Intermediary

• Utilise your Healthcare and Allied Health expertise to provide support and advice to the Victim Services Support and Reform branch
• An Ongoing, Full-Time opportunity to work with a high-performing and passionate team in the Victorian Public Service
• AH4: $106,534 - $128,897 plus superannuation.

About the Business Unit:Victim Services, Support and Reform (VSSR) is part of the Police, Racing, Victims and Coordination Group within the Department of Justice and Community Safety (DJCS). VSSR is responsible for the delivery and reform of services to victims of crime, placing victims at the centre of our justice system, as well as direct service provision through a range of programs including the Victims of Crime Helpline, the Victims Assistance Program, and the Child Youth Witness Service.About the Role:Reporting to a Lead Intermediary, you will provide specialist communication assistance to eligible witnesses.Some of your duties will include:

• Providing high-quality intermediary services in accordance with Intermediary Program Guidelines, VSSR Guidelines, the Multi-Jurisdictional Court Guide, and relevant practice frameworks, including by:

• maintaining and performing the impartial role as an officer of the court
• utilising specialist knowledge to assess the communication assistance needs of eligible witnesses and developing strategies to maximise effective communication
• providing specific and evidence-based advice to police on strategies to optimise communication with eligible witnesses when the witness participates in a Visual and Audio Recorded Evidence (VARE) interview, and completing VARE Assessment Reports
• writing clear, coherent and timely reports for the court with recommendations for how best communication can be achieved
• using specialist knowledge to provide the judiciary and legal practitioners advice on how to phrase questions to get the most reliable and coherent responses
• attending court to make recommendations about how to best communicate with witnesses and assist witnesses while they are giving evidence
• maintaining accurate case notes and undertaking all other program reporting requirements.
• Contributing to a positive work culture with colleagues, managers and stakeholders, including with staff from the Child and Youth Witness Service (CYWS) and the Victims and Witness Assistance Service (VWAS)
• Contributing to the development and implementation of effective practices and procedures for the program.

To learn more about this role before applying, please read the attached position description.About You:As our ideal candidate, you will possess:

• Extensive experience working in a trauma-informed way to support people (children and/or adults) in relation to a range of communication needs
• Experience making decisions on intervention strategies that may have significant consequences for people and their families
• Experience preparing written reports for an external audience.

Qualifications/RequirementsThe successful applicant will need to be considered suitable for appointment to the panel of intermediaries by the Secretary to the Department of Justice and Regulation as outlined in the Criminal Procedure Act 2009.To be considered for appointment applicants must meet one of the following criteria:

• have a tertiary qualification in psychology, speech pathology or occupational therapy, and be registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra)
• have a tertiary qualification in social work and be a member (or eligible to be a member) of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).

How to Apply:Please click the Apply button on this advertisement. Applications should include a resume and covering letter. Attachments can be uploaded in .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt or .rtf formats.The successful candidate will be required to undergo pre-employment checks which may include reference checks, national police checks and misconduct screening. Dependant on the role, other checks may include VicRoads checks, drivers licence checks, medical checks, Working with Children Checks, and Declaration of Private Interests (for executive and responsible officer roles).If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process, or require an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the contact person listed on this ad.FOR INTERNAL VPS EMPLOYEES:

• For this particular vacancy, priority consideration applies to Victorian Public Service (VPS) and select employees of the Victorian Public Sector who apply through the Jobs Skills Exchange (JSE) jobs board platform.
• For all VPS employees, due to the new Jobs Skills Exchange (JSE) policy, please apply through the JSE to be eligible to be considered for this position in the first round.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:CHILD SAFE STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT:The Department of Justice and Community Safety is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. We seek to prevent harm of any kind impacting children and young people and have zero tolerance for racism, child abuse and inequality. Children and young people's rights, relationships, identity, and culture must be recognised and respected, their voices heard, and their concerns acted upon. We aim to foster a culturally safe, child safe and child friendly environment for all children and young people we have contact with, deliver services to, or are impacted by our work.