Director of Services

Acknowledgement of Country

Switchboard Victoria is based on the lands of the Kulin nations, always and forever the home of the Wurundjeri, Boonwurrung, Wathaurong, Taungurong and Djadjawurung peoples. We acknowledge that our work takes place on lands that are under colonial occupation and that Kulin Nation sovereignty was never ceded. We hope to pay our respects to Kulin Nation elders, past and present and wish to extend this respect to any and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.

About Switchboard Victoria

Switchboard Victoria (Switchboard) is a community-based, not for profit organisation that provides peer-based, volunteer driven support services for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and gender diverse, Intersex, Queer, Asexual and more (LGBTIQA+) people and their friends, families and allies. We are a registered family violence service and are commitment to delivering high quality services and programs to the LGBTIQA+ community.

Our current activities include:

• Phone and web counselling and referral – Switchboard is the Victorian partner in the national QLife service. QLife provides anonymous and free LGBTIQA+ peer support and referral for people in Australia wanting to talk about sexuality, identity, gender, bodies, feelings, or relationships. This service is for LGBTIQA+ people and those with questions about LGBTIQA+ issues including families, friends, teachers and co-workers of LGBTIQA+ people.
• Community connections for older LGBTI+ people – Switchboard’s Pride in Ageing program aims to tackle ageism and strengthen social inclusion and community connection for older lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans/gender diverse and intersex (LGBTI+) Victorians. The Out & About peer visiting program creates friendship and connection between LGBTI+ seniors living anywhere in Victoria and through regular volunteer visits.
• Rainbow Door - Is a free specialist LGBTIQA+ helpline providing information, support, and referral to all LGBTIQA+ Victorians, their friends and family during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond. Rainbow Door supports people of all ages and identities with issues that may include suicidal thoughts, family, and intimate partner violence (including elder abuse), alcohol and other drugs, relationship issues, sexual assault, social isolation, mental health, and wellbeing.
• Suicide prevention -Switchboard’s Suicide Prevention program puts responding to the challenges of suicide at the core of Switchboard’s work. We work nationally to provide suicide prevention, intervention and postvention programs, with an emphasis on building community resilience through peer-led and lived experience activities. Switchboard is also active in research and the development of suicide prevention resources and programs for LGBTIQA+ communities.
• QTIBPoC Programs -In consultation with key stakeholders, Switchboard’s Queer, Trans, Intersex and Bla(c)k and/or People of Colour (QTIBPoC) program aims to build greater equity for LGBTIQA+ people who are Bla(c)k, People of Colour and/or people of faith through storytelling and workshops driven by lived experience. It provides a space to co-create, co-exist, and envision cultural shifts for and by Bla(c)k and/or People of Colour and people of faith. In addition, the QTIBPoC program builds internal capacity to meet QTIBPoC community needs across all of Switchboard’s services and areas of work.

Position details

Employment type: Full-time – Permanent

Classification & remuneration: Award: Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Award 2010 Level 8 (paid above minimum award rate)

Remuneration: $145,000 (Gross per-annum, plus superannuation and leave loading)

Salary Sacrifice: Tax benefit from salary sacrifice package up to $15,899.

Location: Victorian Pride Centre, 79-81 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda VIC 3181

St Kilda Road, Melbourne VIC 3000

Note: We will consider out of Melbourne candidates, however there will be an expectation of regular in person contact with the two Melbourne offices.

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Direct reports: 5 Program Managers

Position overview

The Director of Services is a key member of our Staff Executive, working closely with the CEO, Director of Finance and Operations, and the Board to guide Switchboard's strategic direction. This role is crucial in leading the implementation of initiatives outlined in Switchboard's Strategic Plan and Anti-Racism Organisation Change Plan.

The Director of Services is responsible for the overall management and governance of Switchboard’s peer-based, volunteer driven support service for the LGBTIQA+ community. This includes overseeing service delivery, practice governance, and quality improvement for Switchboard’s services and programs to support our LGBTIQA+ communities which include:

• Phone and web counselling and referral services
• Community connections for older LGBTI people
• Rainbow Door
• Suicide prevention

The Director of Services leads a team of five Program Managers and oversees approximately thirty to thirty-five staff members and volunteers. The role includes a strong focus on people leadership, including providing visionary leadership, inspiring excellence, and supporting Program Managers, staff, and volunteers to deliver high quality support services to the LGBTIQA+ community. The role champions comprehensive people strategies that foster a positive, inclusive workplace culture, enhancing employee engagement, professional development, and career progression.

Additionally, the role partners with the CEO and Program Managers to advocate for Switchboard’s services and programs and the needs of our LGBTIQA+ communities across the sector. This includes developing strategic partnerships with senior and influential stakeholders from government bodies, community agencies, First Nations organisations, and other services to champion Switchboard’s mission and priorities.

This is a full-time position, requiring 38 hours per week, Monday to Friday. Flexibility is required to address urgent matters outside of regular hours and on weekends when necessary.

Organisational Chart

The Director of Services reports directly to the CEO, with the structure and reporting relationships outlined below (note: this is not the complete organisational structure). Please see attachment for clearer image.

About the successful candidate

Leveraging your extensive experience in the not-for-profit sector, you will be instrumental in supporting Switchboard's next phase of growth and improvement.

To be successful in this role, you must have extensive people leadership experience, with the proven ability to lead high-performance teams, provide direct supervision, and foster engaged and productive workplace cultures.

You must have substantial leadership experience in delivering, improving, and governing peer-driven, volunteer driven support services support services, particularly within the not-for-profit sector, in areas such as suicide prevention and family violence. Experience in managing and governing clinical services is also required.

You should have demonstrated experience in leading practice governance of services and program to ensure they are compliant, effective, evidence-based, risk-managed, and responsive to the evolving needs of communities.

You will also possess excellent advocacy, stakeholder engagement, and relationship management skills, as well as a demonstrated understanding of the barriers faced by LGBTIQA+ individuals in our community.

Key responsibilities

The key responsibilities of the role include:

People Leadership, Culture, and Wellbeing

• Provide visionary leadership to Program Managers, staff, and volunteers, inspiring and guiding them to deliver high-quality services and programs to the LGBTIQA+ community.
• Champion the co-development and implementation of comprehensive people strategies that foster a positive, inclusive, and supportive workplace culture, maximising employee engagement and facilitating professional development and career progression.
• Provide supervision and risk-based advice to Program Managers, ensuring their effective supervision, support, and professional development.
• Grow the capacity and capability of the programs by recruiting, developing, and mentoring senior staff, including approving the appointment of all staff across the programs.
• Uphold and promote the core values of Switchboard, cultivating a culture of excellence, inclusivity, and continuous professional growth.

Service Delivery Leadership and Practice Governance

• Active member of the Staff Executive with responsibility for implementation of organisational priorities, including strategies and initiatives in the Switchboard Strategic Plan.
• Provide strategic leadership and overall accountability for Switchboard’s peer-based, volunteer driven and clinical support service for the LGBTIQA+ community.
• Lead practice and clinical governance of all services and programs, ensuring they are compliant, effective, evidence-based, risk-managed, and responsive to the evolving needs of LGBTIQA+ communities, including active participation on the Board Governance Sub-Committee.
• Accountability for actively managing service delivery risks and addressing complex user matters that arise in the delivery of peer-based, volunteer driven, and clinical support services.
• Lead strategic coordination and integration across all programs and services to optimise outcomes and resource utilisation, ensuring alignment with Switchboard’s strategic priorities.
• Manage all service and program delivery reporting to the Board, funding bodies and relevant government agencies.
• In collaboration with the Director of Finance and Operations, manage the service delivery and program budgets, support the budget development process, and ensure financial integrity and compliance with funding agreements and organisational policies.

Program Development and Quality Improvement

• Partner with Program Managers to implement and embed Switchboard’s Anti-Racism Organisation Change Plan to address racism within our organisation and broader community.
• Maximise the reach and accessibility of services and programs to better support our LGBTIQA+ community.
• Lead service development and practices to ensure that services and programs are inclusive, culturally safe, and actively values diversity.
• Partner with Program Managers to understand the end-to-end user experience, identify opportunities for improvement, and project manage service improvement initiatives.
• Drive the creation and implementation of fit-for-purpose organisational policies, procedures, practices, and systems to streamline service delivery and optimise the experience and outcomes for users.
• Oversee and guide the development of quality improvement and evaluation frameworks and mechanisms to monitor, evaluate and demonstrate outcomes.

Advocacy, Strategic Partnerships and External Relations

• In collaboration with the CEO and Program Managers, advocate for Switchboard’s services, programs, and the needs of our LGBTIQA+ communities across the sector.
• Develop and maintain strategic, collaborative partnerships with senior and influential stakeholders from government bodies, community agencies, First Nations organisations, and other services.
• Champion Switchboard’s mission and priorities at relevant networks, forums, and conferences.
• Undertake other role related duties as requested by the CEO.
• Selection criteria

Essential

1. Identify as a member of the LGBTIQA+ community [Switchboard Victoria has an exemption under Equal Employment].
2. Demonstrated knowledge and/or experience (including lived experience) of issues affecting LGBTIQA+ people, including through an intersectional lens.
3. Extensive people leadership experience, with the proven ability to lead high-performance teams, provide staff supervision, and foster engaged and productive workplace cultures.
4. Experience leading practice governance for complex community-focused services and programs, including clinical services, to ensure they are compliant, effective, evidence-based, risk-managed, and responsive to evolving needs.
5. Experience or transferrable skills in managing volunteer-delivered programs, with a proven ability to harness volunteer contributions effectively and integrate them seamlessly into organisational operations.
6. Experience developing and implementing organisational-wide policies, procedures, practices, and systems to streamline service delivery and optimise the experience and outcomes for users.
7. Experience in strategic analysis of internal and external factors impacting the organisation, and developing, implementing, and evaluating appropriate responses, including an understanding of current issues and future directions in the not-for-profit sector.
8. Demonstrated substantial skills in advocacy and building strategic partnerships with government bodies, community agencies, and First Nations organisations to successfully secure and maintain funding and foster inclusive, culturally sensitive collaborations to expand and sustain critical programs.
9. Advanced interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both written and verbally, with people from a wide range of professional and cultural backgrounds.
10. Financial literacy, including budgeting, financial planning, and financial management experience.

Desirable

1. Tertiary qualification in social work, psychology, gender studies, community development, or other relevant area.
2. Extensive experience delivering peer-driven support services, particularly within the not-for-profit sector, in areas such as suicide prevention and family violence.

To find out more and apply

Please make yourself familiar with Switchboard’s purpose and programs by visiting our website at switchboard.org.au.

Please carefully review the selection criteria for this position, which you should systematically address in your application (both essential and desirable criteria – 2 pages maximum).

NOTE: Applications that do not address the Selection Criteria will not be considered.

Contact

For information, please contact Joe Ball, Chief Executive Officer.

Email: [email protected], using the subject line: Director of Services enquiry via EthicalJobs.

Proposed Interview date:  27 – 30 August 2024

A position description is attached.

Switchboard Victoria is committed to supporting diversity and inclusion in our workforce and will consider all qualified applicants, regardless of sex, gender, gender identity or expression, age, disability or national origin.

Switchboard Victoria values diversity and is committed to the principles of cultural and ethnic diversity, social inclusion, and anti-racism. We promote a workplace that actively seeks to welcome and value unique perspectives. Switchboard especially welcomes and encourages applications from people who are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander; trans, gender diverse or intersex; disabled; carers; live with HIV, are culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD), People of Colour or People of Faith.