Financial Counsellor

Allied Justice is a for-purpose organisation providing free legal assistance, integrated services and community legal education.

When people experience deep and persistent disadvantages, they often feel trapped in dysfunctional relationships, lost in complex inefficient legal systems, unnecessary processes, and often suffering in silence. We are at the front line of these issues. We have invested significantly in the development of our new Strategy 2025-2027 to ensure our organisation is providing contemporary integrated services to respond the shared and unique needs of the people we support across 11 local government areas in Western Victoria.

Our commitment is to change life stories through better access to justice, and we achieve this by applying our values – respect, courage, empowerment & kindness – to the people of the communities we serve, our stakeholders and our colleagues.

By providing legal services, community legal education, law reform and integrated services through client centered, trauma informed and culturally safe practice, we will improve the safety and wellbeing of families and individuals.

About the Role

The Financial Counsellor – Health Justice Partnerships is responsible for providing financial counselling services (including information, support and advocacy) to Allied Justice clients engaged through the Health Justice Partnership programs.

This role will also proactively engage with maternal and child health practitioners including the delivery of community education.

Job Responsibilities Overview

• Provide high-quality financial counselling services, including assessment and analysis of client circumstances, information and options, advocacy and negotiation, client capability building, and referral to appropriate services.
• Identify and respond appropriately to family violence risk, with particular attention to economic and financial abuse, using trauma-informed, client-centred and culturally safe practice.
• Recognise the broader social, legal and wellbeing factors affecting clients and facilitate warm referrals to community, welfare and specialist support services as required.
• Provide secondary consultation, advice and information to internal staff on financial counselling matters arising from casework, where appropriate.
• Participate in community outreach clinics and place-based service delivery to improve financial literacy, financial capability and wellbeing for target cohort.

KEY SELECTION CRITERIA

1. Prior experience in a financial counselling or related role and an understanding of issues relevant to the community service sector, including awareness of financial hardship, family violence and cultural sensitivity.
2. Technical knowledge base backed by depth of experience and wide exposure to variety of cases and client situations.
3. Demonstrated capacity to work with clients who are experiencing disadvantage including those who are from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
4. A demonstrated interest in and commitment to social justice, including awareness of issues such as homelessness, mental health, family violence, disability, drug and alcohol problems and criminalisation.
5. Ability to communicate complex information in a practical, accurate and understandable manner.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Diploma of Financial Counselling (or equivalent).
• Eligible for membership of Financial Counselling Victoria.
• Current Victorian Driver’s Licence.
• Cleared National Police Record Check (it is the responsibility of all staff to notify the organisation immediately if there are any changes to their criminal records status).
• Current right to work in Australia.
• Valid, employer Working with Children Check.
• Physical ability to safely undertake all aspects of the position.

This position is located in Ballarat or Horsham with hybrid arrangements negotiable.

We welcome applications from people of all genders, ages, First Nation peoples, people with disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and from lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, gender diverse and intersex people.

As a child safe organisation, Allied Justice requires disclosure of any formal disciplinary action by a current or former employer including any finding of improper or unprofessional conduct.