or supporting a person with
disability, is highly valued.
We are committed to workplace adjustments throughout
recruitment and employment. Please contact hr@guidedogsvictoria.com.au
if you require reasonable adjustments.
Mandatory Safety Screening
The successful candidate will be required to complete:
-
National Police Check
- Working With Children
Check
- Any additional
compliance checks relevant to the role
If you are ready to lead client access, build trusted
partnerships and shape the next chapter of Guide Dogs Victoria’s impact, we
look forward to hearing from you.
We recognise and celebrate the diversity of our employees and volunteers and the benefits this brings to our organisation.
Our people enjoy an inclusive and culturally safe work environment free from all forms of discrimination.
Guide Dogs Victoria is a Child Safe organisation.
Lived experience as a person with a disability is highly valued.
Lived experience supporting a person with a disability is highly valued.
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