Senior Practitioner / Manager

About the role 

Conflict Resolution Service is looking for an experienced and values-driven Senior Practitioner/Manager to join our Safe and Connected Youth Program in Canberra. This is an opportunity for a skilled practitioner to combine program leadership, staff supervision, trauma-informed work and support in a role that makes a genuine difference. 

You will be part of a specialist, community-focused organisation that works primarily with children, youth and family to preserve family connections, reunify and strengthen relationships, and restore family harmony by reducing conflict.  Through our evidence-informed Willow Program and commitment to conflict resolution, family connection and safeguarding, CRS supports people to reduce conflict, strengthen relationships and create safer pathways forward.

This role is for a 12-month period backfilling a parenting leave absence, with the possibility of an extension.

Why this role matters 

As Senior Practitioner/Manager, you will provide day-to-day supervision, guidance and support to staff working in the Safe and Connected Youth Program. You will help the team navigate complex client and family matters, strengthen reflective practice, promote child-safe and trauma-informed approaches, and ensure services are delivered with consistency, care and professionalism. 

You will play a key role in staff wellbeing, practice quality and safe service delivery, while contributing to reporting, quality assurance, case review processes, stakeholder relationships and continuous improvement across the program. 

The Safe and Connected Youth Program provides families with both Outreach and Residential Support services on a 24/7 basis. 

You will have the flexibility to work your hours between 7am and 7pm, Monday to Friday. You will also be required to be on call at times as part of a rotating roster. 

If you bring calm leadership, wisdom and a genuine commitment to children, young people and families, this role offers the chance to have meaningful impact. 

What you’ll be doing 

In this role, you will: 

• Provide day-to-day supervision, mentoring and practice support to program staff 
• Support staff wellbeing, reflective practice and effective teamwork 
• Provide guidance on complex client matters, risk and safeguarding concerns 
• Promote trauma-informed, child-safe and evidence-informed practice 
• Coordinate and contribute to case review processes, reporting and quality assurance 
• Support the safe and effective delivery of the Safe and Connected Youth Program 
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with internal and external stakeholders 
• Contribute to continuous improvement, practice development and service quality 
• Represent CRS with professionalism, compassion and integrity 

About you 

You are an experienced practitioner who understands the complexity of working with children, young people and families. You bring sound judgement, leadership, strong communication skills and the ability to support staff through challenging work while maintaining a calm, strengths-based and solutions-focused approach. 

Selection criteria 

1. Demonstrated ability to provide senior practice guidance, case consultation and day-to-day program support in a children, youth, family, counselling or related human services setting. 
2. Demonstrated ability to supervise, support, mentor and develop staff, including promoting staff wellbeing, reflective practice and effective teamwork. 
3. Demonstrated ability to contribute to program monitoring, reporting, resource planning and compliance within a government-funded service environment. 
4. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including conflict resolution skills and demonstrated trauma-informed practice leadership. 
5. Proven ability to work collaboratively with government, non-government and community stakeholders. 
6. Evidence of supporting quality service delivery, continuous improvement, risk management and safe practice within a program environment. 
7. Flexible and responsive practice leadership skills, including the ability to support staff through change and contribute to continuous improvement strategies. 
8. Knowledge of and genuine commitment to safeguarding children, youth and vulnerable people. 

Qualifications and requirements 

Essential: 

• Tertiary qualification in social work, psychology, counselling, human services, youth work, family therapy, mediation, management or a related discipline 
• Demonstrated experience in a leadership, management or supervisory role within a community services, youth, family, homelessness or related setting 
• Experience working with young people and/or families with complex needs, including family conflict, risk, trauma or vulnerability 
• Strong understanding of trauma-informed, strengths-based and family-inclusive practice 
• Experience providing supervision, practice guidance or support to staff 
• Current driver’s license 
• Current Working with Vulnerable People registration, or ability to obtain one 
• Current police check, or ability to obtain one. 

Desirable: 

• Recognised qualification in mediation or conflict resolution, or willingness to undertake mediation training 
• Experience managing or supporting funded programs in the not-for-profit or community services sector 
• Family violence training or experience working with family violence-related complexity 
• Mental health first aid training or experience supporting clients with mental health-related needs. 

Why join CRS? 

At CRS, your work will have purpose. You will be part of a specialist organisation with a strong reputation for compassionate, professional and practical conflict resolution services across the Canberra community. 

We offer: 

• Meaningful work supporting children, young people and families 
• A collaborative and values-driven team environment 
• The opportunity to provide real practice leadership 
• A role where staff wellbeing, safeguarding and reflective practice matter 
• The chance to contribute to an evidence-informed program unique to CRS 

CRS also offers a range of benefits, including: 

• Salary packaging options to increase your take-home pay 
• Wellbeing initiatives, including reimbursement for approved wellbeing-related items 
• Paid birthday leave 
• Regular supervision and reflective practice 
• Professional development and opportunities for career progression 
• Opportunities to contribute to service development, innovation and continuous improvement. 

Safeguarding commitment 

CRS prioritises the safety, wellbeing and rights of children, young people and vulnerable adults. Safeguarding is embedded in our practice, supervision, decision-making and service delivery. 

All staff are expected to contribute to safe, inclusive and culturally responsive environments where children and young people are respected, listened to and protected from harm. Staff must comply with CRS’s Safeguarding Policy, Child Safe Framework, Code of Conduct and relevant reporting obligations. 

For further information or to obtain a copy of the position description, please contact Paula, Director of People & Culture on (02) 6189 0590 or email as above. 

 Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and interviews may be offered throughout the advertised period. 

Conflict Resolution Service is an equal opportunity employer. 

We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, people who identify as LGBTQIA+, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.