Principal Clinician

The Australian Psychological Society Limited; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career progression opportunities

Professional registration support

Flexible working arrangements

Competitive salary & rewards

Free parking

Employee Assistance Program

Staff gym

Subsidised meals

Fitness Passport

Private health insurance discount

Job summary

GEO Group Australia in Ravenhall delivers rehabilitation and reintegration services within Ravenhall Correctional Centre. The Principal Clinician leads a multidisciplinary team providing pre- and post-release interventions, assessments and treatment planning for complex, high‑risk presentations.

You will supervise clinical staff, ensure governance and quality assurance, and collaborate with custodial teams to support safe, evidence‑based responses to risk and behaviour.

Qualifications

• Registration as a psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia (AHPRA) or eligible for membership with the relevant Australian boards.
• Substantial post‑registration experience in assessments, formulations and interventions in correctional/forensic settings.
• Ability to provide clinical governance, quality assurance and oversight of assessment, treatment planning and documentation.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary clinical staff and maintaining professional standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead clinical governance and operational delivery for a multidisciplinary team providing pre-/post-release rehabilitation and reintegration services at Ravenhall.
• Manage case allocation and intervention planning based on risk, need and priorities.
• Oversee quality and consistency of assessments, treatment pathways and case-management contributions.
• Monitor service delivery against program plans and professional standards.
• Maintain program integrity through evidence-informed practice and continuous improvement.
• Lead quarterly multidisciplinary reviews to support risk formulation and intervention planning.
• Strengthen collaboration with custodial staff for consistent, clinically informed responses to behavior and risk.
• Provide supervision to students and foster staff development.

Skills

Clinical governance

Leadership

Risk assessment

Correctional/forensic experience

Communication skills

Cross-agency collaboration

Documentation & reporting

Education

Psychology registration / AHPRA eligibility

Job description

Lead innovative, evidence-based clinical care and drive positive rehabilitation outcomes for people in custody at Ravenhall Correctional Centre.

Shape safer communities through clinical leadership and rehabilitation.

At Ravenhall Correctional Centre, Rehabilitation and Reintegration Services is creating exciting new opportunities for people who want their work to make a real difference.

Our redesigned services brings specialist expertise closer to the frontline, strengthens support from custody to community and creates clearer pathways for professional growth. It is more connected, more responsive and built to achieve stronger outcomes for people with diverse and complex needs.

Bring your expertise, ideas and commitment to change. Join a collaborative evidence-based team shaping the future of rehabilitation and reintegration at Ravenhall Correctional Centre where your work changes lives, strengthens communities and makes a difference every single day.

About The GEO Group Australia

We are the country's leading provider of outsourced correctional services, operating in VIC. GEO aims to deliver better corrections and create safer communities. We focus on providing a continuum of care and integration of services to make a real difference in the lives of people we work with. Our company is defined by us always acting with Integrity , showing everyone Respect without fail, being Accountable at all times, always being Agile and continuously looking for opportunities to be Innovative . For more information about our organisation visit our website www.geogroup.com.au

To view our videos, including the type of individuals we seek to join our business, click here.

About Ravenhall Correctional Centre

Ravenhall is a 1,300-bed medium-security prison for adult sentenced and remand men. Its contemporary campus-style design reflects four accommodation communities with varying profiles. Community accommodation is complemented by a further 75-bed Forensic Mental Health Unit, a 25-bed unit for prisoners with significant challenging behaviours, and a 25-bed Mission Unit designed to respond intensively and therapeutically to current community issues.

In recognition of the importance of the Continuum of Care, Ravenhall extends its presence into the community by providing ex-prisoners with access to post-release support at GEO’s Community Reintegration Centre.

Ravenhall’s emphasis on offender rehabilitation and reintegration is supported by a significantly resourced team of clinicians who work in partnership with a number of Victoria’s most respected organisations, including Forensicare, YMCA and Kangan Institute. Working collaboratively, Ravenhall seeks to bring about lasting positive change in the lives of prisoners before and after release, with the ultimate aim of reducing reoffending.

To learn more about Ravenhall Correctional Centre, click here.

