Wesley Suicide Prevention Services Branch

• make a difference and save lives
• full-time position
• based in Sydney CBD, Sylvania, UTS and other potential future locations
• flexible work arrangements
• generous salary packaging provisions.

About us

Wesley Mission is a high profile, multi-faceted Christian organisation making a real difference in the community. Our Vision is “Do all the good we can, by all the means we can, in all the ways we can, in all the places we can, at all the times we can, to all the people we can, as long as ever we can.”

Wesley Mission provides suicide prevention services to people in crisis in response to the growing number of suicides across Australia. We educate and empower local communities, supporting people and people groups most at risk of suicide.

We provide a range of clinical and non-clinical support to the community through:

• Wesley Mission Lifeline
• Wesley LifeForce Suicide Prevention Training (Wesley LifeForce Training)
• Wesley LifeForce Suicide Prevention Networks (Wesley LifeForce Networks)
• Wesley LifeForce Aftercare to the Coffs Harbour region
• Older Person’s Mental Health to support to residents living in Wesley Mission Independent Living Units
• Wesley LifeForce Suicide Memorial Services.

About the Centre

In 1963, while led by Reverend Dr Sir Alan Walker, Wesley Mission established the first Lifeline. Since this time, the Lifeline movement has grown significantly and is now Australia’s largest national phone support services, answering over a million calls a year. As one of the 37 accredited Lifeline Australia Centres, Lifeline Sydney & Sutherland is owned and operated by Wesley Mission and supports more than 30,000 people annually through its 13 11 14 Crisis support service.

Wesley Mission Lifeline is experiencing unprecedented growth and is continuing to expand its volunteer base and it’s existing suite of support services within the community. The Centre is one of several programs supported and operated under Wesley Mission’s Suicide Prevention Program.

About the Role

The Lifeline Group Manager is a critical leadership role within the Wesley Suicide Prevention Program, overseeing the operations of its National 131114 Crisis Support Service. The role is responsible for:

• meeting reporting and contract KPI’s for funders including Lifeline Australia, NSW Health and NSW Department of Communities and Justice
• leading a team in keeping the Help Seeker at the centre of everything you do
• providing strategic leadership and oversight of both the Centre’s training and supervision programs to deliver the best possible support for Australians in crisis
• ensuring quality support to and engagement of the Centre’s volunteers, creating a sense of belonging and community
• developing a team of Trainer Assessors, clinically trained Crisis Support Supervisors, Practice Leads and Call Coaches, as well as enabling functions through mentoring and the provision of constructive feedback
• being a change advocate leveraging performance data and other insights to inform action
• operational management of the Lifeline Sydney and Sutherland Centre across several sites
• developing and growing the Centre’s service capacity, inclusive of establishing and nurturing relationships with key partners, stakeholders, and funders.

Essential criteria

• tertiary qualifications or experience in Human Services, Community Services, Counselling or relevant discipline/field
• strong operational leadership with a proven ability to lead change and continuous improvement
• demonstrated business development skills and experience
• experience delivering or overseeing training programs
• experience in leading teams with a proven ability to mentor
• ability to build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders
• strong organisational and problem-solving skills
• highly developed interpersonal skills with excellent written and **** communication
• ability to work independently and as part of a team, manage time honestly, flexibly, and appropriately
• good computer literacy skills, ability to maintain accurate statistical and evaluation data
• cultural awareness and sensitivity
• a current Driver’s Licence.

Desirable criteria

• experience in a Lifeline service
• Certificate IV in Training & Assessment
• experience in managing volunteers
• experience working in mental health and suicide prevention
• not for profit or cause related management experience.

Remuneration

Remuneration is in accordance with the position requirements and your experience. Generous salary packaging benefits are also included in addition to superannuation.

Wesley Mission is a Christian organisation requiring all staff to affirm its values and Worker code of conduct. We are committed to providing an environment in which children can feel safe and valued.

The suitable applicant will be subject to the relevant pre-employment checks for appointment to positions within Wesley Mission (including provision of a valid Working with Children Check clearance number). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged to apply.

A position description is attached.