Practice Leader, Counselling Job Description Position Title: Location: Salary Tenure: EFT: Practice Leader, Counselling Central Office, with travel to other sites $88,337 - $90,828 + 11% Superannuation (pro-rata) Ongoing 0.6 EFT - Full Time (negotiable) OUR ORGANISATION Relationships Australia Victoria (RAV) is a leading provider of relationship support services. Our aim is to help Victorians achieve positive and respectful relationships. As a communitybased not-for-profit organisation, we have no religious affiliations, and aim to help all members of the community, regardless of their religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, lifestyle choice, cultural background or economic circumstances. RAV provides client services from 12 locations in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria. We employ about 250 professional and support staff who are focused on meeting our clients needs. POSITION SUMMARY Working within an advisory and consultative framework, the Practice Leader Counselling is responsible for providing clinical leadership for all professional counselling and educational activities within RAV (with the exception of the specialised family violence program). This currently includes couple, family and individual counselling, the Men and Family Relationships program, relationship education, and a Gamblers Help program. The Practice Leader is responsible for advising on the development and maintenance of ethical, effective, evidencebased high quality practice in all these areas. The role includes: Championing and advising on the implementation of best practice service delivery models in counselling and education and advising on clinical issues these raise; Advising and consulting with managers and human resources staff on matters such as professional competencies and clinical practice; Providing individual supervision to senior clinical counselling staff, and occasional group supervision to counsellors in RAV Centres across Victoria, as required; Establishing and maintaining a supervision program, including training, for internal supervisors that promotes good supervision practices across the organisation; Organising a professional development program across the organisation s counselling and educational staff that addresses the general professional development needs of such staff; and supporting Centre Managers in the provision of additional centre-based professional development activities; Writing and advising on policies and procedures that support ethical, professional and safe counselling and educational practice and supervision. The PLC also plays a critical role in representing the organisation in clinical matters to professional organisations, at conferences and to external forums.
REPORTING Reports to: Manages: Key liaison: Note: Senior Manager Practice Quality (SMPQ) Nil Practice Leaders, Centre Managers, Senior Clinicians, Senior Manager Operations(FSP) Reporting arrangements may change from time to time depending on business requirements. FOCUS ON VALUES Relationships Australia is a voice for relationships in the community. We believe that relationships can grow and change. We promote the ideal of equitable, safe, cooperative and nurturing relationships in families, workplaces and social organisations. As a values driven organisation, RAV aims to have organisational values embedded in the functions and systems of the organisation. All RAV employees are required to understand these organisational values, integrate the values into their work and demonstrate behaviours, which reflect the values. At RAV the following values inform the work we do: Respect We respect diversity in its various personal, cultural and gender expressions. We advocate relationships free from judgement, blame and abuse. Integrity We promote justice and equity; endeavour to live our ethical standards consistently within our practice; and make our services as accessible as possible without discrimination or judgement. Transparency We promote open, safe, effective and honest communication at organisational and client levels. Responsibility We value the responsible use of resources people, money, time and technology. All individuals and the organisation have rights, responsibilities and authority, which need to be clearly articulated and respected. High Quality We aim to provide high quality service and maintain the highest professional standards in all aspects of our work. As a part of this process, we foster self-reflection, creativity, innovation and improvement. Keeping an eye on the future, we energetically embrace positive change. Enrichment and Celebration We seek to enrich our lives and the lives of our clients. We celebrate contributions, achievements and courageous acts of change in relationships. KEY RESULT AREAS RAV values Respect, Integrity, Transparency, Responsibility, High quality, Enrichment and Celebration. All RAV employees are required to understand these organisational values, integrate the values into their work and demonstrate behaviours, which reflect the values.
