Position title: Support Manager, Community
Reporting to: Manager Community
Location: 1 Bowen Road, Moonah (Langford Head Office)
Award: Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Award 2010
Status: Fixed Term Contract - Pilot Project
Classification: Level 5

Role Context:

The Lighthouse Project is the name of our pilot program to build better communication at Langford. We want to make sure participants, families, support workers and support networks are all on the same page. This is a new role at Langford and exists to support our Support Workers and interface between management, support staff, participants and stakeholders. This role may become permanent dependent on success of the Lighthouse Project pilot program.

The Langford Community:

Langford Support Services (Langford) is a not-for-profit Tasmanian organisation committed to providing individual and flexible wellbeing options for people with a physical and/or mental disability or mental illness. We offer support within a range of environments including supported living, community-based, centre-based, and short-term accommodation settings.

We value innovative practices that empower the people we support to exercise choice, control, and self-determination in their lives. Our work is guided by the principles of the Australian Human Rights Commission, with a focus on both Disability and Children’s Rights.

At Langford, we believe that every person deserves to “own” their life. We support this by taking a goal-based, person-centred approach, built around our unique Langford Wellbeing Wheel.

Position Summary:

The Support Manager – Community will work under the guidance of the Manager – Community to lead and manage teams delivering flexible, person-centred supports within community settings. This role is responsible for the coordination, supervision, and performance of support teams to ensure effective development and implementation of participant support plans, enabling individuals to achieve their personal goals. The Support Manager holds oversight and accountability for ensuring all supports are delivered in alignment with the compliance requirements of the NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Commission, including timely and accurate reporting. This position also includes participation in the organisation’s on-call roster as required.

Position responsibilities:

Langford’s way of working puts the participant at the centre of their own supports and services, enabling our participants to make informed choices, exercise control and maximise their independence.

Reporting into the Manager – Community, you will be responsible for:

1. Modelling Values, Culture and Practice

Reflect and uphold Langford’s values at all times.

Adhere to Langford’s Code of Conduct.

Mentor and assist Participant Development Leads, Team Development Leads, and support staff in understanding and modelling the Langford Code of Conduct and Values.

Observe the Child Youth Safe Standards.

Adhere to the values and principles of the NDIS.

2. Upholding People’s Rights

Respect participants’ rights to choice and control in all areas of their lives.

Honour and support participants’ identity, culture, and sexual expression.

Take appropriate action if there are concerns of discrimination, exploitation, neglect, abuse, or violence.

3. Compliance with Legislation and Continual Safeguarding and Improvement

Manage incidents effectively and in a timely manner using a person-centred approach, ensuring risks are identified and mitigated to maintain safety.

Ensure all reporting and follow-up is in line with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Framework.

Monitor and lead the maintenance of participant records in Visualcare.

Monitor and respond proactively to the wellbeing and safety of workers and participants.

4. Maintaining a Duty of Care

Act as a WHS representative and ensure all hazards and incidents, especially reportable ones, are recorded and escalated appropriately.

Ensure personal and team work practices do not endanger participants, team members, or self.

Assist with maintaining relevant aids and mobility equipment as required.

Ensure participants have documented and approved Care Plans, and that staff are trained and equipped to deliver supports as outlined.

Complete all mandatory training and safeguard requirements and ensure compliance within your team.

5. Communicating Effectively

Liaise with families, services, and relevant programs to support participants.

Provide after-hours on-call support as per the On Call Roster.

Collaborate with internal business units to develop and implement participant support plans.

Facilitate regular team meetings and encourage staff input when setting and implementing agendas.

6. Building Relationships and Trust

Engage meaningfully with participants and the important people in their lives.

Actively listen and respond to participants' needs and preferences.

Prioritise participant choice and autonomy, unless legal or complex circumstances assign decision-making authority to others.

Foster and maintain collaborative working relationships with Langford staff and external stakeholders to continually improve the quality of supports and services.

7. Ensuring Safe Supports

Oversee participants’ health, wellbeing, and medication, ensuring clear communication with staff, families, and medical professionals as required.

Monitor and report on individual outcomes to track progress toward goals.

Conduct risk assessments to align with quality and safeguarding standards.

Respond promptly to injuries, incidents, and hazards, ensure appropriate risk controls are implemented and monitored, and follow NDIS Reportable Incident procedures where necessary.

Ensure all staff are informed of individual participant needs, and that only appropriately trained staff provide support where a Support or Care Plan is in place.

8. Administration

Fulfil all administrative, reporting, and record-keeping responsibilities relevant to the position in an accurate and timely manner.

What you will bring to the position:

To assist people to have choice and control of their lives, your success in this role will depend on:

• A Diploma in Disability or similar qualification

• A minimum of 3 years’ experience working with participants to provide client-centric services

• Strong knowledge and understanding of the NDIS and the Quality and Safeguarding framework

• Knowledge and understanding of person-centred and active support practices

• Experience leading, coaching and supervising teams including conflict resolution

• Strong communication, interpersonal skills and report writing skills

• The ability to build and maintain relationships and work in a collaborative way with people

• The ability to remain calm, problem solve and demonstrate good judgment and decision making in a range of

complex situations

• Resilience, flexibility and adaptable to changing priorities

• Highly organised and systematic follow up

Essential requirements: Provide and maintain:

• Registration to Work with Vulnerable People (RWVP) with NDIS endorsement (if you do not have the NDIS

endorsement before joining Langford you can apply for it as soon as you start work with us)

• National Police Check (if less than six months old)

• NDIS Quality, Safety & You - Worker Orientation Module

• Current unrestricted drivers’ license

• A current Level 2 Senior First Aid Certificate

• A current Administration of Medication Certificate

Delegated authority:

Support Managers work under general direction from the Manager, SIL within the Community Service Delivery
team and are expected to exercise professional judgment and initiative within the scope of established guidelines
and policies. They have a limited degree of autonomy to take responsibility for planning and coordination of
various activities within their work area, under the guidance of the Manager, SIL.

Direct reports:

The position supports the Team Development Lead.

Selection criteria:

1. Experience developing and documenting processes and procedures for operations, programs, and service delivery

2. Experience presenting information in a clear and logical sequence, demonstrating an understanding of the needs of the end user

3. Excellent organisational and scheduling skills to manage your own time and priorities and ensure efficient and effective collaboration with colleagues

4. Well-developed interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to develop and maintain positive and productive relationships with a range of stakeholders

5. Experience supervising and coaching teams including allocating team workflow and monitoring outcomes, addressing conflict as it arises and having disciplinary conversations when required.

6. Strong administrative and computer skills with experience in the Microsoft Office suite of applications – Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio

7. A resilient personality with a flexible way of working to adapt to changing priorities