Community Services Team Leader

Summary:

The Community Services Team Leader provides leadership, practice oversight, and operational management across a portfolio of community support services to ensure the delivery of high-quality, culturally safe, and responsive services for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The portfolio includes: Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB), Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Services, Youth Support Services, Home and Community Care (HACC), Elder Care and Support Program.

Through strong leadership and a commitment to cultural integrity, the Community Services Team Leader supports staff to deliver effective, trauma-informed, culturally grounded, and strengths-based interventions and community engagement activities that enhance the safety, wellbeing, resilience, and connectedness of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander individuals, families, and communities.

The role is responsible for a broad range of leadership and management functions, including day-to-day supervision, mentoring, practice guidance, professional development, performance support, service quality oversight, program reporting, and continuous improvement. The Team Leader promotes best practice approaches and ensures services are delivered in accordance with organisational values, funding requirements, relevant legislation, and sector standards.

This position also plays a key role in building and maintaining collaborative relationships with community members, Elders, funding bodies, health services, government agencies, and other service providers to support coordinated, holistic, and culturally informed service responses that meet the needs of community.

Responsibilities:

• Lead and facilitate community engagement activities that strengthen relationships with Aboriginal individuals, families, communities and key stakeholders, ensuring services remain responsive to community needs and aspirations.
• Build and maintain a cohesive, high-performing team through effective supervision, coaching, reflective practice, and performance management, while promoting a supportive working environment that allows for critical reflection and learning that encourages positive outcomes for individuals and community.
• Oversee recruitment, onboarding, and ongoing professional development to ensure staff are skilled, supported, and ensuring continuous quality improvement and alignment with best practices.
• Consider budgetary and financial implications in the functioning of the program, ensuring allocation and acquittal of program expenditure aligns with funding requirements.
• Oversee and contribute to program evaluation, data collection, and continuous improvement activities in compliance with internal and external data, reporting and service delivery requirements.
• Promote and model effective communication, cultural safety, cultural awareness, and client-centred practice across all interactions and service delivery. Ensuring high-quality, culturally appropriate, and trauma-informed services are delivered to Aboriginal peoples and community.
• Assess and allocate referrals, ensuring suitability, risk assessment, and alignment with program objectives and client needs.
• Montor waitlists and provide active holding support to ensure clients awaiting service provision receive appropriate interim support, information, and referral pathways where required.
• Provide support, case direction, consultation, and general case oversight to practitioners working with clients of varying needs and complexities, including maintaining a caseload of forensic and/or complex clients as required.
• Ensure access to a comprehensive range of treatment and support services across the continuum of care including prevention and health promotion, planning and evaluation of client programs and service delivery options.
• Maintain positive and effective relationships with key stakeholders, departments, and partner agencies to support coordinated service delivery.
• Ensure staff practice aligns with evidence-based approaches, organisational policies, and approved service delivery frameworks, and that all work complies with relevant legislation, standards, and regulatory requirements and RDAC policies.
• Oversee accurate, timely case notes, data entry, and program documentation to meet reporting and compliance requirements.
• Identify, monitor, and escalate practice, client, or workplace risks to the Executive Team as required.
• Contribute to continuous improvement by identifying and implementing opportunities to enhance program effectiveness and efficiency.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant research, publications, and best practice approaches in addiction, co-occurring mental health conditions, and other cultural, social and emotional wellbeing approaches.
• Undertake mandatory training and participate in professional development opportunities as required.

Qualifications:

• Minimum – Diploma in Community Services or a related field.
• Current Working with Children’s check.
• Satisfactory drug and alcohol testing screening.
• Satisfactory Criminal History Check.
• Proven experience in a leadership role within the social care sector.
• Hold or be eligible to hold DFFH AOD Forensic Accreditation.
• Strong understanding of community development principles and practices.
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse groups and stakeholders.
• Commitment to continuous professional development and learning.