Team Leader - Residential Services

Aboriginal Family Support Services; Adelaide; Hybrid; AUD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary packaging

Leadership development opportunities

Supportive, values-driven organisation

Job summary

Aboriginal Family Support Services in South Australia is seeking a Team Leader - Residential Care Services to lead a team of Youth Support Workers delivering culturally responsive and therapeutically informed residential care for Aboriginal children and young people in care.

The role focuses on safe, high‑quality service delivery, staff supervision, rostering, reporting and compliance, while promoting cultural safety, trauma‑informed practice and strong community connections.

Qualifications

• Experience leading teams of Youth Support Workers in residential care.
• Understanding trauma-informed practice and culturally responsive care.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and maintain quality documentation.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of Youth Support Workers delivering culturally responsive residential care.
• Support Aboriginal children and young people to build life skills, cultural connection and community engagement.
• Provide supervision, coaching, and professional development to the team.
• Coordinate daily service operations, rostering, reporting and compliance.
• Ensure care, cultural and transition plans are implemented and reviewed for positive outcomes.
• Monitor service quality and drive continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Cultural responsiveness

Trauma-informed practice

Time management

Education

Certificate IV in Community Services/Youth Work

Higher qualification in social science

Job description

Aboriginal Family Support Services is the leading Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation that has been providing services to Aboriginal families and communities across South Australia for over 40 years

Job Description

About the Role

Make a meaningful difference in the lives of Aboriginal children and young people in care.

As the Team Leader - Residential Care Services, you will lead and support a team of Youth Support Workers delivering culturally responsive and therapeutically informed residential care. You will be responsible for ensuring safe, high-quality service delivery, supporting the wellbeing and development of children and young people, coordinating operations within the residential home, and driving positive outcomes aligned with AFSS values and service standards

What You'll Be Doing

• Leading a team of Youth Support Workers to deliver culturally responsive, therapeutic residential care services.
• Supporting Aboriginal children and young people to build life skills, independence, cultural connection and community engagement.
• Providing supervision, coaching, performance management and professional development to team embers.
• Coordinating daily service operations, staff rostering, reporting and compliance requirements.
• Ensuring care, cultural and transition plans are implemented and reviewed to achieve positive outcomes for children and young people.
• Monitoring service quality, performance indicators and continuous improvement initiatives.

What You'll Bring

• Experience working with Aboriginal children and young people, particularly those experiencing vulnerability, trauma, or out-of-home care.
• Demonstrated leadership experience, including supervising, mentoring and developing staff.
• Strong understanding of trauma-informed practice, therapeutic residential care and cultural responsiveness.
• Excellent communication, organisational and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build strong relationships.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, coordinate service delivery and maintain quality documentation and reporting.

Why Join AFSS?

• Be part of a respected Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation commited to strengthening Aboriginal children, families and communities.
• Lead a dedicated team making a genuine difference in the lives of children and young people.
• Access salary packaging benefits to increase your take-home pay.
• Ongoing learning, development and leadership opportunities.
• Work within a supportive, values-driven organisation focused on cultural safety, service excellence and continuous improvement.

Compliance Requirements

To be successful in this role you will hold, or be willing to obtain:

A minimum of a Certificate IV in Community Services/Youth Work or equivalent, or currently studying, knowledge and competencies. The incumbent must hold the minimum qualification as required by DCP service agreement.

Or:

A higher qualification in an appropriate social science discipline such as Social Work, Behavioural Sciences, Community Services, Youth Services, and related fields

• Current Working With Children Check
• National Police Clearance – Obtained within 6 months
• Safe Environments for Children and Young People (Through Their Eyes) Certificate
• Current Australian Driver's Licence

Always Was, Always Will Be Aboriginal Land.