Are you looking for the next step in your career, where you can support and mentor front-line staff providing support and advocacy for at risk children and youth in a beautiful area of QLD?

The Department of Child Safety, Seniors and Disability Services currently have permanent Senior Team Leader opportunities available based out of our Emerald Child Safety Service Centre.

In this diverse leadership role, you’ll manage and develop a team of dedicated Child Safety Officers, collaborate with stakeholders, and drive innovative child protection strategies. The Emerald CSSC is also an early adopter site for Delegated Authority. Your team will be involved in actively supporting the work of the Service Centre to reduce the disproportionate over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the child protection system. As a seasoned practitioner, you will be excited to bring your knowledge and skillset to this team.

The Emerald Team covers a large geographical area, spanning to the NT border, including Longreach and remote Aboriginal communities.

What Does Being an STL Mean?

As a Senior Team Leader, you will lead and manage staff to deliver high-quality child protection services aligned with policies, legislation, and best practices.

You will use your passion for child protection to foster a culture of excellent frontline service delivery and collaborative team engagement. As an STL modelling the QLD Public Service Leadership competencies for QLD (LCQ) is essential. These are: leading strategically, making insightful decisions, building enduring relationships, driving accountability and outcomes, demonstrating sound governance, and demonstrating a healthy and inclusive workplace.

You will:

• Oversee your teams caseload and prioritisation ensuring compliance with departmental frameworks and guidelines;
• Collaborate with the Service Centre Manager and other STLs to tailor services that meet the needs of children, families, and the community;
• Identify training needs and provide input to develop and implement effective training programs for your CSOs;
• Build partnerships with parents, guardians, stakeholders, and service providers to enhance cross-sector collaboration and coordinate local child protection services;
• Promote a culture of teamwork, excellence, and professional ethics within your team;
• Participate in management team activities and quality assurance reviews;
• Provide expert advice and support on complex casework and policy matters; and
• Advocate for excellence in service delivery and public administration within the community.

To see more about this role’s responsibilities, please click here.

What you get for Becoming an STL:

This is a vital role where each day with the reward of know you will walk away each day with the reward of knowing that you’re making a tangible difference to the safety of children in Queensland.

You will receive:

• An attractive salary in line with PO5 circa $129,098 - $138,273
• 12.75% superannuation
• Flexible leave and TOIL options
• Further leadership professional development opportunities

Being in Emerald, you will also receive generous regional incentives, including:

• Accommodation subsidies
• $5,000 annual location allowance
• Fortnightly location allowance up to $66.60
• Relocation assistance

What you Need to be an STL

When you join our team, you will be part of a team of passionate and dedicated advocates across Queensland. While this role is incredibly rewarding and important, it is a challenging frontline role.

You will have:

• Extensive experience in providing frontline support to children and families with comprehensive knowledge of the full child protection continuum;
• Passion for supporting Child Safety Officers (CSOs) and protecting children and young people;
• Proven experience in staff development and team leadership;
• Exceptional communication skills with demonstrated ability to build lasting stakeholder relationships and rapport in challenging situations; and
• Extensive experience in complex case management, supporting team caseloads, and advising on complex cases.

With strong cultural capability, you will recognise the interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and have the capacity to consult and negotiate according to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander protocols, and you will be extensively familiar with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Placement Principles. You know about and understand the issues impacting cultures in contemporary society.

You lead people to understand and achieve the values of the framework for practice.

In addition to your experience and values, you will also have:

• Possession of a degree in accordance with the Qualification Requirements. Fact sheet available at: Qualifications - CSO careers (cyjma.qld.gov.au)
• An Australian Driver’s License, either Open or P2
• The right to work in Australia as a Citizen, Resident, or on a current visa that allows you to work

Life in Emerald

Emerald is in the centre of Queensland’s Central Highlands, and has plenty of history, nature and modern conveniences.

Emerald has a strong community, with culturally diverse people that come together for local events and to support each other in this farming and mining community.

The town has unique and historic attractions to explore, like the world’s largest Van Gogh sunflower painting, the 1900s railway station, and a 250-million-year-old fossilised tree. There is plenty of natural beauty to spend your weekend exploring, including fishing, water sports, picnics at Lake Maraboon, or strolling through the beautiful Botanic Gardens.

With shopping centres, healthcare, and a large variety of eateries, Emerald is also just a 3-hour drive from Rockhampton, 4-hour drive from Longreach, and a daily 1.5-hour flight from Brisbane.

Join us in Emerald and make an impact while enjoying the charm of this vibrant community.

Every child needs someone. So does every family. What if it’s you? Progress your leadership career in Child Safety - click Apply Now!