Program Manager 

The Organisation

Westjustice is a leading community legal centre providing free services to vulnerable and disadvantaged people. From our offices in Footscray, Werribee and Sunshine and through outreach services, we provide advice on a broad range of issues including employment, discrimination, consumer disputes, tenancy, credit and debt, family disputes, family violence, criminal law and more.  We operate a multidisciplinary service, providing holistic legal, financial counselling and social worker support to people in Melbourne’s west which provides a comprehensive wrap-around service for those who need support within our community.

We believe in a just and fair society where the law and its processes do not discriminate against people or cause them vulnerability. We provide free legal education, undertake law reform activities and work in partnership with their local communities to deliver projects that improve access to justice.

Westjustice’s purpose is to service the legal needs in the West in a way that addresses the systemic nature of disadvantage.

Be part of the organisation that provides high-impact services and outcomes delivering best practice services and working on systemic reform of complex, widespread issues.

Benefits and Culture

• Be a part of an organisation that 98% of our team are proud to work for
• We pay 3% above the SCHADs award
• Salary packaging
• Up to 5 hours study leave per week
• Flexible working conditions
• 5% annual leave loading
• Passionate, professional and dedicated team
• Gifted additional paid leave over the summer holiday period
• Strong focus on wellbeing
• Ongoing commitment to being a diverse and inclusive organisation
• With 90% of our team recommending WEstjustice as a great place to work we can provide a culture of a values driven, inclusive, feedback oriented workplace

The Role

Westjustice is seeking to employ a full-time Program Manager on an ongoing basis for its Financial Safety Team. This role will lead a team of lawyers and financial counsellors, you will be responsible for legal supervision and program management regarding civil law advice, education, and casework to women and gender-diverse people experiencing and recovering from economic and financial abuse. The client base also involves a significant cohort of recently arrived and culturally and linguistically diverse people, youth and other groups who may be experiencing disadvantage. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage, supervise, mentor and support your team to provide expert legal advice and casework.
• Lead and manage projects including monitoring, evaluating and continuously improving legal services being delivered.
• Identify opportunities to contribute to policy issues and law reform submissions.
• Coordinate and deliver legal education, information and outreach services to the community.
• Develop and maintain strong stakeholder relationships to support referral pathways.
• Work closely with pro-bono partners to scale assistance and help more people.

Applicants must be eligible to hold an unrestricted legal practising certificate in Victoria and have the proven ability to engage with and provide holistic legal assistance to at risk and/or disadvantaged clients in civil law matters, and provide guidance and leadership to other lawyers working in that space.

The Lawyer will be primarily based at our Werribee office but will be required to work at our other offices and/or clinic sites, as need arises.

Remuneration

Salary range – $118,517 - $123,468 per annum (depending on experience), plus employer funded superannuation in accordance with Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992 (Cth). In addition, generous salary packaging is available (including access to Accommodation and Meal Entertainment packaging).

For a copy of the Position Description, please click here.

Please apply by 5pm, 8 December 2024 by sending your resume together with a cover letter responding to the key selection criteria in the Position Description to joe@westjustice.org.au. Alternatively, please call Joseph Nunweek, Legal Director, Economic Justice on 03 9749 7720 for a confidential discussion.

Late applications will not be considered.

The successful applicant will require a current Working with Children’s Check and a Police Check or be prepared to apply for both. A police check result does not automatically disqualify an application which in each case will be individually assessed for the relevant role.  Applicants must possess the right to work in Australia.

Westjustice is committed to building a diverse workforce. We strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people living with a disability, people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, mature age workers and LGBTIQA+-identifying people.   People with lived experience of the justice system are encouraged to apply. A police check result does not automatically disqualify an application which in each case will be individually assessed for the relevant role.

If you require any adjustments throughout the application or recruitment process please contact recruitment@westjustice.org.au 

Please ensure that you let us know, in advance, of any reasonable adjustment you may require during any part of the recruitment process including application and interview by contacting Theresa via theresa@Westjustice.org.au.  Any information disclosed will be held in the strictest of confidence.

Practical Legal Traineeship Placements – Westjustice

Westjustice is currently looking for Practical Legal Trainees (PLT) to work 2 days per week. The placement is for a minimum of 20 days over 10 weeks (2 set days a week). We are we are recruiting for placement opportunities all year round with flexible start dates.

Westjustice are a leading community legal centre providing free services to vulnerable and disadvantaged people. From our offices in Werribee and Sunshine and through our outreach services we provide advice on a broad range of issues including employment, discrimination, consumer disputes, tenancy, credit and debt, family disputes, family violence, criminal law and more.

