EXT-2026-5175 APS 6 Clinical Program Manager

Job Overview

Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling (formerly VVCS) is Australia’s leading provider of high-quality mental health assessment and clinician counselling services for Australian veterans and their families. Open Arms are focused on meeting client needs through a combination of proven clinical practices and emerging evidence-based approaches.

The Clinical Program Manager (CPM) supports the Assistant Director (AD) by contributing to improvements in the quality, safety and distribution of clinical services across Open Arms. The primary role of the CPM is to provide clinical advice, professional development of clinical staff, and support the clinical leadership team. The CPM is responsible for daily management of clinical teams in the absence of the AD. The CPM assists the AD with client allocations, client assessments, case reviews and operational support to the clinical teams. The CPM is a senior clinician within the team.

Duties

Please refer to Candidate Information Pack for a list of duties related to this role.

Eligibility

• Under section 22(8) of the Public Service Act 1999, employees must be Australian citizens to be employed in the Australian Public Service (APS).
• All applicants external to DVA offered employment will be required to successfully undergo a pre-engagement screening check, even if they have a security clearance. The screening check is conducted in accordance with the Australian Government Protective Security Policy Framework requirements.
• The successful candidate will be required obtain and maintain a Baseline Vetting (AGSVA) security clearance.

Mandatory Requirements

• Qualifications as a registered Psychologist / Mental Health Occupational Therapist / Mental Health Registered Nurse with full AHPRA registration, OR
• Qualification as a Social Worker eligible for membership of the Australian Association Social Workers (AASW) and eligible to apply for Mental Health accreditation, OR
• A Masters-level counselling qualification and registration with PACFA as a Registered Clinical Counsellor or with ACA at Level 3 or Level 4.

Notes

This recruitment process is being used to fill ongoing and/or non-ongoing position/s. For more information about the role, please see the Candidate Information Pack.

A merit pool of suitable applicants may be created which may be used to fill future ongoing and non-ongoing vacancies should they become available over the next 18 months.

Successful applicants engaged into the APS will be subject to a probation period.

We welcome people with diverse skills, experiences and perspectives. DVA is committed to building a workforce that reflects the community we serve and encourages applications from:

• Veterans and former Australian Defence Force members, whose skills and experience are highly valued across the APS
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• People with disability
• People who identify as LGBTQIA+
• People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds

We are a Veteran Employer of Choice! This means you benefit from a workplace actively supporting veterans and veteran families – one that understands and values military experience. You’re joining an organisation publicly recognised for its commitment to fostering veteran-friendly employment pathways and long-term career success.

RecruitAbility applies to this vacancy. Under the RecruitAbility scheme, you will be invited to participate in further assessment activities for the vacancy if you choose to opt-in to the scheme, declare you have a disability and meet the minimum requirements for the vacancy. All requests for reasonable adjustments will be considered and managed in consultation with you. Further information can be found at https://www.apsc.gov.au/recruitability.

This vacancy has been identified to participate in VetPaths. Support may be available to veterans transitioning to meaningful APS careers through participation in VetPaths, which offers veterans an opportunity to participate in a six-month program offering formal learning and development, career mentoring and activities for wellness and peer supports. For more visit: VetPaths – A support pathway for veterans new to the Australian Public Service (APS) | Department of Veterans' Affairs. This initiative/program is only applicable where the successful applicant will be employed under the Public Service Act 1999. Similar conditions may apply when employed under other Acts. For clarification, please contact the advertising agency.

Contact Officer Details

For any job-related information required after reading the selection documentation, please contact Tosca Dilkes-Hall on 08 •••• •275 or via tosca.dilkes-hall@dva.gov.au.

Where to lodge Applications

To apply go to https://dvajobs.nga.net.au/cp/index.cfm?event=jobs.home and complete the online application by 11.30pm AEST Thursday 10 September 2026.