Social Worker

St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne; Sydney; On-site; AUD 79,000 - 113,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Salary packaging (not-for-profit)

Work with Garvan & Victor Chang

Transplant program exposure

Study leave and Curran Foundation

Fitness Passport and health benefits

Job summary

St Vincent's Public Hospital Sydney is seeking a Social Worker to join the Cancer Care Team on a max-term full-time contract until December 2027. The role supports cancer patients and families across inpatient and outpatient settings, delivering psychosocial assessments, counselling, advocacy, and discharge planning.

You will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, advocate for access to supports including NDIS where needed, participate in service development, and contribute to education and

Qualifications

• Degree-qualified Social Worker eligible for membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).
• Experience in a tertiary hospital or healthcare setting.
• Experience supporting cancer patients with psychosocial assessment, counselling, advocacy and discharge planning.
• Ability to participate in a 24-hour crisis on-call service.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist social work services to cancer patients (head and neck and radiation oncology) and families across inpatient and outpatient settings.
• Undertake psychosocial assessments, identify and manage risk, and provide counselling and practical support.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to support holistic patient care and coordinate discharge planning and referrals.
• Advocate for patients and carers by facilitating access to supports and services, including NDIS and NCAT Guardianship where required.
• Contribute to service development through supervision, quality improvement, education, research, and social work on-call roster.
• Maintain high standards of professional practice through documentation and compliance with policies.

Skills

Psychosocial assessment

Counselling

Case management

Discharge planning

Crisis intervention

Grief and loss

Stakeholder engagement

Communication skills

Time management

Clinical documentation

Computer literacy

Education

Bachelor of Social Work

AASW membership eligibility

Tools

Job description

Role title: Social Worker - Cancer Care (Level 1-2)

Role type: Max term contract, full time (Until December 2027)

Shift details: Monday to Friday

Department and location: Social Work (Cancer Care Team), St Vincent's Public Hospital, Sydney

Salary: $79,419.00 to $113,301.00 + Super + Salary Packaging

Welcome to St Vincent's Hospital Sydney

Join a team built on a proud legacy of world-class care, true compassion, and deep community roots.

Founded by the Sisters of Charity and powered today by St Vincent's Health Australia, the Sisters' legacy of compassionate service is our living heartbeat. As Sydney's premier and iconic inner-city public hospital, we serve the entire population, providing world-class care to all people, including the most vulnerable in our community. Across our renowned precinct, we feature cutting-edge programs and surgery infrastructure, fostering clinical excellence and professional growth.

Located in the vibrant heart of Darlinghurst, we are positioned just minutes from Kings Cross station, with direct, high-frequency bus connections from the east, and seamless links from Gadigal and Museum stations right to our doorstep.

Read on to explore this exciting role and the fantastic perks waiting for you here.

About the role

• Provide specialist social work services to cancer patients (predominately head and neck and radiation oncology) and their families across inpatient and outpatient settings, supporting them through diagnosis, treatment and recovery
• Undertake psychosocial assessments, identify and manage risk, and provide counselling and practical support to help patients navigate the challenges associated with cancer care
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to support holistic patient care, participate in case discussions, and coordinate safe discharge planning and referrals to community services
• Advocate for patients and carers by facilitating access to supports and services, including applications through NDIS and NCAT Guardianship where required
• Contribute to service development through participation in supervision, quality improvement initiatives, education, research activities, student supervision and the social work on-call roster
• Maintain high standards of professional practice through accurate documentation, reporting, compliance with relevant policies and legislation, and ongoing professional development

About you

• Degree-qualified Social Worker eligible for membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), with clinical experience in a tertiary hospital or healthcare setting
• Demonstrated experience supporting patients with cancer, including psychosocial assessment, counselling, psycho-education, advocacy, case management and discharge planning
• Strong knowledge of crisis intervention, grief and loss, and short-term solution-focused approaches, with the ability to support patients and families through complex healthcare journeys
• Collaborative and resilient professional who thrives in multidisciplinary environments, with strong stakeholder engagement, negotiation and communication skills
• Highly organised with excellent time management, clinical documentation and computer literacy skills, and the ability to manage competing priorities effectively
• Committed to continuous learning and improvement, with the ability to contribute to research, quality initiatives and education programs, and willingness to participate in a 24-hour crisis on-call service to provide after-hours support as required

What we can offer you

• Exceptional Rewards: Competitive pay and not-for-profit salary packaging to maximise your income
• World-Class: Be part of a renowned precinct alongside the Garvan & Victor Chang institutes
• Excellence: Premier heart/lung transplant program, advanced robotics, & pioneering HIV/AIDS initiatives
• Cutting-Edge Oncology: Deliver advanced cancer care and trials at the renowned Kinghorn Cancer Centre
• Community: Support vital programs for First Nations, homelessness, mental health, & drug and alcohol care
• Professional Advancement: Accelerate your career with study leave and Curran Foundation scholarships
• Health & Wellbeing: Fitness Passport, discounted private health, & cultural recognitions and celebrations
• Coming from NSW Health: Smooth transfer of your qualifying service and leave entitlements

Sponsorship / work rights for Australia

Please note, visa sponsorship is not available for this position. For this role you must be an Australian or New Zealand citizen or have an Australia visa that grants you the work rights necessary for the role.

Equal opportunity

We celebrate diversity & inclusion and are committed to equal employment opportunity for everyone.

As part of our commitment to reconciliation, we encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to apply and join us in delivering care that heals body, mind, spirit and community.