Westjustice’s vision and purpose

• Fairness, safety, and justice for Melbourne’s West​

• We deliver targeted services and drive meaningful change​

Westjustice delivers

• Targeted legal, financial counselling​ and social work services​

• Empowerment through education and community development​
• Advocacy and system reform​
• Develop and nurture impactful networks and relationships​
• Prevention and early intervention that addresses the causes and impacts ​

The Practical Legal Training (PLT) Program at Westjustice

PLTs provide a vital contribution to our work and the functioning of our team. Successful applicants will gain valuable and practical experience and training working under the supervision of experienced lawyers within the following programs:

• Family Law Family Violence Program (Tuesdays and Wednesdays)
• Youth Law Program (Wednesdays and Fridays)
• Economic Justice Program (Mondays and Thursdays)
• Employment and Equality Law Program (Tuesdays and Wednesdays)

For specific information on the above listed programs, please refer to our website.

Key Responsibilities/Expectations can include:

• Triaging and preparing matters under guidance of the lawyers
• Coordinating court lists andcommunicating with external key stakeholders across multiple digital platforms under guidance of the lawyers
• Conducting intake (basic instructions) with clients, many of whom are from culturally and linguistically marginalised backgrounds, experiencing poverty, family/intimate partner violence
• Collating and analysing court documents
• File management tasks
• Preparing and sending correspondence with guidance of a lawyer
• Data entry
• Legal research, analysis and problem solving to assist lawyers with their case work

Key Selection Criteria:

• A degree in law
• Be currently completing your Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice (through Leo Cussen or an equivalent institution).
• Ability to undertake a minimum of 20 days (2 set days per week) of practical legal training at Westjustice over 10 weeks
• Ability to work from our office located in Sunshine or various outreach locations across Melbourne
• Ability to attend the various Courts and Tribunals across Melbourne
• Excellent IT skills, including use of real time portals, Sharepoint, Actionstep (or case management systems), Teams, Microsoft Office, Outlook
• Strong commitment to social justice, including a demonstrated understanding of the social context of law, crime, family violence, discrimination and the issues faced by vulnerable young people in our community and the ability to contribute to Westjustice’s systemic impact work
• Ability to listen to and engage with vulnerable, distressed or disadvantaged clients
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a range of internal and external stakeholders
• High level personal skills, including resilience and the ability to communicate and consult effectively
• Excellent problem-solving skills with a can-do attitude when offering solutions
• Excellent attention to detail and a friendly demeanour
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Confident, strong initiative, compassionate, with an interest in community legal work
• Thrives in a busy and sometimes unpredictable environment
• Competency in working with diverse communities, including LGBTIQA+, Disability and multicultural communities

*Please note that PLT positions are unpaid*

We offer a robust structured training program that includes practical skills workshops, and a Certificate of Completion is awarded upon completion of the 10-week program.

How to Apply:

To apply, please email a cover letter that indicates your interest in each of the programs in order of preference, addresses the key selection criteria (maximum 2 pages) and your CV to recruitment@westjustice.org.au . Please note, we will try to allocate successful applicants to their preferred programs, but this may not always be possible. Please use the subject line: PLT [your name] application.

Feel free to email us any questions you may have via the above email address.

The successful applicant will require a current Working with Children’s Check and Police Check. People with lived experience of the justice system are encouraged to apply. A police check result does not automatically disqualify an application which in each case will be individually assessed for the relevant role. Applicants must also have the right to work in Australia. If you require any adjustments throughout the application or recruitment process please contact recruitment@westjustice.org.au

Westjustice is committed to building a diverse workforce. We strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people living with a disability, people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, mature age workers and LGBTIQA+ identifying people. 

Please contact us on (03) 9749 7720 if you wish to make a donation to WEstjustice.

Donations over $2.00 are tax deductable.

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Unfortunately, WEstjustice does not currently have any vacancies.

WEstjustice relies heavily on the work of legal and non-legal volunteers. Volunteer roles include:

• Policy volunteers (at capacity)
• Administrative volunteers (at capacity)
• Paralegal volunteers (at capacity)
• Solicitor volunteers (at capacity)

Skills we require of all of our volunteers include:

• Excellent communication skills
• High attention to detail
• Ability to work as part of a team and independently
• Reliability and punctuality

We ask that volunteers give us a minimum commitment of twelve months.

Demand for volunteer positions may vary.

If there is a position available and you are a suitable candidate, we will contact you. 

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Westjustice has several current PLT opportunity, please see here for more details.