Senior Practice Leader

State Government of Victoria, Australia; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The Senior Practice Leader role with the State Government of Victoria, Australia in Melbourne's CBD focuses on providing specialist forensic disability expertise to drive best practice across Forensic Residential Services (FRS).

Reporting to the Manager, Service and Practice Development, you will promote treatment support, staff engagement, and a therapeutic community model across sites and coordinate with clinical and operational teams.

Responsibilities

• Provide authoritative expertise and knowledge to enable staff to deliver evidence-based disability and offender rehabilitation services to FRS clients.
• Provide system-wide leadership, advocating for ongoing improvements in staff practice which may involve the development and implementation of systems.
• Support the ongoing refinement and implementation of Therapeutic Feedback Model and a whole-of-FDS approach to ensure that treatment is holistic and well-integrated.

Job description

Location: Melbourne - CBD and Inner Metro suburbs

Reference: VG/DFFH/00374942B

The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) works hard to create equal opportunities for all Victorians to live a
safe, respected and valued life.
Our areas of focus are child protection, housing, disability, the prevention of family violence, multicultural affairs, LGBTIQA+ equality, veterans, women and youth. The work we do benefits thousands of Victorians, particularly those who are disadvantaged and vulnerable.
We work in a variety of community-based settings, including people's homes, residential facilities and secure settings across metropolitan, rural and regional Victoria.
We are committed to developing and supporting a workforce that is well equipped and highly motivated. All jobs can be worked flexibly, and we encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and people from diverse backgrounds and abilities.
If you're having any trouble viewing this ad and would like it or any attachments in an accessible format (such as large print), please don't hesitate to get in touch with the contact person listed on the ad.
For more information on working with us and our recruitment process, please visit Department of Families, Fairness and Housing Victoria | Jobs (www.dffh.vic.gov.au/jobs)

THE ROLE

The Senior Practice Leader provides specialist forensic disability expertise focused on developing and maintaining best practice across Forensic Residential Services (FRS). The role reports to the Manager, Service and Practice Development and promotes treatment support and staff engagement in the service delivery model to benefit the assessment, treatment and care of FRS clients, particularly those receiving residential treatment.

Residential Treatment Facility (RTF) residents have multiple and complex needs. They have typically been exposed to traumatic events, psychosocial disadvantages and have serious offending histories. RTF residents require a high level of intensive clinical and operational support within a strong therapeutic milieu (i.e., a therapeutic community model) to enable positive behaviour changes. The Senior Practice Leader is therefore responsible for promoting effective practice as it relates to both disability and offender management practice within the residential environment. The Senior Practice Leader role also holds a key function in further developing and strengthening the therapeutic community model across all accommodation sites and assisting clinical and operational staff to work collaboratively to engage and adhere to the standards of the model.

This role is also responsible for supporting the practice of the Therapeutic Feedback Model (TFM) which is central to the RTF therapeutic communities and provides a system of dynamic feedback based on rewards for appropriate behaviour and consequences for inappropriate and at-risk or serious behaviours. This role will primarily support the practice of staff who work across the RTF, offering/coordinating reflective practice opportunities on an as‑needed basis and ensuring best practice. The role will also support the development of treatment models across other residential settings.

The Senior Practice Leader identifies services gaps and joint training needs of the Forensic Disability Clinical Services (FDCS) and broader FRS staff and works collaboratively with the Professional Development and Wellbeing Unit and the relevant managers who are responsible for ensuring effective implementation of practice. When working with FRS staff who require additional wellbeing supports, the Senior Practice Leader will work with the relevant line managers to encourage staff to engage in DFFH-funded formal services (e.g., Employee Assistance Program) to promote staff wellbeing.

ACCOUNTABILITIES INCLUDE

• Provide authoritative expertise and knowledge to enable staff to deliver evidence‑based disability and offender rehabilitation services to FRS clients.
• Provide system‑wide leadership, advocating for ongoing improvements in staff practice which may involve the development and implementation of systems.
• Support the ongoing refinement and implementation of Therapeutic Feedback Model and a whole‑of‑FDS approach to ensure that treatment is holistic and well‑integrated.

This is an NDIS Risk Assessed Role / This is a Key Personnel Role.
Staff appointed to this role at the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing may not commence in role until they have an NDIS Worker Screening Clearance and have provided this detail for recording.
For more information on what this means, and all other requirements, please see the Position Description.

This role requires a Working with Children Check.
Further advice on obtaining this check can be found here: https://www.vic.gov.au/working‑with‑children‑check
For more information on what this means, and all other requirements, please see the Position Description.

Applicants must be an Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident or hold a valid work permit or visa. Work eligibility will be checked as part of the recruitment process.

Preferred candidates will be required to complete pre‑employment screening, including a national police check and misconduct screening.

For more information on working with us and our recruitment process, please visit Department of Families, Fairness and Housing Victoria | Jobs (www.dffh.vic.gov.au/jobs)

Applications close Thursday 8 October 2026 at 11.59pm