• Work Type: Fixed term, full-time (Negotiable, 0.6 minimum, job-share considered), two-year contract (extendable)
• Salary: $164,451-$198,811 per annum
• Superannuation rate: Employers’ compulsory contribution
• Salary sacrificing: As a health promotion charity up to $15,900 per FBT year
• Primary location (hybrid): Alan Gilbert Building, Barry St, Carlton with flexible WFH

ABOUT PHOENIX AUSTRALIA

Phoenix Australia is Australia’s National Centre of Excellence in Posttraumatic Mental health. For over 25 years we have been a national and international leader in our field. We do not take the responsibility of being the national centre of excellence lightly.

We are at the forefront of the understanding, prevention and recovery from trauma. We have over 60 researchers, clinicians and specialists in psychology, psychiatry and social work, and have staff in Adelaide, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney, allowing our reach to stretch to individuals, organisations and communities Australia wide.

Phoenix Australia highly values the perspectives of people with lived and living experience, recognising their importance in understanding and addressing posttraumatic mental health problems. We actively incorporate these perspectives in our work and are growing our leadership in this area. Phoenix Australia advocates for the leadership and participation of lived and living experience in broader discussions about trauma and mental health.

We are a unique organisation, bridging the gap between research and research translation, and integrating our knowledge and skills into an end-to-end service for our clients. Our work encompasses four main Portfolios: Research, Policy and Practice, Training and Workforce Development, and Clinical Services, with enabling services provided by Corporate Services.

Our program of internationally acclaimed research aims to advance the knowledge of posttraumatic mental health. Through the application of diverse research methodologies, we aim to create real- world solutions and translate research findings into practical implications for governments, organisations, and communities.

Our Policy and Practice portfolio encompasses policy and service development to establish the standards of best practice for the management of trauma. We translate research into best practice policies and procedures for organisations, and work with organisations to build their capacity to minimise the impact of workplace trauma.

Our evidence-based workforce education and training programs improve the practice of those working with people, organisations, and communities affected by trauma. We provide tailored and integrated training, supervision, and consultation services that meet the specific needs of a diverse range of clients, large or small.

Our clinical services portfolio provides post-traumatic psychotherapeutic and psychiatric care to Police members, emergency service workers, military veterans and regional Victorians through a range of specific programs. These include BlueHub, Responder Assist and the Military and Regional psychiatry clinics.

Phoenix Australia is an independent not-for-profit organisation and a registered charity. With an affiliation with the University of Melbourne, we have a close working relationship with the Department of Psychiatry within the Melbourne Medical School. Our Board of Directors includes independent members as well as senior representatives from the Departments of Veterans’ Affairs and Defence.

For further information, please visit Phoenix Australia’s website.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Phoenix Australia and a consortium of 12 other organisations have been selected as the successful provider to design and deliver the Victorian Mental Health State-wide Trauma Service (Service). In establishing the Service, the consortium is responsible for delivering the best possible mental health and wellbeing outcomes for people in Victoria with a lived and living experience of trauma.

The Service will drive trauma-informed practice across the mental health and wellbeing system and deliver a range of activities relating to translational research, capability uplift, and service coordination and delivery. Phoenix Australia and its fellow consortium members will provide leadership that advances lived & living experience, expertise, knowledge, and partnerships to deliver exemplary trauma-informed practice that provides treatment, care and support to those who have experienced trauma, including their carers, families and supporters.

An opportunity exists for a consumer and/or carer lived and/or living experience leader to co-direct the design and initial delivery of this service. The incumbent will work from a lived or living perspective with experience in trauma, research, and service development.

This is a negotiable FTE role, located at the STS Consortium lead provider, Phoenix Australia - Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health located at the University of Melbourne, with hybrid home-based working by agreement. Job-share offers will also be considered based on the skills, experience, and preferences of candidates.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Service leadership

• Provide guidance and leadership to the State-wide Trauma Service regarding service co- production and co-design, including the direct delivery of some of these activities such as workshop facilitation.
• Provide high level lived and/or living experience perspectives in relevant research activities of the Service, including but not limited to supporting co-design and co-production, the development of a research strategy, implementation activities, and governance processes.
• Ensure both consumer and carer voices are heard and shape the design of the Service.
  Provide leadership in supporting co-design and co-production, including collaborative decision making to shape service design.
• Develop, lead, and support the lived experience workforce throughout the Service.
  Work collaboratively with the Service co-director, Service executive committee and the Centre’s broader leadership to:
  • Ensure the Service design process proceeds to time and budget. This includes co- planning deliverables, overseeing reporting and risk management.
  • Engage and manage diverse stakeholders, particularly the broader lived and living experience sector.

Research

• Provide high level lived and/or living experience perspective in relevant research activities of the Service, including but not limited to supporting co-design and co-production of the development of a research strategy, implementation activities, and governance processes.

Capability uplift

• Provide high level lived experience perspectives in activities aimed at increasing the capability of the mental health system to recognise and respond to trauma. This includes bringing that perspective to the development of and decision making in relation to training priorities and materials.

Service design for eventual delivery

• Contribute a lived and living experience perspective in service development activities and decision making, such as service mapping, gap analysis, model of care development and documenting specifications for the full service following this design phase.
• Support the translation of research and training activities into service delivery to enable a cohesive Service.

QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND REQUIREMENTS

Essential

This is a dedicated lived and/or living experience role. People applying for the role must have direct experience of the mental health impacts of psychological trauma, and of navigating the public mental health system as a consumer or carer.

However, candidates are not expected to disclose their trauma or history during the recruitment process.

• Personal lived experience of trauma, and of accessing public mental health services.
• Demonstrated and relevant experience in a designated lived and living experience workforce role, which may include time as a volunteer or committee appointments.
• Experience in facilitating co-design or other workshops with diverse groups, particularly groups with a lived experience of trauma and/or service use.
• Demonstrable skills in co-production within a mental health setting, with experience providing strategic direction and mentoring to others
• Experience in understanding a range of trauma responses from a consumer perspective, and an appreciation of the socio-cultural conditions within which trauma is experienced
• Demonstrable interest in research and research translation
• Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work as a member of a multidisciplinary team
• Experience engaging with diverse consumers and relevant consumer or carer led organisations
• Experience engaging with a diverse range of stakeholders, building relationships, and effectively communicating with others
• Excellent communication, organisational, and writing skills.

Desirable

• Experience of working on complex programs of work and navigating larger organisations (Such as non-profits or government) or broad stakeholder groups
• Training and experience in qualitative or quantitative research methodology, or an interest in learning
• Experience in leading or managing a team of lived experience workers
• Tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline, or completion of a lived experience training which may include Intentional Peer Support, Certificate 4 in Mental Health Peer Work and coproduction
• Experience in the development and delivery of education and training
• Demonstrated project management skills
• Proficiency in using commonly used computer programs such as Word, PowerPoint, Excel.

A position description is attached.