Practice Lead

KANDA; Townsville City; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

12 RDOs/year

Wellness app

Rewards hub

Employee recognition

Travel club membership

Career opportunities

Job summary

Kanda's Children, Youth & Family Services team is seeking a Practice Lead to drive best practice across CYF programs in Townsville or Mackay. You will guide the leadership team, shape how services are delivered, and help ensure vulnerable children, young people and families get the outcomes they deserve.

This strategic, hands-on role requires a tertiary Human Services qualification, strong QA and risk management knowledge, and the ability to collaborate with stakeholders, agencies and

Qualifications

• Must hold a tertiary qualification in Human Services or a related field.
• Strong knowledge of child protection and family services.
• Experience in QA and risk management in children's services.

Responsibilities

• Guide CYF leadership team and foster collaboration.
• Ensure programs meet legislative, funding and regulatory requirements.
• Advocate for clients and influence government agendas.
• Develop supervision and communication strategies through change.
• Oversee incident management and report breaches of care standards.
• Create and monitor safety and crisis management plans.
• Identify opportunities to improve services and drive change.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Quality assurance

Risk management

Change management

Regulatory compliance

Crisis management

Education

Tertiary qualification in Human Services

Job description

• Lead best practice across child safety programs where it matters most
• 12 RDOs a year — one extra day off every month, built into how we work
• Full-time, office-based role in either our Townsville or Mackay offices

• Lead best practice across child safety programs where it matters most
• 12 RDOs a year — one extra day off every month, built into how we work
• Full-time, office-based role in either our Townsville or Mackay offices

The children and young people in our programs need more than a service. They need consistency, safety and someone at the helm who holds the whole thing together. That's this role.

As Practice Lead with Kanda's Children, Youth & Family Services team, you'll drive best practice across CYF programs — guiding the leadership team, shaping how services are delivered, and making sure the most vulnerable children, young people and families get the outcomes they deserve. It's strategic, it's hands-on, and the decisions you make ripple out into real lives every day.

What you'll be doing

• Guiding the CYF leadership team and fostering a positive, collaborative culture across staff and service users
• Ensuring all programs comply with legislative, funding and regulatory requirements while upholding best practice
• Advocating for clients and influencing federal and state government agendas on Child Protection matters
• Developing and implementing supervision and communication strategies that support teams through change, accountability and complex casework
• Overseeing critical incident management and reporting breaches of care standards to appropriate managers
• Creating, monitoring and reviewing individual safety and crisis management plans for children and young people
• Identifying opportunities to enhance services, policies and systems and driving effective change strategies to deliver them

You're the right person if...

• You hold a tertiary qualification in Human Services or a related field, or bring equivalent experience in a similar senior role
• You have a comprehensive understanding of the Human Services sector, particularly contemporary child protection and family issues
• You have extensive knowledge of quality assurance and risk management in children's services
• You collaborate effectively with stakeholders, agencies, specialists, families and community members
• You have strong research and analytical skills and can provide evidence-based recommendations and solutions
• You present, negotiate and mediate with confidence across complex and sensitive situations
• You hold a drivers licence, Licensed Care Approval (LCS2), valid Working with Children Blue Card and NDIS Worker Screening

Why Kanda

• Monthly RDO - an extra 12 days of leave per year
• Wellness initiatives plus24/7 access to the Sonder wellbeing app
• Access to an employee rewards hub providing savings and cashback across everyday purchases
• Employee recognition initiatives, including gift vouchers for Employee of the Month and service anniversaries
• Enjoy free Orbit World Travel Club membership - $100 travel voucher, exclusive offers, and dedicated support
• Genuine long-term career opportunities as Kanda continues to grow

Kandais committed to creating and maintaining a child safe organisation

We’re dedicated to building an inclusive environment where everyone feels safe, respected, and comfortable to be themselves. At Kanda, every voice matters, every culture is valued, and we believe that diverse perspectives aren’t just welcome — they’re essential to who we are and what we do.