about us

The Working Women’s Centre SA Inc is a not-for-profit organisation, charity and a community legal centre that provides a legal service to vulnerable working women and people. The Centre has three arms of work:

• Legal Service – we provide legal advice and representation to vulnerable workers who contact the Centre with work issues through one-to-one clinic appointments. Clients may require ongoing advice and if so we also provide advice outside of these clinic appointments. We provide a representation service and have the capacity to represent a client through to the conclusion of a hearing.
• Advocacy – we conduct advocacy to resolve systemic issues that affect women and other vulnerable workers, such as sexual harassment and precarious work. Our advocacy program is informed by our legal and education service.
• Education – we provide fee-for-service and free training for workers and employers about workplace rights, sexual harassment, responding to disclosures of domestic violence and other topics.

The Centre was established in 1979 and has been advising, supporting and advocating for vulnerable women for 42 years. The Centre provides support, advice, information, and representation to women who face issues in their employment in both federal and state jurisdictions. The Centre is also concerned with the structural inequalities for women in the workplace, and conducts outreach, community.

Employment conditions are specified in the Working Women’s Centre SA Inc Enterprise Agreement 2021 however bargaining has commenced for a new agreement.

about the role

We have recently won funding from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations to build the Advocacy and Education teams.

The WWC has a model of Advocacy, Legal Services and Education. Collaboration and integration of Education within the operations of the Advocacy and Legal arms is envisaged. This will align the operation of the WWC with its strategic plan and vision.

Respect@Work recommendations, new State and Federal workplace legislation and subsequent additional funding have created opportunities to expand workplace and industry training.

Advocating the case for systemic change in a broader social context, expressed through women’s experiences at work is critical to achieving improved economic and safety outcomes for vulnerable women.

Mission

The Advocacy and Education manager will lead the Education and Advocacy team by ensuring we provide the following:

• A free and fee-for-service workplace training and education program that creates safer and fairer workplaces and improves the working lives of South Australian working women.
• An advocacy service that, in partnership, identifies gaps in policy and law and takes appropriate action to improve the lives of working women.

Selection Criteria

Required Experience and Skills:

1. Demonstrated commitment to social justice and access and equity principles.
2. Experience managing and developing a multi-purpose team.
3. Demonstrated experience working with adult education theory, principles, and practice, including the ability to design and develop training programs.
4. High level presentation, facilitation, and training skills with the ability to develop others in this craft.
5. Research, report writing, grant applications and submissions.
6. Demonstrated experience engaging, communicating with, and assisting vulnerable and disadvantaged clients.
7. Event Management skills (conferences, campaign launches)
8. High-level planning and organisational skills and an applied time management approach.
9. Excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to present information clearly and concisely, including the development of community legal education and law reform materials.
10. Understanding of current issues related to access to justice and the ability to identify opportunities and challenges in advancing community interests.
11. Commitment to working as part of a team.
12. Excellent computer literacy and ability to adapt to the use of different systems

We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

We encourage applications from people of colour.

We encourage applications from all cis and trans women, as well as non-binary people who are comfortable working on advocacy that focuses on the experiences of women.

We encourage applications from disabled applicants, please contact us about the accessibility of the workplace.

We encourage LGBTIQ+ applicants.

We encourage applications from survivors of gender violence.

We know that sometimes the best people for the role may not fit the exact selection criteria.

to apply

We will be interviewing in the week commencing 27 May 2024.

Click 'Apply Now' to submit a curriculum vitae and a cover letter addressing the selection criteria be addressed to Abbey Kendall, Director and Principal Solicitor. We ask that you respond to the selection criteria by providing examples of your experience under headings referring to the criteria.

A position description is attached.