Senior Counsellor Advocate & Practice Leader

Victorian Government; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary packaging

Wellness program & discounts

Onsite childcare

Mentoring and career development

Job summary

Austin Health's Northern Centre Against Sexual Assault in Melbourne's north-east is seeking a Senior Counsellor Advocate. You will provide advanced counselling, advocacy and psychoeducation to survivors and their networks, and lead a portfolio with clinical governance and service development.

You will supervise Counsellor Advocates, support complex cases, and contribute to intake and crisis care, with after-hours roster and cross-agency collaboration.

Qualifications

• An AASW-accredited social work qualification and eligibility for AASW membership, or a Masters or Doctorate degree in psychology and current full registration with the Psychology Board of Australia.
• A minimum of seven years' post-qualifying or post-registration professional experience, including advanced clinical practice relevant to the role.
• Advanced clinical skills and experience working with people impacted by trauma and/or sexual assault, including assessment, counselling, advocacy, risk assessment and management, and complex presentations.
• Advanced knowledge of trauma-informed, evidence-informed and person-centred practice, together with feminist, intersectional and empowerment-based approaches to sexual assault practice.
• Experience providing high-quality clinical supervision, consultation and practice leadership to clinicians and/or students.
• Demonstrated leadership capability, including the ability to support staff, promote effective team functioning and respond effectively during periods of complexity.
• Experience in quality improvement, service or program development and/or evaluation.
• Highly developed communication, consultation, negotiation and stakeholder-engagement skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide advanced counselling, advocacy, assessment and psychoeducation to people impacted by recent and past sexual assault.
• Provide clinical supervision, consultation and practice leadership to Counsellor Advocates and other staff.
• Support clinical decision-making and appropriate escalation in complex situations.
• Lead and coordinate activities within a designated portfolio.
• Participate in intake and crisis care responses, including the after-hours crisis care roster.
• Provide specialist secondary consultation to health, welfare, education and other professionals and services.
• Contribute senior clinical expertise to quality improvement, clinical governance, risk management and accreditation activities.
• Develop practice guidance, policies and resources and contribute to staff development, education, research and evaluation.
• Build effective relationships across Austin Health and with external health, community, legal, statutory and specialist services.

Skills

Advanced counselling

Clinical supervision

Leadership

Trauma-informed practice

Stakeholder engagement

Risk assessment

Education

AASW-accredited social work qualification

Masters or Doctorate in psychology with Psychology Board registration

Job description

Austin Health's Northern Centre Against Sexual Assault in Melbourne's north-east is seeking a Senior Counsellor Advocate. You will provide advanced counselling, advocacy and psychoeducation to survivors and their networks, and lead a portfolio with clinical governance and service development.

You will supervise Counsellor Advocates, support complex cases, and contribute to intake and crisis care, with after-hours roster and cross-agency collaboration.