NDIS Navigator

Department of Education Victoria; Shire of Macedon Ranges; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Department of Education Victoria is recruiting an NDIS Navigator for Sunbury and Macedon Ranges Specialist School. The role focuses on advising families, building capacity to access NDIS services and fostering strong links with school staff and community providers.

The successful candidate will navigate complex systems, support inclusion, and help families to advocate for appropriate supports while aligning with department priorities and policies.

Qualifications

• KSC 1: Demonstrated highly developed interpersonal and communication skills.
• KSC 2: Demonstrated capability to establish and maintain collaborative relationships between people with disability, their parents and carers, other organisations or agencies and the wider community.
• KSC 3: Demonstrated understanding of issues facing students with disability and their parents/carers.
• KSC 4: Demonstrated experience in building the capacity of others to navigate complex systems.
• KSC 5: Demonstrated knowledge of the operations of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and/or operations of specialist schools.

Responsibilities

• The NDIS Navigator will carry out with a high level of autonomy: provide support and advice for parents and carers to build their capacity to understand, advocate for and access appropriate NDIS funded support services.
• Develop and maintain relationships with parents, carers, school staff and local services to enable productive working relationships between schools, parents, carers and NDIS.
• Working collaboratively across their school, the NDIS Navigator will support families and carers to resolve issues experienced with the NDIS through appropriate channels. Description

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Collaboration with families

NDIS knowledge

Stakeholder engagement

Job description

Department of Education Victoria – Macedon Ranges VIC

3d ago , from Department of Education & Training Victoria

Sunbury and Macedon Ranges Specialist School

SMRSS is a dual-campus P¿12 specialist school providing an inclusive, supportive and engaging learning environment for students with mild, moderate or profound intellectual disability. The school recognises that each student has unique strengths, interests and learning needs, with a number of students also presenting with additional needs including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), behavioural challenges, mobility considerations and complex medical needs.

SMRSS is committed to providing high-quality, evidence-based educational practices that support student engagement, communication, wellbeing and independence. School-wide approaches includeSchool-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS),Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)andZones of Regulation, which provide consistent frameworks to support students across learning and social environments.

Teaching and Learning

SMRSS has a well-established curriculum, supported by developed scope and sequences aligned with theVictorian CurriculumandVictorian Pathways Certificate (VPC). Teaching and learning programs are designed to respond to the individual strengths, interests and needs of each student, with a strong focus on functional learning, communication, wellbeing, independence and preparation for life beyond school.

Students are supported by a highly skilled multidisciplinary team that includes classroom teachers, learning specialists, leading teachers, allied health professionals, careers staff and wellbeing staff. This collaborative approach ensures that students receive targeted support across academic, social, emotional, communication, behavioural and vocational domains.

Each student has anIndividual Education Plan (IEP)developed through assessment and in consultation with families as part of theStudent Support Group (SSG)process. This collaborative planning ensures that individual learning goals are meaningful, achievable and responsive to each student's needs, aspirations and future pathways.

Co-Curricular and Enrichment Opportunities

SMRSS prides itself on providing students with rich and varied opportunities to develop their skills, interests, confidence and independence beyond the classroom. These opportunities include:

• A varied specialist program, providing students with opportunities to develop skills and interests across a range of curriculum and specialist areas.
• Community access programs, supporting students to develop independence, social skills and functional skills within authentic community settings.
• Camps and specialised experiences, including unique opportunities such as the Alpine Ride, which challenge students, build resilience and promote independence.
• Vocational Education and Training (VET) programs, aligned with student interests, strengths and future career aspirations.
• Biannual Debutant Ball and Senior School Production, providing opportunities for students to develop confidence, social skills, creativity and performance skills while celebrating their achievements.
• Whole-school celebrations and events, including sports days, 100 Days of Prep, Book Week and other community-building activities.
• Enrichment programs, including opportunities such as driver education, CFA engagement and first aid, supporting students to develop practical life skills and greater independence.
• Preparing Students for the Future
• A key focus of SMRSS is preparing students for successful transitions into adulthood and life beyond school. Through personalised learning, community access, vocational opportunities and strong connections with families and external agencies, students are supported to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence required for their preferred future pathways.
• The school's commitment to individualised learning, evidence-based practice and collaborative partnerships ensures that every student is supported to participate, achieve and experience success. SMRSS celebrates the diversity and strengths of its students and strives to create meaningful opportunities for every young person to develop their independence, build positive relationships and contribute to their community.

Sunbury and Macedon Ranges Specialist School is a Dual-Campus, Dual-Mode school. Staff are required to work across campus.

Selection Criteria

KSC 1 Demonstrated highly developed interpersonal and communication skills.

KSC 2 Demonstrated capability to establish and maintain collaborative relationships between people with disability, their parents and carers, other organisations or agencies and the wider community.

KSC 3 Demonstrated understanding of issues facing students with disability and their parents/carers.

KSC 4 Demonstrated experience in building the capacity of others to navigate complex systems.

KSC 5 Demonstrated knowledge of the operations of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and/or operations of specialist schools.

Please note, KSC must be addressed as part of your application.

Role

Range 4 is distinguished by broader management responsibility, particularly in the areas of finance, human resource and other support functions. Range 4 is responsible for managing a range of functions under a wide range of conditions, subject to the size and complexity of school operations.

Objectives will, generally, be clearly defined; guidelines will be broad and day-to-day direction minimal. Management responsibility extends to ensuring appropriate support levels are maintained across the school. Range 4 generally provides key support and timely advice to the leadership team and school council and liaises with the general school community, the Department and other government agencies and service providers.

Specialised professional roles will carry a high level of independence and accountability where suitable scope is provided to achieve objectives.

An education support class position supports the educational services being provided to students but must not include duties of teaching as defined in clause 2.6.1 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic) or its successor. Supervision of students cannot be required except where it is an integral part of the employee's position or involves supervision of students individually or in small groups, in controlled circumstances, where the responsibility for students remains clearly with a teacher.

Responsibilities

The NDIS Navigator will carry out the following with a high level of autonomy (within broad guidelines), professional leadership and minimal day-to-day direction:

• provide support and advice for parents and carers to build their capacity to understand, advocate for and access appropriate NDIS funded support services available to their children
• develop and maintain relationships with parents, carers, school staff and local services to enable productive working relationships between schools, parents, carers and NDIS
• working collaboratively across their school, the NDIS Navigator will support families and carers to resolve issues experienced with the NDIS through appropriate channels. Description

The NDIS Navigator will not:

• contact the National Disability Insurance Agency or NDIS funded agencies on behalf of families or carers except in limited circumstances, following consultation with the principal
• act as an advocate for families, carers and students in matters that are the responsibility of the school.

The NDIS Navigator role is not a teaching role or a clinical role and is not designed for direct intervention, individual student case management or crisis management. The role will not implement or perform supports and adjustments in schools. In some circumstances the NDIS Navigator may need to consult with the principal to prioritise families that have more complex needs that require additional support.

Who May Apply

Relevant experience in the NDIS, disability, youth or education sectors is desirable.

Diversity and Inclusion

The department is committed to diversity and inclusion and developing a workforce that is representative of the community we service. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQA+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department.The Department recognises that the provision of safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work and diversity across all schools and Department workplaces.It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for staff with disability (seeWorkplace adjustment guidelines).

Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via*******@education.vic.gov.au

Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.

Child Safe Standards

Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the department's exemplar available at:

https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/child-safe-standards/policy

DE Values

The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees,including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information about the department values is available at:

https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview