About us

The Office of the Public Advocate (OPA) is an independent statutory office accountable to the Victorian Parliament which has been established to protect the rights of, and enhance the position of, people with disabilities in Victoria.

One of the principal functions of the Public Advocate, when appointed by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), is to act as guardian of last resort for persons with disability when there is no other suitable person available.

About the role

The advocate guardian role involves contact with the represented person, their family and support networks along with other professionals and service providers. The role can be challenging as it often involves situations of conflict or complexity.

This role is in the Intake team and in addition to the requirements described above the Advocate Guardian would be required to perform some intake shifts per week as part of a roster. The Intake team has carriage of guardianship and individual advocacy of matters referred from the tribunal until the Public Advocate has delegated their powers to an individual guardian.

Key responsibilities of this role will see you:

• Under delegation from the Public Advocate, act as guardian for people with disabilities making complex decisions about lifestyle and medical treatment issues in situations which may involve significant conflict, consistent with the requirements and principles of the Guardianship and Administration Act 1986, the Guardianship and Administration Act 2019 and the Medical Treatment Planning and Decisions Act 2016.
• Provide guardianship decision making in emergencies and after hours. This may include assessing the requirements for, and applications concerning, the use of the coercive authority of Sections 43 & 45 of the Guardianship and Administration Act 2019.
• Provide individual advocacy for people with disabilities who are at risk of, or who are experiencing, exploitation, abuse, or neglect.
• Liaise extensively with NDIA planners, support coordinators, agencies, and other support services within the NDIS operating environment to ensure appropriate service delivery for represented persons.
• Appear before, prepare and present written or oral reports to VCAT and other courts and tribunals as required.
• Participate in the intake roster, the on-call after-hours pager duty service and other office rosters as necessary.

About you

As our ideal candidate, you will have:

• Sector Knowledge & experience where you will demonstrate a sound knowledge of the Victorian human services sector and detailed experience in one of the areas of disability, mental health, acquired brain injury or aged care. Experience with NDIS procedures and protocols is highly desirable.
• Content knowledge where you will demonstrate a sound understanding of contemporary issues relating to disability, including mental illness and age-related disability, is desirable along with an understanding of their implications for practice.
• A relevant tertiary qualification (desirable but not essential).

You will also demonstrate:

• Resilience
• The ability to work collaboratively and inclusively
• Innovation and Continuous Improvement
• Interpersonal Skills
• Solid planning, organisation, and problem-solving skills

How to Apply

Please click the Apply button on this advertisement. Applications should include a resume and covering letter succinctly addressing the key selection criteria as outlined below:

• Sector Knowledge & experience
• Content knowledge
• Resilience
• Managing Difficult Conversations
• Stakeholder Management

Attachments can be uploaded in .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt or .rtf formats.

The successful candidate will be required to undergo pre-employment checks which may include national police checks and misconduct screening.

If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process, or require an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the contact person listed on this ad.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

The department is committed to providing and maintaining a working environment which is safe and without risk to the health of its employees consistent with the department's obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic).

Therefore, there is a requirement that all DJCS employees be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to undertake duties outside of their homes.

Prior to commencement of employment with the department you will need to provide evidence that you are vaccinated against COVID-19. Acceptable evidence includes:

1. COVID-19 digital certificate (available via your myGov account)
2. Your immunisation history statement (available via your myGov account) or
3. A letter from the GP who vaccinated you.