Team Leader Journey to Social Inclusion

Uniting Limited; Ballarat; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary packaging up to $15,900

Meal entertainment benefit $2,650

Purchase leave program

Up to 10 weeks paid parental leave

Annual leave top-up 17.5%

Flexible work from home one day per 2w

Job summary

Uniting in Ballarat is seeking a Team Leader to guide a small team working with people experiencing long-term homelessness and complex barriers. You’ll lead outreach, provide supervision, and advocate to secure the support clients need while maintaining a strong team culture.

The role is full-time and max-term until March 2028, based in Ballarat, with SCHADS Level 6 and salary packaging. A flexible blend of on-site and one-day-per-fortnight remote work is available to support work–life balance.

Qualifications

• Relevant tertiary qualification such as Social Work, Psychology, Occupational Therapy or equivalent.
• Valid driver’s licence to drive in Australia.
• Substantial experience in housing and homelessness, including experience with complex needs.

Responsibilities

• Lead a small team of 5–6 people supporting people experiencing homelessness.
• Hands-on leadership with outreach, supervision, and advocacy to ensure clients receive support.
• Foster a collaborative, trauma-informed approach and strong team wellbeing.

Skills

Team leadership

Homelessness services

Crisis response

Advocacy

Trauma-informed practice

Collaboration

Education

Relevant tertiary qualification (Social Work, Psychology, Occupational Therapy)

Job description

• Lead a small, close-knit team supporting people experiencing homelessness.
• Hands‑on leadership – outreach, advocacy, coaching and team wellbeing.
• Full‑time max term until March 2028 + based in Ballarat + SCHADS Level 6 + salary packaging.

Your new role

This is a Team Leader role where being present matters. You’ll lead a small, experienced team of around 5–6 people working alongside clients who have experienced long-term homelessness and complex barriers to housing, health and community connection.

You won’t spend all your time behind a desk. On any given day, you might be out on outreach with a team member, stepping in when someone is away, providing supervision, navigating a challenging situation or advocating alongside someone to make sure they receive the support they need.

To lead this team well, you need to understand the realities of homelessness and the systems around it. You’ll know that progress can be slow and that there isn’t always an immediate solution. You’ll bring the persistence to keep advocating, the judgement to know when to change approach, and the ability to recognise progress even when you can’t “fix” the situation.

Just as importantly, you’ll look after the people doing this work. You’ll continue to strengthen a team culture where people genuinely look out for each other, know when to check in and work together through the difficult days. We’re looking for an authentic, practical and approachable leader who brings perspective and appropriate humour, thinks outside the box and knows when to step in and when to advocate.

About the program

Journey to Social Inclusion (J2SI) is an evidence‑based program supporting people experiencing long‑term homelessness in the Central Highlands. Unlike shorter‑term homelessness responses, J2SI provides intensive, individualised support over an extended period, helping people access and sustain permanent housing, improve their quality of life and strengthen their connection with community.

The model combines intensive case management and service coordination, rapid access to housing and tenancy support, trauma‑informed practice, skills for inclusion and fostering independence. It works through small caseloads and a team‑based approach, giving staff the opportunity to build meaningful, sustained relationships with the people they support.

Benefits of working at Uniting

At Uniting, you’ll enjoy:

• Working in a large values‑led organisation with real community impact.
• Up to $15,900 in salary packaging benefits that can be used for living expenses such as groceries, bills, clothing and streaming services.
• Save on dining out and drinks with a meal entertainment benefit of $2,650 annually.
• Increase your annual leave entitlements through our purchase leave program.
• Up to 10 weeks ofpaid parental leave for primary caregivers (4 for secondary).
• An extra 17.5% on top of your fortnightly pay when you take paid annual leave.
• Opt in or out of public holidays andbe respected for your unique background

The role is full‑time maximum term due to funding arrangements and based in our Ballarat office. Given the hands‑on nature of the position, you'll spend most of your time with the team and in the community, with the opportunity to work from home one day per fortnight. We also understand that work and life need to coexist and look for flexibility where we can.

Your skills and experience

You’ll bring team leadership experience and a strong grounding in working alongside people experiencing homelessness and complex needs.

You will bring:

• Relevant tertiary qualification such as Social Work, Psychology, Occupational Therapy or equivalent.
• Valid driver’s licence to drive in Australia
• Substantial experience in housing and homelessness, which may include experience gained through family violence, AOD or tertiary mental health services.
• Experience supervising, supporting and developing staff in complex frontline work.
• Strong practice capability working with complex needs, crisis and service systems, including trauma‑informed approaches.
• A practical, collaborative approach with the confidence to advocate strongly for consumers and your team.

View the position description here.

For any questions about this opportunity, please reach out to on Stacey Park on 0466 858 776 during business hours.

About Uniting

At Uniting we are passionate about working together to inspire people, enliven communities and confront injustice. We have a 5,000 strong workforce of employees and volunteers who deliver a diverse range of services across Victoria and Tasmania.

Visit us: www.vt.uniting.org

We are proud to work alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities, and we strongly encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants to apply. We are committed to creating a culturally safe, welcoming and supportive workplace.

Uniting is a child safe organisation and is committed in everyday practice to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all children, at all times. As a ‘child safe’ organisation, employment with Uniting is subject to a satisfactory national (and international where relevant) police check and relevant Working with Children Check in your State prior to commencement of any paid or unpaid work and/or participation in any service or undertaking.

Through the recruitment process, we will ask you for personal information. Disclosure is optional, however, it can help us support you better. We invite you to tell us if you identify as Aboriginal, a person with disability, from a diverse background or LGBTQIA+. You will be given a  opportunity in the application form to request additional support. We welcome the opportunity to discuss how we can support you.