Women’s Legal Service Victoria | Melbourne CBD | Immediate start | Hybrid working model | Full time or Part time - negotiable (minimum 0.8EFT) | 3-year Maximum Term

• Be a part of a feminist community legal service supporting Victorian women.
• Your expertise will directly contribute to building a more gender-equitable society.
• Competitive remuneration, 5 weeks annual leave and flexible work arrangements.

About Us

For over 40 years Women’s Legal Service Victoria (Women’s Legal) has championed women’s rights to live free from violence. We are a dedicated team with a passion for working with women and non-binary people to live free from violence and discrimination by:

• Providing high quality integrated legal services for Victorian women and non-binary people who are victim-survivors of family violence and disadvantaged or marginalised by structural and systemic barriers.
• Building the capacity of professionals who work with women and non-binary people, to better understand the law and navigate the legal system safely.
• Advancing gender equality by challenging unsafe and discriminatory policies and laws and informing and advocating for legal and policy initiatives that respect and promote the rights of women and non-binary people.

About the Role

The social worker will collaborate with our lawyers and financial counsellors in an integrated model to assist women who are experiencing family violence and housing instability. The social worker will support women and their children in responding to legal and non-legal barriers on their pathway to recovery, with a focus on safety and risk management, and accessing local services and resources.

• Family Violence risk assessment and risk management using MARAM framework
• Safety planning, and strategic case planning with lawyers
• Case management to achieve the best possible outcomes
• Outreach support at court, with police, and other locations

The funding for this position is new and has a focus on Victorians experiencing financial hardships where rental or mortgage stress is a contributing factor.

About You

You are a skilled and compassionate social worker with a strong understanding of family violence, trauma, and risk management. You work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team to support women navigating legal and non-legal challenges, focusing on safety, advocacy, and access to essential services. With excellent communication and case management skills, you build trust with clients and external partners to drive meaningful change. You are committed to an intersectional feminist approach and are passionate about addressing systemic barriers to safety and housing stability for women.

Key to your success is your:

• Knowledge of family violence dynamics, risk assessment frameworks, legal processes, and community resources
• Commitment to, and understanding of, intersectional feminist practice and related theoretical frameworks, for example attachment theory
• A deep understanding of the trauma victim-survivors experience and the capacity to work with complex client presentations in a non-judgemental manner
• Ability to identify systemic barriers, and interest in working towards systemic change in legislation, policy and practice

You will:

• Hold a Bachelor of Social Work (with eligibility for membership to AASW), or equivalent qualifications
• Have a minimum of 3 years' experience in working with a diverse range of women who have experienced family violence including provision of risk and needs assessment, safety planning, crisis support, case management, advocacy, and referrals
• Completed MARAM Brief and Intermediate.

Why Women’s Legal?

In return for your dedication, we offer:

• Competitive remuneration
• 5 weeks annual leave, plus bonus leave between Christmas and New Year!
• Paid parental leave and reproductive health leave
• Cultural leave
• A strong commitment to your professional development, personal development, and wellbeing
• A hybrid working model and a flexible working environment that supports work/non-work balance
• NFP salary packaging benefits (up to $15,900 in tax-free pay every year) plus meal and entertainment benefits (up to $2,650 tax-free pay per year)
• Fresh fruit available in the office
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program

To apply

Submit a resume and covering letter by clicking 'Apply now' to tell us how you are the right candidate for this role. Please ensure the cover letter addresses how you personally align to Women’s Legal values, as described in the attached position description.

Research shows that women are less likely to apply for roles if they don’t meet 100% of the selection criteria. We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet all the criteria, but this role sounds like a good fit for you.

Please note, non-lawyers employed by Women’s Legal Service Victoria are required to comply with Section 121 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law.

All successful candidates will be required to produce a national criminal history check prior to the commencement of their employment.

Enquiries

Enquiries can be emailed to Ruth McKendrick, HR Officer at [email protected] using the subject line: Social Worker enquiry via EthicalJobs.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We recognise our work benefits greatly from the unique knowledge, skills and expertise of individuals with diverse experiences, including those with lived experience of family violence, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women with disability and women from migrant, refugee or non-English speaking backgrounds. If this is you, we strongly encourage you to apply.

Women's Legal relies on an exception under the Equal Opportunity Act to employ women only.