Business Wellness Coach - Parental leave vacancy

August 2025 to March 2026

The organisation

The Rural and Small Business Financial Counselling Service is a leading not-for-profit organisation providing services to empower rural and small businesses and their communities. Via our incorporated charity, Business & Rural Solutions Limited, we receive funding from the Australian Government and the Queensland Government to deliver the Rural and Small Business Financial Counselling Services throughout Southern Queensland.

With offices based across our Southern Queensland service region, we believe in having our people embedded in the communities we support. We have received consecutive funding from the Australian Government to deliver the Rural Financial Counselling Service since October 2006 and have delivered the Queensland Government Small Business Financial Counselling Service since early 2020.

Commencing July 2022, we secured funding via the Queensland Government Department of Customer Service, Open Data, Small & Family Business to implement Business Wellness Coaches throughout our network of Rural and Small Business Financial Counsellors. Additional funding was then received via the Australian Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) to provide Business Wellness Coaching specifically to the Gold Coast, Logan and Scenic Rim areas impacted by severe weather events in December 2023. This funding is for the period to 30 June 2026.

We are currently recruiting for a parental leave vacancy. This role is for the position of Business Wellness Coach in the Logan area (also supporting the Gold Coast and Scenic Rim). This position will commence in August 2025, through until March 2026.

The role

The role of a Business Wellness Coach is to provide early intervention counselling to improve the psychological wellbeing of rural and small business owners throughout southern Queensland, alongside the financial support provided by our Rural and Small Business Financial Counsellors.

Due to the challenging business operating conditions over recent years brought on by COVID-19, natural disasters, inflation and drought, many rural and small business owners who access financial counselling possess limited emotional resilience or reduced mental wellness. This often results in the business owner experiencing difficulty in making decisions that impact their business, employees and family.

By embedding Business Wellness Coaches throughout the financial counsellor network, holistic support is provided to business owners to improve their financial position whilst supporting their emotional wellbeing and decision-making activities through what is typically a challenging period in their lives.

The focus of this role is to support rural and small business owners in the Logan, Gold Coast and Scenic Rim areas by:

operating as a network with the Rural and Small Business Financial Counsellors to provide emotional counselling support to clients, alongside the financial counselling services

delivering emotional counselling support to small business owners directly

providing a plan-based approach and case management support to the delivery of emotional counselling to small business owners

being the first referral point for financial counsellors when it is identified that a client may be under stress

establishing referral pathways for clients with higher support needs that cannot be met by the Business Wellness Coaching program, ensuring that clients do not fall through gaps when referred externally.

Eligible clients for this program are Rural or Small Business owners in disaster impacted Local Government Areas of Logan, Gold Coast and Scenic Rim.

In undertaking their role, a Business Wellness Coach will:

provide free one-on-one, customised guidance to rural and small business owners

work alongside clients to identify and address the source of emotional stress

utilise case management principles, working alongside clients to develop strategies to alleviate stress impacts

implement a solution focused approach to support rural and small business owners to overcome challenges

work with clients over the short, medium or longer term to support their emotional wellbeing

identify when clients have higher emotional or mental health support needs which cannot be met within the scope of the Business Wellness Program

establish clear referral pathways to appropriate practitioners/licensed clinicians for clients with higher needs.

Business Wellness Coaches do not prescribe medical aids to clients and shall refer on to the appropriately licenced clinicians as required. Business Wellness Coaches do not provide medical opinions on the mental capacity of clients.

Key requirements of the role

To be successful in the role of a Business Wellness Coach, candidates are required to possess either all, or the majority, of the following.

Qualifications in social work, psychology, social science, mental health or a related field.

Experience in a similar role.

Demonstrated understanding of mental health conditions and the mental health sector.

Knowledge of positive, community and organisational psychology and wellness principles.

Demonstrated ability to consult with and refer to mental health and allied health professionals as well as community networks and support services.

Knowledge and understanding of small business.

Excellent interpersonal, communication and organisational skills.

Willingness to engage in supervision, mentoring and ongoing professional development.

Candidates must have a background with exposure to small business, whether that be as a small business owner themselves, through small business education or training or other meaningful exposure to small business. The Business Wellness Coaching program is an early-intervention program designed to improve the psychological wellbeing of business owners.

A Business Wellness Coach also needs to be equipped with a professional approach and the ability to work autonomously within an established network. The ability and willingness to undertake outreach and associated activities to promote the service to potential clients is also a requirement of the role.

Remuneration

$106,401 plus superannuation per annum. As a not-for-profit, all employees have access to salary sacrificing of up to $18,550 p.a. including rent and living expenses via AccessPay.

Four weeks annual recreation leave are included in the package, plus four additional days (one per quarter) of professional, health and development leave (PHD leave). Further information on the Rural and Small Business Financial Counselling Service is located at www.sbfcssq.org.au

To apply

Please submit the following information to [email protected] by close of business Monday 14 July 2025:

resume

cover letter

copy of your qualification in social work, psychology, social science, mental health or a related field.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, contact our team on 1300 732 777.

Note: Applications shortlisted for interview may be requested to complete the following selection criteria.

Selection criteria

Detail your experience and ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team to deliver specialist counselling support to clients.

Detail your experience in operating in similar emotional or mental health counselling role/s and utilising a case management approach to deliver services.

Summarise your understanding and exposure to business operations (including whether you have owned or managed a business yourself).

Provide an overview of how you have previously established (or plan to) sound referral pathways for clients whom you are not able to support within the scope of your role.

Detail your experience in undertaking outreach activities relevant to how you intend to raise awareness of the Business Wellness Coaching Service to clients and amongst industry stakeholders (e.g. chambers of commerce, industry groups etc).

Following completion of an interview process, the successful candidate shall be required to undergo a criminal history check and may be requested to complete a medical check.