Financial Counsellor – Family Law

Financial Counsellor – Family Law

·         Ongoing Full-Time

·         Location – Sydney (Haymarket)

·         Flexible work options available

About us

Legal Aid NSW helps people with their legal problems. We can help people with most areas criminal law, Family Law and every day civil law legal issues. We give legal advice, help at court and do family dispute resolution. We can do this over the telephone or at one of our 28 offices.

About the Team

The Domestic Violence Unit (DVU) was established in 2015 and is a specialist family and domestic violence service at Legal Aid NSW. The DVU is a state-wide interdisciplinary team of lawyers, domestic violence case workers, mental health workers and Financial Counsellors who work together to provide trauma informed services to clients by helping them with their legal and non-legal needs. The DVU provides advice, duty services, minor assistance, limited complex case work and community legal education in a range of locations.

About the role

Provide information, referral, advocacy and other Financial Counsellor services to clients of the Domestic Violence Unit and other female clients of Legal Aid NSW who are experiencing or have experienced family violence.

About you

As a Financial Counsellor, you will provide information, referral, advocacy and other Financial Counsellor services to clients of the Domestic Violence Unit and other female clients of Legal Aid NSW who are experiencing or have experienced family violence.

The successful applicant will:

·         Provide effective and trauma informed financial counselling services to clients of the Domestic Violence Unit and other female clients of Legal Aid NSW in accordance with legislation and directions, policy, guidelines and practice standards;

·         Effectively utilise Legal Aid NSW electronic case management/tracking/reporting systems and databases and provide accurate statistical and other information about work carried out;

·         Develop and deliver financial literacy education to assist and empower clients to gain an improved ability to manage their financial affairs;

·         Keep up to date on developments in the financial counselling sector and identify/attend training as required;

·         Partner with legal officers and domestic violence workers to provide coordinated financial counselling and legal case management.

We may use this recruitment to create a talent pool for similar ongoing or temporary vacancies we have over the next 18 months.

WHY YOU SHOULD JOIN LEGAL AID NSW!

We are committed to diversity and inclusion

We are committed to creating a culturally safe and genuinely inclusive organisation and workplace for everyone who works and interacts with us. We strive to be a place where people from diverse backgrounds want to work, where voices and cultures are valued and where people feel valued, welcomed, respected and heard.

We want a workforce that reflects our clients, so we can deliver a service that meets the needs of the community. We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds — including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, the LGBTQI+ community, culturally diverse people and other diverse communities. 

We acknowledge, support and accommodate the diverse access needs of people with visible and invisible disabilities. If you need an adjustment to participate in the recruitment process, or you’d like information about what we can do to help you, please contact our team at ************@legalaid.nsw.gov.au.

Other benefits of working with us

·         You will have access to training, development and mentoring opportunities.

·         We are an accredited Flex Ready certified employer and are recognised as leaders in the area of flexible work. Most of our staff work flexibly — for example, from home some of the time or in a way that helps them balance family and work life.

The essential requirements for this role

You must:

·         be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before you start work with us

·         be willing to do a Criminal Record Check and/or Working with Children Check

·         hold Australian or NZ citizenship, Australian Permanent Residency (for ongoing vacancies) or a valid visa to work in Australia (for temporary vacancies)

·         Diploma of Community Services (Financial Counselling) and the Diploma of Financial Counselling

·         have accreditation with Financial Counsellors’ Associate of NSW INC

·         have demonstrated experience working as a Financial Counsellor

·         must hold a current NSW Drivers’ License

The Family Law Division have a number of roles where it is a statutory obligation for staff to hold a valid Working With Children Check. You will be required to provide your Working With Children Check details prior to commencement in any role requiring the check.

How to apply

You MUST submit your application online through www.iworkfor.nsw.gov.au. If you submit your application late or by email it will NOT be accepted.

Your application must include:

·         your resume (no more than 5 pages)

·         cover letter (no more than 2 pages). In your cover letter, please address the following two questions –

1. Outline your experience or capabilities to provide trauma informed financial counselling services to victims of domestic abuse.

2. Provide a brief example of working in a multi-disciplinary team or environment (e.g. with lawyers, police and/or NGOs) to support clients of domestic abuse.

Please cover:

a. The challenges you encountered and strengths you brought to the team.

b. Your knowledge and the skills you bring in working with clients impacted by domestic abuse.

Make sure your application is complete and you have answered all questions before you submit it.

Do you need help to apply?

It’s important to properly prepare before you apply for a role. Here is some other information to help you:

·         If you have questions about the role, you can contact the Hiring Manager – Amanda Gale on 02 9213 5*** or email: ***********@legalaid.nsw.gov.au. 

·         If you are an Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and are thinking about applying, you can contact the Aboriginal Services Branch to arrange a confidential conversation about any questions you may have.

·         The Role Description sets out the responsibilities of the role.

·         The focus capabilities and key accountabilities in the role description indicate what is expected at that level. Being familiar with these will help you understand what the panel will be looking for in the successful candidate. 

·         Applying for a Role

·         Working at Legal Aid NSW

"Not Required"

"Not Required"