Vocational Specialist

Pathway Talent; Sydney; On-site; AUD 85,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary packaging up to $15,900 FBT per

Employee Assistance Program

Learning, mentoring and training

Professional development

Career growth opportunities

Job summary

Pathway Talent is partnering with a respected community-based mental health organisation to appoint a Vocational Specialist in the Ashfield area. You will support young people aged 12–25 with barriers to employment and education, delivering IPS-based vocational assistance within a multidisciplinary team.

The role is full-time, max-term until June 2027, with Monday to Friday work. You will connect clients with employers, education providers and community services, and contribute to meaningful

Qualifications

• Experience in employment services, vocational support, youth services or mental health.
• Experience working with young people or vulnerability.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and negotiation skills.
• Ability to engage employers for opportunities.
• Excellent administration and documentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Identify and help young people achieve employment/education goals.
• Deliver individualised vocational assistance using IPS model.
• Manage caseload and monitor progress.
• Build relationships with employers, providers and community services.
• Proactively identify employment opportunities with employers.
• Promote IPS services to stakeholders.
• Maintain referral pathways within the local community.
• Collaborate with clinical teams, families and support networks.
• Maintain accurate case notes in the system and complete admin.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Communication

Caseload management

Time management

Empathy

Job description

Pathway Talent is partnering with a respected community-based mental health organisation to appoint a passionate and outcomes-focused Vocational Specialist within the Ashfield team.

This is a rewarding opportunity for an experienced employment services, vocational support or youth services professional seeking to help young people overcome barriers and achieve meaningful employment and education outcomes.

This is a full-time, max-term maternity leave contract ending June 2027, with the possibility of extension. The position is based in Ashfield area and works Monday to Friday.

About the Role

As the Vocational Specialist, you will support young people aged 12–25 who may be experiencing mental health challenges or other barriers to employment and education.

Working within a multidisciplinary team, you will deliver vocational support in line with the evidence-based model.

You will work closely with young people to understand their goals, identify suitable opportunities and connect them with employers, education providers and community services.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Supporting young people to identify and achieve their employment and education goals
• Delivering individualised vocational assistance in line with the IPS model
• Managing a caseload of young people and monitoring their progress
• Building strong relationships with employers, employment services, education providers and community organisations
• Proactively approaching employers to identify suitable employment opportunities
• Promoting the IPS service to internal and external stakeholders
• Establishing and maintaining effective referral pathways across the local community
• Working collaboratively with clinical teams, families and other support networks
• Maintaining accurate, timely and confidential case notes using the Best Practice electronic medical record system
• Completing all required administration and documentation to a high standard

About You

You will be an empathetic, organised and proactive professional who is passionate about supporting young people to recognise their strengths and achieve their goals.

To be successful, you will bring:

• Experience in employment services, job services, vocational support, career development, youth services, mental health or community services
• Experience working with young people or other people experiencing vulnerability
• Strong stakeholder engagement, partnership-building and negotiation skills
• Confidence approaching and engaging employers to create employment opportunities
• Strong administration, organisation and time-management skills
• Excellent attention to detail when completing case notes and documentation
• The ability to manage a caseload and balance competing priorities
• Strong communication skills and the ability to contribute to a multidisciplinary team
• Reliability, punctuality and a commitment to ethical, person-centred practice
• Empathy, resilience and the ability to build trust with young people

A genuine passion for helping others and a willingness to learn are highly valued. ongoing training in the IPS model and relevant systems will be provided.

What’s on Offer

• Full-time, max-term employment until June 2027 (possible extension)
• Monday-to-Friday working hours
• Salary packaging of up to $15,900 per FBT year
• Access to a confidential Employee Assistance Program
• Internal and external learning, mentoring and training
• Professional development
• Opportunities for continued career growth
• A supportive, collaborative and flexible working environment
• Meaningful work supporting young people in the Ashfield community

Child Safety and Pre-Employment Screening Our client is committed to safeguarding children and young people and maintaining a child-safe environment. This position involves child-related work. The successful candidate must hold a valid NSW Working with Children Check, which will be verified before commencement, and satisfactorily complete all other relevant pre-employment and probity checks.

Pathway Talent is committed to creating inclusive workplaces. We welcome applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, LGBTQIA+ people and candidates of all ages.