Rehabilitation Case Manager

The Role

An opportunity exists for an experienced Rehabilitation Case Manager to oversee occupational rehabilitation service delivery to Australian Defence Force (ADF) members in the Northern Queensland region. The successful candidate will lead a team of contracted rehabilitation consultants, who are responsible for the day-to-day delivery of occupational rehabilitation services. 

Working within a multidisciplinary healthcare team, the APS 6 Rehabilitation Case Manager will manage the development and delivery of coordinated occupational rehabilitation services, while exercising legislative delegations under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act and the Safety Rehabilitation and Compensation Act (Defence Related Claims) as necessary. 

A key aspect of this role is liaison with ADF supervisors and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that each member’s occupational rehabilitation goals are specific, measurable, and achievable. They will also provide technical support and oversight of complex case management as required. 

This position reports to the Health Centre Manager, with technical guidance provided via the Regional Rehabilitation Manager. The position is part of a broader National Rehabilitation Case Management team which provides a network of support in the specialised area of occupational rehabilitation.

About our Team

Joint Health Command (JHC) is responsible for the delivery of healthcare services to over 70,000 Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel. Through the delivery of reliable, resilient and best practice health services, JHC enables a healthy, ready, and supported Force from enlistment through to transition from service.

Health care services are delivered through eight Joint Health regions across Australia. The APS6 Rehabilitation Case Manager position is part of Joint Health Unit – North Queensland and is based at Lavarack Health Centre (LHC) Lavarack Barracks, Townsville, Qld. Each Joint Health Unit facility provides a range of services, which can include medical, nursing, dental, physiotherapy, mental health, rehabilitation, and in-patient care. 

The JHC workforce is an integrated, multidisciplinary team of Defence members, civilians, contractors and professional health providers. We work together to manage around one million patient health service interactions with Defence members each year.

Our Ideal Candidate

An enthusiastic self-starter, our ideal candidate will have experience in the injury management environment using a bio-psychosocial model of practice. They will demonstrate strong technical skills and knowledge in complex rehabilitation case management and possess a sound understanding of legislative frameworks and Defence’s mission and policy requirements.

They must be able to exercise both initiative and judgment in the interpretation of policy and in the application of practices and procedures. They must have excellent communication and negotiation skills and have the ability to develop productive relationships across various stakeholders both internal and external to Defence. The ability to anticipate, identify, and respond to the needs and expectations of these stakeholders is important.

The ideal candidate will be committed to ongoing self-improvement and professional development, and have experience in leading, mentoring and coaching teams to deliver optimal outcomes. They must be prepared to travel periodically to the Defence facilities within their area of responsibility.

Security Clearance:

Applicants must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance at “Baseline Vetting” level.

Mandatory Qualifications:

Must meet one of the following criteria:

• Be a registered health practitioner who is registered to practise as one of the following health professions, occupational therapist, physiotherapist, psychologist, medical practitioner, nurse; or
• Be a rehabilitation counsellor who holds full membership of the Australian Society of Rehabilitation Counsellors or Rehabilitation Counselling Association of Australia; or
• Be a social worker with full membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers; or
• Be an exercise physiologist who is accredited with Exercise and Sports Science Australia.

The Department of Defence employs around 18,000 Australian Public Service (APS) employees. Defence APS employees work in a wide variety of critical roles, Australia wide, enabling our three services Navy, Army and Air Force, to do their job. Defence has a range of Australian Public Service (APS) career opportunities that offer interesting, challenging, and unique work. Our workforce includes administrative support, accountants, intelligence analysts, engineers, policy advisors, graphic designers, lawyers, social workers, IT specialists and contract managers to name a few. We offer a rewarding career that includes professional development, work-life balance, recognition, a flexible and supportive work environment and a diverse workforce. To find out more about a career with Defence please visit https://www.defence.gov.au/jobs-careers