Remand Support Practitioner

Victoria Legal Aid; Melbourne; Hybrid; AUD 85,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Flexible working arrangements

Salary packaging up to $15,900

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Victoria Legal Aid is hiring for a Remand Support Service practitioner to provide integrated, trauma‑informed advocacy for clients on remand. The role collaborates across health, housing, and legal supports to meet complex non-legal needs, within a flexible, team‑oriented environment.

Based in the Melbourne CBD, you will work with custodial and community partners, including after-hours shifts, to shape a groundbreaking service in the criminal justice system.

Qualifications

• Strong communication and negotiation with diverse clients and stakeholders.
• Understanding of remand/criminal justice issues and client advocacy in custody settings.
• Flexible, patient and non-judgmental approach; teamwork with non-legal and legal practitioners.

Responsibilities

• Deliver integrated support via the Remand Support Service across allied health, legal, housing and advocacy services.
• Collaborate with non-legal and legal practitioners to advocate for clients and address complex needs.
• Roster may include afternoon, evening and weekend shifts, including public holidays (9am–9pm).
• Based at Melbourne CBD office and Melbourne Magistrates Court.

Skills

Communication

Negotiation

Remand experience

Stakeholder engagement

Job description

This role offers the opportunity to collaborate across multiple stakeholders in the criminal justice system to provide an integrated, trauma-informed approach to addressing clients' holistic needs, and make a meaningful impact.

• Full-time maximum term positionto 30 June 2027
• Up to $15,900 in salary packaging and hybrid WFH&office model

About the role

VLA has launched a groundbreaking, first-of-its-kind service designed to provide integrated support and advocacy to clients on remand.

Our Remand Support Service will bring allied health, legal, housing, cultural supports and other community services together to assist people through the complexities of being on remand. Our goal is to offer holistic, trauma-informed support that meets our clients' complex non-legal needs.

We are looking for experienced practitioners to deliver this important service. This is an exciting opportunity to help shape a new, transformative service within the criminal justice system.

These roles will require afternoon, evening and weekend work, including public holidays as the Bail and Remand Courts are in operation 365 days a year from 9am-9pm. Rostering of the team is to be confirmed.

This role is based at our Melbourne CBD office and Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wurundjeri Country.

About you

As our ideal candidate, you will possess:

• Strong communicationand negotiation skills, with an ability to quickly build trust and rapport with a diverse range of clients and internal and external stakeholders.
• A deep understanding of the challengesimpactingpeople on remand and/or criminalised peoples, and an ability to ‘stand up' on behalf of clients in challenging environments, including custody settings.
• A flexible,patientand non-judgmental approach whileremainingtransparent. You will be a creative problem solver who enjoys working as a team with non-legal and legal practitioners.
• Experience in one or more areas including; social work, community development, mental health, homelessness and housing services, AOD service provision (including harm reduction approaches), representational advocacy, or other similar fields. Experience working with First Nations Australians and understanding of the ongoing impacts of colonisation and systemic racism is highly desirable.

Don't meet every requirement? At VLA, we understand that your work and life experiences can be just as valuable. If your CV doesn't align perfectly with our job description, we strongly encourage you to apply. You may be just the right candidate.

About VLA

We offer legal representation, family dispute resolution and non-legal advocacy to those who need it most. With over 1400 staff employed in 16 offices across Victoria, we help people with their legal problems by providing information, advice and education with a focus on the prevention and early resolution of legal problems.

Our clients come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds and foster a work culture that's inclusive as well as diverse. Your unique ideas and perspectives are valued so that we best represent the people we serve.

Employee benefits

• A focus on work-life balance, including flexibleworking arrangements
• Hybridwork fromhome& office model
• Generous leave benefits, including:
  • Three days paid seasonal leave (to be taken between Boxing Day and New Year's Day public holidays)
  • Paid gender affirmation leave
  • Five days both paid reproductive and fertility leave per calendar year
• Annual 3% salary increase each December plus performance-related salary incentives
• Attractive salary packaging options including General Expenses up to $15,900, Meals & Entertainment up to $2,650 PLUS Novated Leasing
• Discounted annualMyki public transport passes
• Individual learning and professional development opportunities, tailored to your role and career goals
• Free annual flu vaccinations
• Access to gym and end-of-trip facilities at our CBD office
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program, including confidential counselling and access to a range of mental health and wellbeing resources.

Applications close by 11.59pm on Sunday 8 November 2026.

Other relevant information

It is a requirement that staff attend for office-based days at their primary work location. In line with this requirement, interstate applications will be considered only where the candidate is able and willing to relocate to Victoria, unless part of a border community.

VLA is committed to putting the safety and wellbeing of children first.