Financial Counsellor

The Organisation

Tenants Victoria is the peak body for renters in Victoria and the state's leading specialist tenancy community legal centre. We advocate for a fairer housing system, provide expert advice and legal assistance, and work to improve outcomes for people experiencing rental stress, disadvantage, and housing insecurity. Through policy advocacy, community education, and direct services, we help create lasting change for Victorian renters.

Our Benefits Include

• Salary packaging benefits to increase your take-home pay
• Hybrid working arrangements: 3 days in the office/2 days working from home
• Flexible work practices that support work-life balance
• A supportive and collaborative team environment
• Access to supervision, professional development, and learning opportunities
• Centrally located modern office close to public transport

The Role

We are seeking an experienced and client-focused Financial Counsellor for a 12-month fixed term contract to provide specialist financial counselling services to Victorian renters experiencing financial hardship and housing-related challenges. Reporting to the Team Leader, Financial Counselling and working as part of a multidisciplinary team, you will collaborate closely with lawyers and other professionals to deliver integrated services that support positive client outcomes.

About You

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Demonstrated experience providing high-quality financial counselling services, preferably within a community, legal assistance or not for profit organisation.
• Knowledge of relevant State and Federal credit, debt, and social security legislation.
• Demonstrated ability to engage respectfully and effectively with people from diverse backgrounds, including people experiencing homelessness, family violence, disability, mental health challenges, substance dependence, or language barriers.
• High level of oral and written communication skills, with demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with colleagues, a diverse range of clients, external stakeholders, and organisations.
• Understanding of the financial issues commonly experienced by renters, including debt, utility hardship, tenancy related stress and housing insecurity.
• Ability to maintain consistent standards of quality service while working independently, efficiently and completing tasks within limited time constraints.
• Commitment to the use of supervision, client and colleague feedback and professional development to continually improve practice.
• Ability to contribute actively as a member of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Commitment to advancing the public interest and social justice.

Key Requirements:

• A Diploma of Financial Counselling
• Current membership of Financial Counselling Victoria (FCVic), or eligibility to obtain membership.
• You will have completed Family Violence Training for Financial Counsellors or be willing to complete this training.
• Collaborative approach to working within and building the capacity of a team.
• Strong attention-to-detail, analytical thinking and problem-solving skills are essential.
• Satisfactory completion of a National Police Check and Working with Children's Check.

next steps

If you are passionate about financial wellbeing, housing justice and supporting renters experiencing financial hardship, we'd love to hear from you.

To submit your application, please click ‘Apply Now’ by the closing date.

For a confidential discussion and role specific questions please contact Liz McCarthy, Team Leader Financial Counselling, at liz.mccarthy@tenantsvic.org.au using the subject line: Financial Counsellor enquiry via EthicalJobs.

Tenants Victoria is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people with disability, people with lived experience of renting and members of the LGBTIQA+ community.

A position description is attached.