Counselling Team Lead

Be Recruitment; Shellharbour; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary packaging

Annual leave

Wellbeing leave

Professional development

Job summary

Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre is seeking a Counselling Team Leader to guide a specialist counselling team, support women’s recovery and contribute to service planning. You will balance direct therapeutic work with leadership responsibilities, ensuring safety and recovery goals are central.

The role involves supervision, collaborative risk assessment and working within a feminist, holistic framework to support women impacted by domestic, family, and sexual violence.

Qualifications

• Leadership experience within a therapeutic or counselling service.
• Tertiary qualification in counselling, psychology or social work; registration or eligibility is required.
• Strong clinical knowledge in trauma-informed care and violence-related clinical practice.
• Proven ability to provide supervision, risk assessment and safety planning.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor and supervise the counselling team.
• Coordinate client allocation, workloads and day-to-day operations.
• Provide clinical guidance on interventions, assessments and risk management.
• Deliver direct therapeutic support within a trauma-informed, feminist framework.
• Collaborate with other leaders and external services on care plans.
• Contribute to service planning, quality improvement and reporting.

Skills

Leadership experience

Tertiary qualifications

Clinical knowledge

Clinical judgement

Operational capability

Collaborative approach

Driver’s licence

Education

Counselling/Psychology/Social Work degree

Job description

Be Recruitment is proud to partner with the Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre to recruit a Counselling Team Leader.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a purpose-led organisation, combining clinical leadership with the opportunity to strengthen therapeutic practice and support women’s recovery.

Reporting to the Head of Programs and working alongside other team leaders, you will lead and support the Centre’s specialist counselling team.

About the Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre

The Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre supports women impacted by domestic, family and sexual violence through trauma-informed counselling, case management, group programs and holistic recovery supports.

As an Australian-first holistic recovery and healing service, the Centre provides an innovative model of support, co-designed with women with lived experience and centred on the needs, experiences and recovery journeys of women.

The Opportunity

This role combines direct therapeutic work, team leadership and the opportunity to contribute to service planning and evaluation.

You will lead a counselling team supporting women whose experiences of violence and trauma may intersect with complex mental health presentations and other support needs. Working collaboratively with the Head of Programs, fellow team leaders and external services, you will guide thoughtful, coordinated responses that keep each woman’s safety, choices and recovery goals central.

Regular external clinical supervision, internal supervision and reflective practice spaces will support you in your leadership and clinical work.

What You Will Do

• Lead, mentor and supervise the counselling team, balancing responsive team support with the operational needs of the service.
• Coordinate client allocation, workloads, service planning and day-to-day team operations.
• Provide clinical guidance on therapeutic interventions, psychosocial assessments and collaborative approaches to risk assessment and safety planning.
• Provide direct therapeutic support to women within a trauma and violence-informed, holistic and feminist framework.
• Collaborate with other team leaders and external services on shared care and coordinated recovery supports.
• Contribute to quality improvement and program evaluation through clinical insights, outcomes monitoring and accurate reporting.

About You

You are a confident and capable clinical leader who brings clarity and practical support, balancing the needs of your team with the priorities of an evolving service.

• Leadership experience within a therapeutic or counselling service supporting complex mental health presentations, community-based mental health needs or women impacted by domestic, family and sexual violence.
• Relevant tertiary qualifications in counselling, psychology or social work, with current membership or registration, or eligibility for membership or registration, with the relevant professional body.
• Strong clinical knowledge and direct therapeutic experience, including supporting people impacted by domestic, family and sexual violence within a trauma-informed, client-centred and feminist framework.
• Sound clinical judgement and supportive leadership, with the ability to guide practitioners through complex presentations, support collaborative risk assessment and safety planning, and provide clear supervision and practical guidance.
• Operational and administrative capability, with the ability to balance organisational priorities and team needs, supported by sound skills in reporting, documentation and people management.
• Flexibility and a collaborative approach, with the ability to work positively within an evolving service, build strong relationships and contribute to culturally safe practice.
• A driver’s licence and access to a vehicle are required.

What the Centre Offers

• A collaborative and values-driven team environment.
• Regular external clinical supervision, internal supervision and reflective practice opportunities.
• Professional development and growth opportunities.
• Salary packaging.
• Additional annual and wellbeing leave.
• The opportunity to work within an Australian-first holistic recovery and healing service and make a meaningful impact on the lives of women.

This is a women-only position. Being female is a genuine occupational qualification for this role under Section 31 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW) Having a criminal record will not automatically exclude your application. We recognise that women can have experiences with the criminal justice system that are discriminatory and unjust. For example, women may be misidentified as a primary offender in DFSV situations. We also acknowledge that women can move on from their past. We are committed to ensuring an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. If you require any adjustments or support during the interview or assessment stages, please let us know and we will be happy to accommodate your needs. #SCR-alana-tomlinson