Youth Rights Program Manager - Civil Law & Impact

Westjustice; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 118,000 - 144,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

We pay 3% above the SCHADS award

Not-for-profit salary packaging up to

Flexible working conditions

Job summary

Westjustice is seeking an experienced and values-driven Program Manager to supervise our dedicated team of youth lawyers in the delivery of exceptional legal services to children and young people aged 10-25. The Program Manager is responsible for day-to-day operations of our practice, providing casework supervision, mentoring and practice support to our lawyers, with a focus on civil law.

The successful candidate will bring deep expertise in youth law and help develop the program through

Qualifications

• Unrestricted practising certificate and substantial experience working with child and youth clients in areas such as child protection, family violence and youth crime.
• Demonstrated leadership and management skills.
• Ability to build strong stakeholder relationships across sectors to improve outcomes for clients.
• Strategic thinking and collaborative approach to deliver high-quality work.
• Strong commitment to social justice.

Responsibilities

• Manage and oversee the operation of the School Lawyer Program, Unlocking Pathways Program, Wyndham Law Courts Children’s Court Family Violence duty roster and Youth Law Clinics.
• Provide high-quality legal supervision and technical expertise to lawyers in the Children & Young People’s Rights (CYPR) team, with a focus on civil law.
• Foster and develop positive team culture in collaboration with the CYPR Director and CYPR Criminal Program Manager.

Skills

Leadership

Management

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic thinking

Team collaboration

Job description

Westjusticeis a rights-based Community Legal Centre serving Melbourne’sWeston the lands of the Bunurong and Wurundjeri peoplesacrossthe LGAs of Wyndham, Maribyrnong, Hobsons Bay, Melton andBrimbank, apopulation of over a million people.Melbourne’sWesternSuburbsarethe thriving backbone of the state, and hometoAustralia’s most diverse and fastest-growing population.

Westjustice’s purpose is to deliver targeted services and drive meaningful change to achieve fairness, safety and justice for Melbourne’s West.

We work to uphold people’s rights by providing free legal, social work,financial counselling services, community engagement, and advocacyfor systemic reform acrossthefive impact areasofWorkers’ Rights,Children and Young People’s Rights,Women and Gender Diverse people’s Rights,Economic and Housing Rights, andOur Team.We provide place-based, multi-disciplinaryprograms, and partner withvalues-alignedorganisations tofocus on serving those most impacted by these issues, and toensure people have access to the services they need where they need them.

Through our work, we consistently see complex legal issues and the cyclical impact theyhave on longer-termjustice,economic, health, and life outcomes. This is why ourservices and programs focus on prevention and early intervention in the cycle of economic precarity,criminalisation,violenceand housing insecurity.It is also whywe advocate forlegal, social and policy reform to ensure the people of Melbourne’sWesthave access to services and the best version of justice.

Benefits & Culture

• Be a part of an organisation that 98% of our employees are proud to work for
• We pay 3% above the SCHADS award
• Not-for-profit salary packaging up to $15,900 per annum
• Flexible working conditions
• 17.5% annual leave loading
• Passionate, professional and dedicated team
• Gifted additional paid leave over the Christmas holiday period
• Strong focus on collaboration, wellbeing, inclusion and diversity

The Role

Westjustice is seeking an experienced and values-driven Program Manager to supervise our dedicated team of youth lawyers in the delivery of exceptional legal services to children and young people aged 10-25. The Program Manager is responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations of our practice, providing casework supervision, mentoring and practice support to our lawyers, with a focus on civil law.

The successful candidate will bring deep expertise in youth law and help develop the program through innovative ideas and partnerships to improve legal and broader life outcomes for our clients, in line with Westjustice’s strategic priorities.

Working with a multidisciplinary team, you will:

• Manage and oversee the operation of the School Lawyer Program, Unlocking Pathways Program, Wyndham Law Courts Children’s Court Family Violence duty roster and Youth Law Clinics
• Provide high-quality legal supervision and technical expertise to lawyers in the Children & Young People’s Rights (CYPR) team, with a focus on civil law
• Work collaboratively with the CYPR Director and CYPR Criminal Program Manager to foster and develop positive team culture

Role Requirements:

• Unrestricted practising certificate and substantial experience working with child and youth clients in one or more relevant areas of legal practice, such as child protection, family violence and personal safety, youth crime, youth education/employment law, victims of crime and youth debt/consumer law.
• Demonstrated leadership and management skills
• Demonstrated ability to work strategically and collaboratively to build strong stakeholder relationships and partnerships across sectors to improve outcomes for clients.
• Ability to set and deliver high-quality work outcomes.
• Strong commitment to social justice

This position is primarily based in our Sunshine office.

Remuneration:

Salary – $131,000 per annum (dependent on experience) plus employer funded superannuation in accordance withSuperannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992 (Cth).

For more information about Westjustice, please visit our website (www.westjustice.org.au)

Please apply by 5pm 22 October 2026. Alternatively, please call Ellen Howard, Children & Young People’s Rights Director, on 03 9749 7*** for a confidential discussion.

The successful applicant will require a current Working with Children’s Check and a Police Check or be prepared to apply for both. Applicants must possess the right to work in Australia.

The successful applicant will require a current Working with Children’s Check and a Police Check or be prepared to apply for both. People with lived experience of the justice system are encouraged to apply. A police check result does not automatically disqualify an application which in each case will be individually assessed for the relevant role. Applicants must possess the right to work in Australia.

Westjustice is committed to building a diverse workforce. We strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people living with a disability, people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, mature age workers and LGBTIQA+-identifying people.People with lived experience of the justice system are encouraged to apply. A police check result does not automatically disqualify an application which in each case will be individually assessed for the relevant role.

If you require any adjustments throughout the application or recruitment process, please contact*******@westjustice.org.au

Please ensure that you let us know, in advance, of any reasonable adjustment you may require during any part of the recruitment process including application and interview by contacting Theresa via *******@Westjustice.org.au. Any information disclosed will be held in the strictest of confidence.

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