1. To model the organisation s values and play a role in raising the profile of these values and associated behaviours across the organisation. This includes a positive contribution to workplace harmony displaying cooperative team behaviour. 2. Carry out all aspects of the role in consultation with Senior Manager Practice Quality, Centre Managers, and, where relevant, with other Practice Quality Leaders, Senior Managers and senior clinicians. 3. Review, enhance, document and help managers implement service delivery models that ensure high quality, effective and equitable counselling services that are informed by research, sector developments and client feedback, and are consistently delivered to clients. 4. Develop, and help managers implement, a practice quality and continuous improvement program aligned with organisational and contractual requirements, systematically evaluating clinical quality and effectiveness of programs. 5. Write, revise and maintain currency of relevant policies and procedures in the Client Services Manual in collaboration with other Practice Leaders and Centre Managers, and encourage consistent application of such policies and procedures at all Centres. 6. Develop and implement professional development, supervision, and, where required, training programs which reflect best practice in the field and assist clinicians and educators to more effectively meet the needs of clients and to fulfil RAV s funding obligations. 7. Support Centre Managers and senior clinicians in introducing appropriate change to counselling practice, clinical supervision, service delivery, team functioning and organisational culture. 8. Provide quality supervision and case consultation to senior clinical staff, and occasionally to groups of clinicians as required in all RAV s centres, and encourage quality supervision practices through arranging supervision and professional development for supervisors. 9. Contribute to performance management of staff by providing constructive feedback regarding clinical skills and professional development requirements of counselling supervisors, and assisting other supervisors to do likewise. 10. Demonstrate clinical leadership externally in a highly professional manner, through representing RAV in clinical matters in various public and professional forums, (including to the media), and writing papers for relevant publications and conference presentations. 11. Manage relationships with stakeholders and provide reports and informed advice regarding counselling policy, procedures and direction as needed; 12. Facilitate support, cohesion and a clear sense of direction for counselling and educational staff. 13. Support Centre Managers and Human Resources in recruiting and ensuring training and supervision for new staff in counselling and educational roles. 14. Maintain a small counselling or group work caseload to ensure currency of clinical skills (negotiable); 15. Undertake and/or manage specific practice-related projects as required. 16. Perform additional duties from time to time, as required. KEY SELECTION CRITERIA The recruiting panel will need to feel confident that the successful candidate will understand the organisational values, integrate the values into their work and demonstrate behaviours that reflect the values. In addition, candidates are asked to respond to the following key selection criteria, preferably offering examples from previous roles.
Visibly ethical - committed to acting in accordance with professional ethics and RAV s values, especially in situations of ambiguity that challenge ethical action. Professional expertise able to demonstrate advanced skills in couples and/or family therapy, knowledge of practice with culturally and linguistically diverse and Indigenous clients, an extensive knowledge of research and current issues in the fields of effective relationships and counselling effectiveness, and a considered appreciation of the issues involved in the delivery of professional clinical services in funded programs. Leadership drawing on professional expertise, able to influence and encourage others to conceptualise and embrace creative solutions to clinical issues. Able to work independently and be forward thinking whilst also being able to collaborate and contribute as a team member. Practice Standards able to design, develop and then guide the implementation of practice standards, quality assurance, policies and procedures that aim to establish and support clinical excellence and effective service delivery in relationship counselling and education. Communication demonstrated ability to conceptualise and communicate complex ideas effectively using varied approaches with a diverse range of people, including reporting succinctly and accurately both verbally and in writing. Able also to deescalate strong negative emotion when necessary. Organisational acumen - ability to understand and link counsellors with the sector, funding bodies and the organisational strategic direction, linking initiatives with business outcomes, cognisant of contractual obligations. Self awareness a high degree of self awareness, understanding of personal strengths and weaknesses, and appreciation of difference and an ability to self regulate; Relationships - able to build and manage productive and respectful working relationships at all levels. Able to work collaboratively with managers and senior clinicians, -whether initiating or responding to issues and projects- appreciating and valuing differences in working styles and assisting others to achieve in their area of responsibility; Representation - able to effectively represent RAV and speak with authority in his/her area of professional expertise in external forums, at conferences and to the media; Flexibility - A solid understanding of risk management frameworks, able to manage ambiguity, and to clearly convey concepts and ideas which influence and stimulate quality outcomes in a changing environment. Cultural awareness - having a considered appreciation of differences in culture, religion, and sexual orientation and a willingness to work respectfully and flexibly with such differences. Having an egalitarian approach to male/female relationships as reflected in Australian law. Mandatory KSC: Post graduate qualifications in Psychology, Social Work, Family Therapy,Counselling, or related discipline Eligibility for membership of a relevant professional body (eg. APS, AASW, AAFT or an appropriate PACFA organisation). Two years experience in clinical supervision. Satisfactorily complete a Police Check and a Working with Children check.
Highly Desirable KSC: Formal training in clinical supervision. Specialised training in family therapy or couples therapy. The equivalent of 5 years full time supervised experience in family therapy, or relationship/couples counselling/therapy. The ability to supervise clinical psychologists. Experience in the delivery of professional development and/or training. Experience in developing clinical practice standards. Experience in delivering services in the community services sector. Experience in working with vulnerable and disadvantaged persons. Familiarity with the legal context of marriage and family life, including the Family Law Act 1975; Experience in delivering services to culturally and linguistically diverse communities and clients. Experience in case management and service collaboration. Short listed candidates will be asked to: Provide evidence of their supervision skills through either a videotape of a supervision session around couple or family work OR a 20 minute role play of a supervision session around an issue involving poor professional practice; Provide examples from their previous roles of how they have been: Involved in setting clinical practice standards; Dealt with differences between themselves and colleagues or managers. Candidates will need to ensure one of their referees is a recent supervisor who is familiar with the quality of their clinical and/or supervisory work.