About The Opportunity

The Principal Clinician manages, supervises and supports a team of Clinicians engaged in the provision of specialised assessments, individual interventions and group interventions to address the offending behaviours and needs of those accommodated across the Centre including in specialist units. The Principal Clinician provides direct guidance, clinical supervision, coaching and mentoring to their team, in addition to maintaining a small client caseload at a senior practitioner level. The Principal Clinician also works closely with the Principal Clinician, Service Improvement and Outreach Support to ensure that clinical service delivery is provided at GEO’s Community Reintegration Centre.

As the Principal Clinician you will:

• Lead clinical governance and operational delivery for a multidisciplinary team providing pre- and post-release rehabilitation and reintegration services at Ravenhall, including senior advice, consultation and escalation support to internal and external stakeholders.
• Manage case allocation and intervention planning in line with risk, need, responsivity and service priorities.
• Oversee the quality and consistency of functional assessments, case formulations, behaviour management plans and treatment pathways for complex behaviours as required.
• Monitor service delivery against Ravenhall’s Program Plan, operating procedures and professional standards.
• Oversee and review the provision of clinical and risk assessments, treatment plans and case-management contributions.
• Maintain program integrity through evidence-informed practice, professional discretion, risk management and continuous improvement.
• Lead multidisciplinary case reviews to support coordinated risk formulation, intervention planning and management of at-risk presentations.
• Strengthen collaboration with custodial staff to support consistent, clinically informed responses to behaviour change and risk management.
• Work with the Principal Clinician, Service Improvement and Outreach Support, in the scheduling, delivery and clinical governance of post-release services at GEO’s Community Reintegration Centre.
• Maintain a small complex caseload, including assessment and treatment of complex and high-risk presentations, to support senior practice, assessment quality and program capability.
• Lead quality assurance of clinical data, system updates, files, case notes, reports and documentation to support compliance, defensible decision-making and service improvement.
• Drive continuous improvement through supervision, case-note and report review, practice observation, feedback and reflective practice.
• Build workforce capability by supporting recruitment, induction, training, supervision and performance expectations in line with policy, procedure and professional obligations.
• Contribute to training for staff to strengthen shared practice capability.
• Provide operational and/or clinical supervision to students on placement, consistent with governance and professional requirements.
• Participate in clinical supervision and continuing professional development to maintain professional competence and supervision capability.

Your Skills & Experience

• Registration as a Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia (AHPRA), or eligibility for membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), credentialed as a Mental Health Nurse with the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses, or registered as an Occupational Therapist with the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia.
• Substantial post-registration experience completing assessments, formulations and individual and group interventions in correctional, forensic, clinical or other relevant settings.
• Demonstrated ability to provide clinical governance, quality assurance and oversight of evidence-informed assessment, treatment planning, intervention delivery and documentation standards.
• Demonstrated experience assessing, formulating and treating complex and high-risk presentations, including the development and review of risk-responsive treatment and behaviour management plans.
• Demonstrated knowledge of contemporary correctional practice, offender rehabilitation, risk–need–responsivity principles, trauma-informed practice and evidence-informed intervention.
• Demonstrated experience leading, supervising and developing multidisciplinary clinical staff, including setting performance expectations, supporting reflective practice and maintaining professional standards.
• Demonstrated ability to build effective cross-agency relationships, provide consultation, support shared decision-making and influence coordinated responses to clinical risk and rehabilitation needs.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare, review and quality assure complex clinical reports, documentation and recommendations that support defensible decision-making.

About the Benefits

Joining GEO is your chance to make a real and lasting difference in the lives of prisoners, their families and the community. Benefits of working for GEO, include but are not limited to:

• Role diversity and internal career progression opportunities
• Support with Professional Registration costs
• Flexible working arrangements
• Competitive salary and rewards scheme
• Free parking
• Employee Assistance Program
• Staff gym
• Subsidised meals
• Fitness Passport to promote wellbeing. Discounted gym and pool access for members and their families to over 1500 fitness facilities across Australia.
• REACH Program
• Discounted Private Health Insurance (Medibank Private)
• VCEA (Victorian Correctional Employees Association)

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants are highly encouraged to apply

Applications close at 11:59pm, Thursday 15th October 2026 and will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The GEO Group reserves the right to close this vacancy before the specified closing date; therefore, early applications are encouraged.

We are always looking for people to join our company who share the values that we stand for:

INTEGRITY RESPECT ACCOUNTABLE AGILE INNOVATIVE